Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Theatre Health Care Assistant

The closing date is 01 September 2025

Job summary

To carry out care and treatment tasks as delegated by Qualified Professionals, requiring a wide technical ability, numeracy and accuracy as well as a significant level of interpersonal skills.

To participate and complete training programme in order to fulfil the role of Assistant Health Care Practitioner.

Work under the supervision of qualified staff, as part of the clinical team, ensuring that clinical care of patients and others using the service receive an efficient and quality service.

Main duties of the job

  • Following appropriate training, assist in the provision of care to patient's pre, peri and post operatively, supporting clinical theatre staff under supervision.
  • Act as a member of the multidisciplinary team,
  • Carry out routine and additional/extended role, duties when trained and been assessed as competent.
  • Help in the preparation of patients for surgical procedures, ensuring all relevant documentation accompanies the patient in order to maintain their safety.
  • Following training assist the team in taking and dispatching specimens as required.
  • Undertake procedures, processes and activities, which may be reasonably considered as an extension of their normal role. This will involve participating in training programs to improve competencies.
  • Assist in endoscopy procedures and the maintenance and cleaning of equipment.

About us

Our latest policy known as "Promoting Equality, Diversity and Human Rights" outlines the Trust's commitment to ensuring that no job applicant or employee receives less than favourable treatment on grounds of sex, marital and civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, colour, creed, religion or belief, physical disability, mental health, learning difficulty, age or sexual orientation and is not placed at a disadvantage by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable.

For more information about our policy and commitment to equality, click: http://www.whittington.nhs.uk/default.asp?c=10505&q=equality "

Details

Date posted

19 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£30,546 to £32,207 a year Per Annum Including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

220-WHT-3327

Job locations

Whittington Hospital Main Theatres

Main Theatres Level 2 Magdala Avenue

London

N19 5NF


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Support the multidisciplinary team in the delivery of a high standard of patient care within the department, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
  • Assist in the preparation of the operating room prior to commencement of surgery.
  • Collect appropriate instrument trays and disposable items as directed by the Theatre Practitioner.
  • Prepare and maintain the environment to a standard suitable for clinical procedures as required, ensuring instruments, materials and equipment are handled safely and correctly and are returned to the correct location at end of procedure.
  • Collect and transfer patients from ward to theatre and recovery to ward in a safe and courteous manner.
  • Assist the team with moving, handling and positioning the patient on the operating table.
  • Transfer the patient safely, under the supervision of medical/ anaesthetic staff from anaesthetic room to theatre.
  • Check and connect surgical equipment as directed by the Theatre Practitioner e.g. suction, diathermy and camera system.
  • Ensure correct surgical props are available, clean and in good working order.
  • Support patient limb during prepping and draping.
  • Assist the scrub team with gown and gloves prior to surgery begins.
  • Ensure maintenance of a sterile field throughout the surgical procedure.
  • Ensure that all surgical instruments are positioned and applied only under the supervision of the surgeon.
  • Provide surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for the surgical team, monitor and maintain sterile fields during operative procedures.
  • Prepare and attach dressing, wound support and drain to patient at end of procedure.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Support the multidisciplinary team in the delivery of a high standard of patient care within the department, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
  • Assist in the preparation of the operating room prior to commencement of surgery.
  • Collect appropriate instrument trays and disposable items as directed by the Theatre Practitioner.
  • Prepare and maintain the environment to a standard suitable for clinical procedures as required, ensuring instruments, materials and equipment are handled safely and correctly and are returned to the correct location at end of procedure.
  • Collect and transfer patients from ward to theatre and recovery to ward in a safe and courteous manner.
  • Assist the team with moving, handling and positioning the patient on the operating table.
  • Transfer the patient safely, under the supervision of medical/ anaesthetic staff from anaesthetic room to theatre.
  • Check and connect surgical equipment as directed by the Theatre Practitioner e.g. suction, diathermy and camera system.
  • Ensure correct surgical props are available, clean and in good working order.
  • Support patient limb during prepping and draping.
  • Assist the scrub team with gown and gloves prior to surgery begins.
  • Ensure maintenance of a sterile field throughout the surgical procedure.
  • Ensure that all surgical instruments are positioned and applied only under the supervision of the surgeon.
  • Provide surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for the surgical team, monitor and maintain sterile fields during operative procedures.
  • Prepare and attach dressing, wound support and drain to patient at end of procedure.

Person Specification

Education /Qualifications

Essential

  • -NVQ2 or equivalent experience
  • -Key Skill Level 1 in literacy and numeracy

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • -Communicated clearly in writing, verbally, electronically and on the telephone
  • -Able to prioritise workload
  • -Able to plan their own work
  • -Moving and handling of patients
  • -Pressure area care
  • -Hand hygiene

Desirable

  • IT Knowledge

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • -Demonstrable experience in a healthcare setting
  • -Team working
  • -Caring for adults -Caring for children
  • -Understands the importance of patient confidentiality
  • -Understanding of health and safety issues
  • -Understanding of stock control

Desirable

  • -Demonstrable experience of working in a theatre setting

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • -Demonstrates a caring disposition
  • -Flexibility -Punctual
Person Specification

Education /Qualifications

Essential

  • -NVQ2 or equivalent experience
  • -Key Skill Level 1 in literacy and numeracy

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • -Communicated clearly in writing, verbally, electronically and on the telephone
  • -Able to prioritise workload
  • -Able to plan their own work
  • -Moving and handling of patients
  • -Pressure area care
  • -Hand hygiene

Desirable

  • IT Knowledge

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • -Demonstrable experience in a healthcare setting
  • -Team working
  • -Caring for adults -Caring for children
  • -Understands the importance of patient confidentiality
  • -Understanding of health and safety issues
  • -Understanding of stock control

Desirable

  • -Demonstrable experience of working in a theatre setting

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • -Demonstrates a caring disposition
  • -Flexibility -Punctual

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Address

Whittington Hospital Main Theatres

Main Theatres Level 2 Magdala Avenue

London

N19 5NF


Employer's website

https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Address

Whittington Hospital Main Theatres

Main Theatres Level 2 Magdala Avenue

London

N19 5NF


Employer's website

https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Practise Development Nurse

Myrasol Duque

Myrasol.duque@nhs.net

02072885400

Details

Date posted

19 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£30,546 to £32,207 a year Per Annum Including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

220-WHT-3327

Job locations

Whittington Hospital Main Theatres

Main Theatres Level 2 Magdala Avenue

London

N19 5NF


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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