The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare Assistant (Theatre)

The closing date is 27 January 2026

Job summary

This opportunity will provide you with valuable experience and offer a strong foundation for a career within the NHS. No theatre experience is necessary, as full training will be provided, however knowledge of working in theatres or a health care setting would be an advantage. Successful applicants will work under the direction of a Registered Practitioner to perform a range of delegated clinical duties and assist in the safe care of patients within the Peri-operative environment. This includes pre-op waiting, theatres, anaesthetic room and recovery areas. You will assist with the preparation and setting up of the theatres in readiness for the operating list and contribute to administrative, clinical, cleaning and housekeeping duties as required. You will need to have a willingness to learn with excellent communication skills, IT skills will be advantageous. The department works 24/7 with various shift patterns in place.

Interview Date: 13 February 2026
37 hours 30 minutes/week
You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Main duties of the job

Communication and Relationships

Endeavour to maintain good standards of communication both in written and oral form, within the multi-disciplinary team.

Make entries on patient charts to record clinical interventions.

Complete associated documents to accompany specimens.

Communicates with patients, carers, medical staff and other visitors to the department in a polite and pleasant manner.

Receive, deliver and transfer patient related information to and from other wards and departments that may be of a sensitive nature.

Acknowledge and accommodate barriers to communication and understanding including speech, hearing, language and emotion.

Report faults to the appropriate department and inform the nurse in charge of any problems. Sit with patients in the pre-op waiting areas and during surgery under local anaesthesia to offer reassurance and help to allay fears.

Participate in ensuring that all details for patients being admitted to the department are accurate and dealt with in a timely manner using theatre registers and electronic recording systems.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills required for the post

Help to ensure patient safety by accurately checking patient details with the pre-op check list and the patients case notes to ensure all documentation / equipment is available prior to anaesthesia and report any discrepancies to the nurse in charge.

Initiate emergency action when required.

About us

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:

Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
Freeman Hospital
Newcastle Dental Hospital
Cramlington Manor Walks
Urgent treatment centres
Newcastle Fertility Centre
Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
Northern Genetics Service

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Date posted

23 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

317-2026-03-02-DR

Job locations

Royal Victoria Infirmary

317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

NE1 4LP

Job description

Job responsibilities

Planning and Organisational Skills required for the post

Works as a member of the multidisciplinary team:

o Determine the order of priority of own-delegated duties on a day-to-day basis.

o Undertake administrative, clinical and housekeeping duties as and when required

o Assist with maintaining a safe working environment for patients and staff and ensure any faults / problems are reported to the appropriate department to ensure that delays to lists are kept to a minimum. e.g. identify when there is a shortfall in sterile supplies and telephone the Sterile Services Department to arrange delivery of sterile stock such as theatre gowns and swabs in time for the start of the operating lists. Physical dexterity requirements

When trained and deemed competent contributes to the delivery of care within the working area for example:

o Basic Keyboard Skills

o Safe moving and handling of expensive / delicate equipment such as microscopes, laparoscopic equipment stacks, light sources.

o Manoeuvring trolleys and wheelchairs as required.

o Assist with performing last offices if required.

o Assist with safe positioning of patients on the operating table.

o Preparation and setting up for use, a variety of technical equipment such as Diathermy Machines, Chemical Processors, Irrigation equipment, Microscopes.

o Maintaining a sterile field when opening supplementary instruments and packs onto a sterile tray or trolley.

o Changing gas cylinders for use with equipment as required e.g. Air drills, Insufflators.

o Cleaning the theatre and equipment at the end of the operating list

o Assisting with preparation of Chemotherapy drugs 7 Key result areas Patient / Client care Ensure privacy, dignity and safety of patients when:

o Checking patients into the department prior to transfer into the anaesthetic room. o Maintain records and dispatch specimens on request.

o Observing patients condition whilst sitting with them in the waiting areas, during procedures being undertaken using local anaesthesia and offering comfort and reassurance.

o Assist patients in meeting their elimination needs.

o Assist patients with their comfort and mobility, adhering to Trust moving and handling policies.

o Under the direction of registered nurse, escort patients to other wards and departments as per escort policy and ensuring their dignity and modesty when walking between departments whilst dressed in theatre gowns.

o Ensure safety and comfort of patients is maintained, reporting any difficulties encountered promptly to senior nurse on a particular span of duty.

o Maintain confidentiality at all times.

o Ensure the risk of infection to yourself, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:

- being familiar with, and adhering to Trust policies and guidance on infection prevention and control

- attending Trust Induction Programme(s) and statutory education programmes in infection prevention and control

- including infection prevention and control as an integral part of your continuous personal/professional development

- taking personal responsibility so far as is reasonably practicable, in helping ensure that effective prevention and control of health care acquired infections is embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently by you and your colleagues Policy and Service Development

Adhere to Department, Directorate and Trust policies.

Comment on any proposals, which may impact on their area of work. Financial and Physical Development

Exercise personal duty of care when using expensive equipment provided by the Trust.

Ensure safety of patients cash and valuables in line with Trust Policy

Exercise care when transporting delicate and expensive equipment such as microscopes, light sources, Laparoscopic stacks

Contribute to the monitoring of stock levels and highlight deficiencies to ward manager/senior sister. Human Resources

Conform to Trust Policies, Procedures and Guidelines.

Complies with Trust Health and Safety Policies.

Promote Equality and Diversity rights.

Comply with Dignity and Respect at Work Policy.

Attend mandatory updates.

Job Purpose

To abide by Trust policies and procedures
To assist the registered nurse/ODP (or other healthcare practitioners) in providing high quality patient care within the perioperative environment.
To undertake a range of delegated clinical duties
Maintain patients privacy and dignity at all times and provide care in a compassionate and sensitive manner.
Be an effective part of the multi-disciplinary team contributing to the departmental objectives.
Continue to develop and maintain competencies to maintain high quality safe care.
Post holder will be expected to contribute to housekeeping and other theatre / department duties as required, e.g., general tidiness, re-determined stock are met and clinical equipment is clean, working and stored correctly.
Assist with admin & clerical duties as required.