A consultant at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital has gained a place on a prestigious fellowship programme which aims to develop more female surgical leaders.

Gillian Cribb, consultant orthopaedic and oncological surgeon and clinical lead for the Tumour Unit at the hospital, has been awarded a place on The Lady Estelle Wolfson Emerging Leaders Fellowship.

The scheme is run by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) and has been supported by Lady Estelle Wolfson, chair of The Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation.

Gill said: “I’m delighted to have been accepted onto The Lady Estelle Wolfson Emerging Leaders Fellowship programme.

“Only approximately 6 per cent of consultants in trauma and orthopaedics are women and for a long time I was the only female surgeon at the Orthopaedic.

“It’s great to be able to represent not only the Orthopaedic, but trauma and orthopaedics, on a national level.”

The year-long fellowship aims to encourage women to apply for leadership and senior roles within surgery and also provides women with opportunities to be involved with activities and events held by the RCS.

Gill added: “The programme will help me expand my skills involved in leadership and support me in the different challenges and obstacles involved in progressing into a leadership role.

“I’m especially looking forward to being a role model to medical students and doctors in training, when I was completing my training I know I had very few females to look up to. I hope I can be supportive and a good role model for them.”

Mr Steve White, medical director, said: “I’m delighted that Gill is on this fellowship, which is a marvellous opportunity for her to further develop herself and her future roles in this Trust.

“She has already made a considerable contribution to the Trust - helping patients with tumour conditions, supporting her colleagues in making difficult diagnoses, frequently operating with other surgeons whose patients have tumours or tumour-like conditions and raising the profile of this Trust as a centre of excellence.”