Mark Cheetham is a consultant surgeon working in the NHS in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He also works as the National Clinical Lead for General Surgery at the Getting it Right First Time Programme. Mark’s clinical work focusses on colorectal surgery in particular surgery for inflammatory bowel disease, proctology, colonoscopy and abdominal wall reconstruction. Mark is also interested in emergency general surgery.

Mark completed undergraduate training in medicine at St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School. He trained in general and colorectal surgery in Oxford and London before being appointed as a consultant surgeon in Shrewsbury in 2005. During training, Mark completed a spell of full-time clinical research at St Mark’s Hospital and was awarded an MD from Imperial College.

Since starting work as a consultant, Mark has also held a number of leadership roles including Undergraduate Surgical Tutor, Value Stream Lead for Scheduled care, Care Group Medical Director, Divisional Medical Director and Deputy Medical Director.

Mark was fortunate to be awarded a Generation Q Fellowship by the Health Foundation in 2014. He completed a Masters in Leadership and Quality Improvement at Ashridge Business School in 2017.

Currently Mark is interested in reducing unwarranted variation in healthcare, improving the sustainability of surgery and helping the NHS recover elective services. Mark is also a mentor and is developing his skills as a coach.