Curriculum Vitae

Education

Michael Porter was born in 1946. He was educated at Cheltenham Junior School and Cheltenham College from 1952 to 1964. He studied medicine at Kings College London from 1964 to 1966 and Kings College Hospital Medical School from 1966 to 1969.

Basic Medical Training

After House Officer and Junior Registrar training, Michael Porter qualified as FRCS (England) in 1974. He was trained in General Surgery at the South Warwickshire Hospitals, the Royal Free Hospital London and at St Albans City Hospital.

Training in Plastic Surgery

Michael Porter trained in Plastic Surgery at Odstock Hospital, Salisbury and the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, with short attachments at Mount Vernon, Chepstow, Newcastle and Bradford. He graduated as MS at the University of Southampton in 1986 and passed the Intercollegiate FRCS (Plastic Surgery) examination in 1994.

Throughout training in Plastic Surgery, Michael Porter was on call for emergencies, on one night in two or three, as was the custom at that time. Most of this emergency work involved the treatment of hand, facial and other soft tissue injuries and burns. He had training in elective hand surgery, the rehabilitation of patients after hand surgery, skin grafting, skin cancer, breast surgery (including reconstruction), cosmetic surgery, skin cover over fractures and other aspects of general plastic surgery.

Consultant Experience

Michael Porter was Locum Consultant in Plastic Surgery at Odstock Hospital, Salisbury and at the Lord Mayor Treloar's Hospital Alton, from 1991 to 1994. He was on call for emergencies at Salisbury, on one night in four. During this time, he had an unusual opportunity to perform cosmetic surgery on the NHS, which was permitted at that time. This work included large numbers of breast reductions, prominent ear corrections, abdominoplasties and breast augmentations.

Michael Porter was Consultant in Plastic Surgery, at Sandwell General Hospital, from 1994 to 2012. During this time, he pursued special interests in Hand Surgery, Breast Surgery and Skin Cancer and undertook a wide range of General Plastic Surgery.

Innovations at Sandwell 1994-2012

Michael Porter introduced and developed an emergency hand surgery service.
A weekly hand clinic, multidisciplinary between Plastic Surgery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and specialised nursing was founded. In this clinic, the rehabilitation of patients after hand surgery and hand injuries was co-ordinated between all members of the team. Patients were seen regularly, until as much recovery as possible was achieved and the patients had returned to normal activity.
A clinic multidisciplinary between Rheumatology and Plastic Surgery was founded, for patients needing reconstructive surgery for rheumatoid arthritis and other joint and soft tissue diseases of the upper limb.
The internal fixation of fractures of the metacarpals and digital phalanges, with screws and plates was introduced to Sandwell. Modern equipment was purchased.
A clinic was founded for women, requiring surgery for excessively large breasts, congenital deformities of the breast, breast reconstruction, abdominoplasty and reconstructive surgery after massive weight loss. This clinic was in the Breast Unit where patients were seen in a quiet and unhurried environment. New patients had half hour appointments and follow-up patients had fifteen minute appointments. Through this clinic, help was provided for women with breast asymmetry, overlarge breasts, congenital deformities of the breast, abdominal deformities and deformities after massive weight loss, who could not have afforded private medicine.
Michael Porter was a founder member of a multidisciplinary skin cancer team, at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, treating patients with Basal Cell Cancer, Squamous Cell Cancer, Malignant Melanoma and other skin malignancies.
Michael Porter took part in a skin lesion clinic, in which patients referred by General Practitioners with skin lesions were triaged.
Peripheral general plastic surgery clinics were founded in Rowley Regis Community Hospital and at the Neptune Health Centre in Tipton.
While Michael Porter was a NHS consultant, there was controversy over the provision of Cosmetic Surgery on the NHS. Michael Porter took part in negotiations with NHS providers in Sandwell, to establish guidelines for the local provision of Cosmetic Surgery within the NHS and to ensure that a service remained for patients, who needed help the most, at the least risk.
Throughout his time as a consultant, Michael Porter took part in training junior hospital doctors. He represented Sandwell on the West Midlands Training Committee for Plastic Surgery, from 1996 to 2010 and for two years was Chairman of the Training Committee.

Michael Porter entered the wards of the National Health Service as a medical student at King’s College Hospital London, in October of 1966. He commenced work for the National Health Service as a doctor on December 31st 1969. His last working day, for the NHS was March 17th 2012. He has continued to work as a medical expert witness, writing personal injury and clinical negligence medical reports.

Michael Porter chose to engage with GMC revalidation, after leaving the NHS. After assessment and appraisal of his work as an expert witness, in line with the requirements of the General Medical Council, he was revalidated in October of 2014. He has continued to take part in assessment and appraisal of his work as an expert witness every year and was revalidated again in September of 2020. He has taken part in mandatory training and has training in Equality and Diversity and Information Governance.

Private Practice

Michael Porter was in private practice, from 1996 to 2008. During this time, he worked at the Wolverhampton Nuffield Hospital and at the Droitwich Spa Hospital. Most of this work was cosmetic surgery. The majority of the cosmetic surgery was breast surgery, stomach surgery and eyelid surgery, as these were the operations most often requested. During this time, Michael Porter was a member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).