Cardiff Thoracic Surgery Team Receives National Recognition for Supporting Trust Doctors

16 July 2026

The Thoracic Surgery team at the University Hospital of Wales has been recognised nationally after receiving the “Best Department for Trust Doctor Support” award at the 2026 Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery (SCTS) Annual Meeting in Belfast. 

The award is particularly meaningful as it is voted for directly by Trust Doctors working within cardiothoracic departments across the UK and Ireland. It recognises departments that go above and beyond to support doctors through training, mentorship and career development. 

For the Cardiff Thoracic Surgery team, the recognition reflects years of work focused on creating a supportive and inclusive culture where all doctors are given equal opportunities to grow, regardless of their training pathway. 

Within the NHS, Trust Doctors play a vital role in delivering patient care and supporting services, but nationally they can sometimes face fewer opportunities for structured training and career progression compared to doctors on traditional Deanery training programmes. 

The Cardiff team has worked to challenge that perception by building what they describe as a “training first” culture, ensuring Trust Doctors are fully integrated into the department and supported to develop their clinical, academic and surgical skills. 

The consultant team, Miss Malgorzata Kornaszewska, Mr Ainis Pirtnieks, Mr Vasileios Valtzoglou and Mr Tom Combellack have focused on creating an environment where educational opportunities are based on ambition and ability rather than job title or training route. 

This includes providing meaningful operating theatre exposure, regular teaching opportunities, mentorship and involvement in research projects, helping doctors build both confidence and experience within the specialty. 

A major area of support has been for doctors pursuing the Portfolio Pathway (formerly CESR), an alternative route that enables experienced doctors to work towards specialist registration outside of traditional national training schemes. 

For many doctors, the Portfolio Pathway can be a complex and demanding process, requiring extensive evidence of competencies, operative experience and professional development. The Cardiff Thoracic Surgery team has developed a structured approach to supporting doctors through this pathway, offering tailored mentorship, guidance on evidence collection, research opportunities and progressive clinical responsibility. 

The department believes this approach not only benefits individual doctors, but also strengthens the future workforce within the NHS by helping retain talented clinicians and providing clearer routes for career progression. 

Speaking about the award, members of the team said they were incredibly proud to see the department recognised by the doctors themselves, describing it as a reflection of the supportive culture that has been built within the service. 

The recognition also highlights the wider importance of investing in staff development and wellbeing at a time when healthcare services across the UK continue to face significant workforce pressures. 

Alongside its work in education and training, Cardiff Thoracic Surgery has continued to gain recognition nationally for innovation and patient care. The department has also recently been shortlisted in the 2026 Moondance Cancer Awards in the “Improving Patient Experience” category. 

The SCTS award reinforces Cardiff’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence for thoracic surgical training and support, while highlighting the important contribution Trust Doctors make across the NHS every day.