Job summary
Join our outstanding day surgery unit at Tewkesbury Community Hospital as an Ophthalmology Theatre Scrub Practitioner! We seek a skilled professional with extensive ophthalmology scrub experience to deliver exceptional care in our high-performing team.
Our hospital excels in local and general anaesthetic procedures, including ophthalmology, ENT, and orthopaedic day surgeries, led by expert, friendly consultants from Cheltenham and Gloucester. Our warm, collaborative environment boasts top staff survey results and 100% patient feedback scores. Enjoy modern facilities, flexible schedules, and professional growth.
Main duties of the job
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As a Band 5 Ophthalmology Scrub Practitioner at Tewkesbury Community Hospital, your key responsibilities are below, however a full outline of duties, roles and responsibilities can be found in the job description:
Preparing the operating theatre for ophthalmology procedures, ensuring sterile conditions and equipment readiness for cataract, and ocular plastic eye surgeries.
Assisting surgeons during operations by providing instruments, sutures, and supplies with precision and efficiency.
Maintaining strict aseptic techniques to prevent infection and ensure patient safety.
Monitoring and managing surgical equipment, ensuring functionality and availability.
Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including consultants, anaesthetists, and ODPs, to deliver high-quality care.
Verifying patient identities, consent forms, and surgical site markings to uphold safety protocols.
Assisting with patient positioning and draping to facilitate surgical access.
Managing intraoperative documentation, including swab and instrument counts.
Supporting training of junior staff and sharing ophthalmic expertise.
Engaging in continuous professional development to enhance clinical skills.
Ensuring timely theatre turnover for efficient day surgery schedules.
The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.
About us
We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:
- 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
- 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
- 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.
This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The day surgery Theatre department at Tewkesbury Community Hospital cares for patients undergoing ophthalmic, orthopaedic, and ENT surgery. This role primarily supports the cataract service, providing safe, individualised, high-quality patient care within a community setting to ensure a positive experience for patients and their relatives or carers. The post holder will deliver effective, current, and evidence-based care, working within a small, friendly team and prioritising patient-centred care.
The post holder will support students and junior staff, pursue their own professional development, and adapt to changing situations in the Theatre department to ensure the smooth running of operating lists. They will be flexible with shift allocations (Monday to Friday) to meet service demands, act as the patients advocate in all peri-operative roles, and undertake delegated tasks from the Theatre Manager or Senior Theatre Nurse to assist with the departments effective operation. They will be a team player, supporting colleagues wherever possible.
We provide a Multi-professional preceptorship programme that is aligned to the National Preceptorship Framework for Nursing and have been awarded the Interim quality mark from NHS England. Our programme is provided to all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners. In addition to the programme we also offer all preceptees the opportunity of enrolling and completing the level 7 (Masters) 15 credit validated module Preceptorship for Healthcare (AP7026).
The Trust is required to work in line with the Governments UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
Job description
Job responsibilities
The day surgery Theatre department at Tewkesbury Community Hospital cares for patients undergoing ophthalmic, orthopaedic, and ENT surgery. This role primarily supports the cataract service, providing safe, individualised, high-quality patient care within a community setting to ensure a positive experience for patients and their relatives or carers. The post holder will deliver effective, current, and evidence-based care, working within a small, friendly team and prioritising patient-centred care.
The post holder will support students and junior staff, pursue their own professional development, and adapt to changing situations in the Theatre department to ensure the smooth running of operating lists. They will be flexible with shift allocations (Monday to Friday) to meet service demands, act as the patients advocate in all peri-operative roles, and undertake delegated tasks from the Theatre Manager or Senior Theatre Nurse to assist with the departments effective operation. They will be a team player, supporting colleagues wherever possible.
We provide a Multi-professional preceptorship programme that is aligned to the National Preceptorship Framework for Nursing and have been awarded the Interim quality mark from NHS England. Our programme is provided to all Newly Qualified; Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners. In addition to the programme we also offer all preceptees the opportunity of enrolling and completing the level 7 (Masters) 15 credit validated module Preceptorship for Healthcare (AP7026).
The Trust is required to work in line with the Governments UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse/ODP with Nursing and Midwifery Council/HPC
Desirable
- Appropriate teaching and assessing qualification.
LENGTH AND / OR NATURE OF EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Significant post registration Scrub experience in Ophthalmology
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills to interact collaboratively and effectively with a wide range of staff, agencies and users of Services
PROFESSIONAL / MANAGERIAL / SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Highly developed specialist knowledge of theatre practice, underpinned by theory and experience
- Experience of communicating complex data verbally and in writing
- Knowledge of Clinical Governance i.e. CQC and local risk management
- Ability to build effective working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues
- A systematic approach to problem solving and risk assessment
- Skills in communicating, negotiating and influencing with impact both verbally and in writing at all levels
- Skills in communicating, negotiating and influencing with impact both verbally and in writing at all levels
- Ability to make independent decisions in a rapidly changing environment
PERSONAL SKILLS ABILITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
Essential
- A proven ability to work with colleagues from all health and social care professions and agencies in a collaborative manner
- Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals
- Skills in communicating, negotiating and influencing with impact both verbally and in writing at all levels
- Ability to communicate complex information that may be difficult to understand or in an antagonistic atmosphere,
- Ability to undertake all statutory and mandatory training
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Essential
- Willingness to be clinically involved in the wider hospital services
- To support Stroud Theatre ..., as part of our shared commitment to smooth operations across venues
- Ability to be flexible within the Theatre/Day Surgery Unit shift pattern.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse/ODP with Nursing and Midwifery Council/HPC
Desirable
- Appropriate teaching and assessing qualification.
LENGTH AND / OR NATURE OF EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Significant post registration Scrub experience in Ophthalmology
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills to interact collaboratively and effectively with a wide range of staff, agencies and users of Services
PROFESSIONAL / MANAGERIAL / SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Highly developed specialist knowledge of theatre practice, underpinned by theory and experience
- Experience of communicating complex data verbally and in writing
- Knowledge of Clinical Governance i.e. CQC and local risk management
- Ability to build effective working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues
- A systematic approach to problem solving and risk assessment
- Skills in communicating, negotiating and influencing with impact both verbally and in writing at all levels
- Skills in communicating, negotiating and influencing with impact both verbally and in writing at all levels
- Ability to make independent decisions in a rapidly changing environment
PERSONAL SKILLS ABILITIES AND ATTRIBUTES
Essential
- A proven ability to work with colleagues from all health and social care professions and agencies in a collaborative manner
- Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals
- Skills in communicating, negotiating and influencing with impact both verbally and in writing at all levels
- Ability to communicate complex information that may be difficult to understand or in an antagonistic atmosphere,
- Ability to undertake all statutory and mandatory training
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Essential
- Willingness to be clinically involved in the wider hospital services
- To support Stroud Theatre ..., as part of our shared commitment to smooth operations across venues
- Ability to be flexible within the Theatre/Day Surgery Unit shift pattern.
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
