North West School of Surgery - Core Surgical Training Recruitment
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Core Surgical Training
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August 2025 Recruitment Information
10 February 2026
Confirmed numbers and indicative track information for August 2026 is now available below.
Additional February 2027 Recruitment
10 August 2026
The North West is advertising an additional 4 Core Surgical Training posts to start 3 February 2027 as part of the Expansion of Medical Specialty Training Posts from February 2027.
All four posts will be based in the Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria sector, and will be General Surgery themed (18 months in General Surgery and 6 months in an allied surgical specialty).
Full track information is being worked on, and we are currently unable to confirm these details at present.
National Recruitment Leads
National Recruitment for Core Surgical Training is managed by NHS England – London and the South East (LaSE). Recruitment to most run-through posts is part of Core Surgical Training Recruitment, see our Core Surgery pages for details about our programmes.
Recruitment to OMFS run-through training is part of OMFS recruitment, managed by NHS England – South West, see our OMFS pages for details.
Cardio-thoracic Surgery is now a run-through only specialty, with recruitment managed by NHS England – Wessex, see the Cardio-thoracic Surgery pages for details.
NHS England – London and the South East's Recruitment website
NHS England – South West's Recruitment website (OMFS ST1 run-through recruitment)
National NHS England Recruitment Website (includes Timelines, Guidance, Competition Ratios etc.)
Core Surgical Training Person specifications link updated 2 Oct 2025
OMFS ST1 Person specifications link updated 2 Oct 2025
JCST: Surgical selection in the UK
North West CT1/ST1 - Indicative Track Information
Please note
There is significant reorganisation of services ongoing in some north west trusts (due to mergers of trusts etc.) which means that placement sites are subject to change (specified specialties should remain the same).
Core Surgery August 2026 track information for NHS England – North West (including ST1/2 tracks for run-through surgical specialties) Added 10 February 2026
North West CT1/ST1 - August 2026 Vacancies
Applications CLOSED
Core Surgical Training in North West England
Most posts for Core Surgical training are 'Uncoupled' - this means it is for the two years of core surgical training only. Once all core surgical training curriculum requirements have been achieved, doctors will need to apply for an ST3 post in their chosen higher surgical specialty.
Some posts are 'Run-through' - this means that once the core surgical training curriculum requirements have been achieved, they will progress to ST3 in that higher surgical specialty.
Resident doctors appointed to ST1 on a run-through programme will spend the first two years (or one year for OMFS) in either the Cheshire and Merseyside or Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria sector. From ST3, training will be delivered either in the same sector as ST1/2, or across the whole of the NHS England – North West region. Please check the Higher Specialty pages for details on the ST3+ placements.
Apply via Oriel
| Specialty | Sector | Start Date | Programme Length | Number of Vacancies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
'Uncoupled' Core Surgical Training Lead Recruiter: NHS England – LaSE |
C&M | 5 August 2026 | 24 months | 29 |
| GM,L&SC | 5 August 2026 | 24 months | 52 | |
| GM,L&SC | 3 February 2027 | 24 months | 4 | |
|
Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery (run-through) - ST1 Lead Recruiter: NHS England – South West |
C&M | 5 August 2026 | 72 months | 1 |
| GM,L&SC | 5 August 2026 | 72 months | 2 |
NHS England has ceased recruitment to IST run-though (General surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery, Urology and Vascular surgery), ENT run-through and Paediatric Surgery run-through programmes. No IST run-through, ENT run-through or Paediatric Surgery run-through posts will be recruited to start in August 2026.
C&M = Cheshire and Merseyside
GM,L&SC = Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria
Last updated: 10 August 2026