Professor Peter Whitfield

Training

Peter was an undergraduate at Southampton University Medical School (1982-87).  He graduated with a Distinction in Clinical Medicine, the Sutton Prize for Surgery and the Newitt Memorial Prize.  He was inspired to pursue a career in neurosurgery following lectures in neuroanatomy, undergraduate research and placements in neurosurgery.  Following medical and surgical “house jobs” in Southampton, Peter spent a year teaching and studying anatomy at the University of Glasgow. Peter then worked with Professor Sir Graham Teasdale and colleagues at the Institute of Neurological Science in Glasgow and in the Emergency Department of Glasgow Royal Infirmary.  

Peter then undertook training in Trauma, Orthopaedics (including spinal surgery) and General Surgery in Winchester (1990-92).

Peter was appointed registrar in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge (1993).  Over the next 8 years he trained in neurological surgery and completed a PhD assessing the mechanisms of brain injury following deprivation of blood flow (seen in cerebral ischaemia and traumatic brain injury).  Peter’s clinical training included cerebrovascular neurosurgery, traumatic brain injury, skull base surgery, neuro-oncology, hydrocephalus and spinal surgery. He was awarded a prestigious MRC Clinical Training Fellowship under the supervision of Professor John Pickard CBE and won the Royal Society of Medicine Registrar’s Prize and three other national level prizes for research work.  Following completion of training, he worked as a consultant/ honorary clinical senior lecturer in Scotland for 2 years before moving to the South West.

Clinical Experience

Peter was appointed to Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust in 2002.  He established the South West Neurovascular Clinic and developed his interests in traumatic brain injury and surgery in the older patient.  Peter’s practice includes traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular surgery (brain haemorrhage, aneurysms, AVMs, cavernomas), neuro-oncology (meningioma, glioma, awake craniotomy), hydrocephalus (eg normal pressure hydrocephalus) and non-instrumented spinal surgery (lumbar microdiscectomy – including over 25 years’ experience treating patients with cauda equina syndrome and anterior cervical discectomy).  

 Expert Witness

Peter has been privileged to prepared medical reports regularly since 2000.  These include personal injury, clinical negligence and reports for the Coroner.  He prepares reports for claimants and defendants and has appeared as an expert witness and a professional witness in a range of court settings. Peter is able to provide balanced reports considering breach of duty, causation, and condition and prognosis.  These can cover a range of neurosurgical conditions including traumatic brain injury and cauda equina syndrome. Peter has delivered presentations on medicolegal aspects of neurosurgery to medical, legal and mixed audiences.  He has also worked with an Academic Lawyer to enable medicine and law students to work collaboratively in a student selected component in the field of medicolegal medicine and participated in a video presentation on the Coroner’s Court.  Peter is a member of the Medical Defence Union (MDU) Council and the MDU Cases Committee (appointed 2021).  Peter welcomes medicolegal instructions in areas relevant to his clinical practice.

 Education and Examination Roles

Peter is committed to establishing and maintaining high clinical standards.  Peter is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  He was awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education with a Distinction.  He was appointed Honorary Professor in Neurosurgery in 2021.  He has been Training Programme Director for the South West (Bristol and Plymouth) and w as SAC Chairman (2017-2020).  As SAC Chairman Peter was responsible for writing a new curriculum for neurosurgery in the UK and Ireland, setting national standards and ensuring high quality training and assessment of trainees.  As Secretary (2015-17) and Chairman (2017-2020) of the National Neurosurgery Selection Board, responsibilities included running the national recruitment process, selecting appropriate trainees for training in the speciality.  Peter regularly teaches at a national level, including cadaveric training, simulation training and training in non-operative skills.   

Peter is an ICBSE assessor of the MRCS Examination (in the UK and overseas), an examination undertaken by surgeons early in their surgical careers.  He is also an examiner for the FRCS examination taken at the end of neurosurgical training. Furthermore, he also examines overseas for the Joint Surgical Colleges Fellowship Examination.  

Peter was the inaugural Chairman of the Fellowship of the European Board Examination in Neurosurgery (FEBNS): 2015-2023.  This examination is conducted on behalf of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) and UEMS.  He established a team of examiners and led the preparation, conduct and evaluation of written and oral examinations across Europe.  He was also a member of the EANS Council and ex-officio member of the EANS Board.  Peter has written a curriculum for Neurosurgical Training in Europe.  This ‘ETR’ has been approved by the UEMS (2021). 

In 2022, Peter was elected President of The Society of British Neurological Surgeons for a two year term of office.  It has been a privilege to Chair the SBNS Council and represent British Neurosurgery at national and international levels.   

Undergraduate Education Roles

Peter wass lead for Personal Development and Professionalism at the Peninsula School of Medicine, Plymouth University (2013-23). This role involved teaching medical students and ensuring students aspire to high standards of professionalism.  He met with students who were failing to meet expected standards and provided remediation to help provide insight, promote learning and improve outcomes. Peter contributed to high stakes decisions concerning student progress.