Mid Cheshire NHS Hospitals Trust recruiting for new surgical centre

Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre is set to start welcoming patients at Victoria Infirmary in Northwich next year.

It is hoped this facility will help tackle the NHS backlog, providing space to treat a ‘high volume of low complexity patients’.

Ahead of the scheduled Spring 2025 opening, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is launching a recruitment drive with the aim of hiring around 80 people across a mix of part and full-time positions.

Gemma Morgan-Lees, general manager of the Victoria Infirmary, said: “We want the new Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre to become a cataract centre of excellence, providing eye care for people across the region.

“This will mean there will be fewer people waiting for eye surgery across the region, as well as greatly improving patient care and reducing pressures on other parts of the system.

“But to deliver this, we need great people who are passionate about serving our communities.

“The centre is looking for a good mix of skilled and entry-level posts and a wide mix of areas, including nursing, IT, management, and clerical.

“Victoria Infirmary Northwich is a great place to work, so I’m sure we’ll get a lot of interest.”

The surgical centre is expected to open at Victoria Infirmary next Spring (Image: Google Maps)

The Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre will include two theatres covering ophthalmology, orthopaedics, pain, ENT (ears, nose and throat), dermatology, and general surgery.

There will also be a recovery area and consulting rooms.

The trust says it is hoping to treat a large number of patients from across the region who require less complex operations and procedures – around 12,000 each year.

This will help reduce waiting times for patients as well as the overall backlog, with an immediate focus on those who have been waiting 52 weeks for treatment

To help deliver this ambition, the trust is looking to recruit around 80 people, including nurses, operating department practitioners, and support roles for the theatres.

In ophthalmology, health care assistants, pre-operative assessment care nurses, telephone triage nurses, and imaging technicians are sought.

 Meanwhile, for the waiting area, the centre needs senior nurses, nurses, and health care assistants.

Other roles include C-arm trained radiographers, pharmacy assistants, security and porters, along with medical engineers, estates and IT support, and domestic and administration staff.

A recruitment event will be held on Thursday (July 25) from 10am to 2.30pm at Northwich Memorial Court, where people can learn more about the centre and vacancies.

You can also visit www.mcht.nhs.uk/work-us/surgical-centre-recruitment.