Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Peri-operative Care Coordinator

The closing date is 02 March 2026

Job summary

The Perioperative Care Coordinator is a new and evolving clinical, organisational and administrative role which will become crucial in the delivery of perioperative care. This role has arisen because of NHS England's new best practice guidelines for earlier screening, risk assessment and personalised health optimisation within perioperative pathways. As this is a new role within the Trust, you will have considerable autonomy to develop how the service functions, to best suit our local population. Throughout this process and beyond you will be supported by the Anaesthetic and Nurse-Leads for Preoperative Assessment

This post will include working closely with Admissions, preoperative assessment teams and Clinicians throughout the whole surgical pathway. You will identify patients requiring optimisation ahead of planned surgical intervention. Signpost to local services, support medical referral pathways, provide education about surgical pathways, maintain effective communication with all members of multidisciplinary team and serve as the primary point of contact for patients as they move through the surgical pathway.

The primary aim of the post is to improve the management of patients requiring preoperative optimisation making best use of the time patients are waiting for surgery.

Main duties of the job

? Contact all patients newly listed for surgery early in the perioperative pathway. They will be responsible for the initial assessment and triage of each patient using a pre-screening questionnaire, to determine when, and what type of preoperative assessment is required.

? Use this assessment to assist in determining what lifestyle modifications may be required to improve outcome. For instance, patients who smoke, with obesity, frailty or poor physical fitness.

? Use this assessment to assist in determining what comorbidity optimisation may be required to improve outcome. For instance, patients with diabetes or anaemia.

? Take Observations and perform investigation such as 12 -lead ECGs.

? Develop and update a database of all health promotion services within the Torbay Hospital catchment area and use this to refer patients to the most appropriate local services. Examples include local yoga and fitness classes, walking groups, discounted gym memberships, weight loss support and smoking and alcohol cessation services.

? Compile assessment information on a database and assist the perioperative medicine team to monitor progress throughout the perioperative pathway

? Under the guidance of a registered health professional, arrange appropriate referrals and follow ups for patients with poorly controlled comorbidity and/or those identified as being at higher risk.

About us

? Where relevant, encourage patients to find out if their GP has a social prescribing link worker and/or health coach, and how they can refer themselves.

? Ensure that when a referral for optimisation has been made, it has been received and acted upon by the receiving team and then continue to monitor their progress throughout this process.

? Maintain a worklist of patients and check every 3 months whether they still wish to have surgery and that there have been no changes in their health; either using an automated service or by telephone.

? Liaise with booking and scheduling, preoperative assessment and surgical teams, and keep them informed of where a patient is in their pathway, and when they will be optimised for surgery.

? Contact patients after surgery and conduct a postoperative questionnaire with the aim of improving the service.

? Provide the patients' primary care provider with a summary of any lifestyle changes or comorbidity modifications that were made throughout the pathway, and how these will be maintained in the long-term.

? Cross cover for your fellow preoperative coordinator when required, to provide an uninterrupted seamless service

Why Work With Us

Details

Date posted

16 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

388-7470214-PC&S

Job locations

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge

Torquay

TQ2 7AA


Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and working relationships

The ability to build rapport and trust with diverse group of people quickly and effectively

Key working relationships are with pre-operative assessment nurses and senior clinicians including pre-operative anaesthetic consultants.

To advocate and provide a personalised and proactive approach to the identification and optimisation of patients on elective surgery waiting list as part of the Pre-Operative Assessment Service.

This will include very brief intervention opportunities and behaviour change management strategies to encourage long term lifestyle changes such as increasing activity, support smoking and alcohol reduction and cessation and building social networks and support.

Other working relationships will also need to include specialty clinicians including nurse specialists and consultant surgeons, as well as outpatient nursing staff.

Analytical and judgement

Be innovative and be able to problem solve.

Able to summarise information concisely into written form

Planning and organisation

Demonstrates an ability to organise and manage own work schedule.

Ability to communicate with team to manage overall work tasks effectively.

Ability to multi -task.

Excellent organisational/co -ordination/work prioritisation skills and meticulous attention to detail.

Ability to manage and implement change

Consistently works to a high standard

Works within prescribed deadlines

Ability to analyse and manage conflicting demands and prioritise workload

Physical skills

Excellent IT and keyboard skills

Experience of using Information technology (MS Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and electronic notes systems

Patient and client care

  • Contact each patient to inform them of the outcome of the pre-screening questionnaire, and where appropriate provide universal advice about pre-operative preparation, such as diet modification, exercise and healthy living. All clinical decision making will be supervised by the perioperative medicine team.
  • Provide patients with a detailed description of the perioperative pathway. This will include information on the benefits of Enhanced Recovery (ERAS) and postoperative expectations.

Policy and service development

Identify and participate in policy and service development where required

Provide input for the development of this role once experience gained

Finance, equipment and other resources

Demonstrates an understanding of financial implications

Uses resources cost effectively

People management and training

To ensure new administrative research staff receive induction and training on relevant processes and governance issues, organising their attendance and providing local induction.

  • Ensure the administrative support staffing levels, and appropriate skill mix, is maintained to provide a robust service, which can meet the capacity and demands of activity to meet the strategic goals of the Trust

Information technology and administrative duties

Comprehensively document all patient contacts using paper and/or electronic hospital notes.

Research and development

  • Participate in regular audit of the service using PDSA cycles.

Freedom to act

Must have a full understanding of the Data Protection Act 1998 and be fully conversant with patient confidentiality

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and working relationships

The ability to build rapport and trust with diverse group of people quickly and effectively

Key working relationships are with pre-operative assessment nurses and senior clinicians including pre-operative anaesthetic consultants.

To advocate and provide a personalised and proactive approach to the identification and optimisation of patients on elective surgery waiting list as part of the Pre-Operative Assessment Service.

This will include very brief intervention opportunities and behaviour change management strategies to encourage long term lifestyle changes such as increasing activity, support smoking and alcohol reduction and cessation and building social networks and support.

Other working relationships will also need to include specialty clinicians including nurse specialists and consultant surgeons, as well as outpatient nursing staff.

Analytical and judgement

Be innovative and be able to problem solve.

Able to summarise information concisely into written form

Planning and organisation

Demonstrates an ability to organise and manage own work schedule.

Ability to communicate with team to manage overall work tasks effectively.

Ability to multi -task.

Excellent organisational/co -ordination/work prioritisation skills and meticulous attention to detail.

Ability to manage and implement change

Consistently works to a high standard

Works within prescribed deadlines

Ability to analyse and manage conflicting demands and prioritise workload

Physical skills

Excellent IT and keyboard skills

Experience of using Information technology (MS Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and electronic notes systems

Patient and client care

  • Contact each patient to inform them of the outcome of the pre-screening questionnaire, and where appropriate provide universal advice about pre-operative preparation, such as diet modification, exercise and healthy living. All clinical decision making will be supervised by the perioperative medicine team.
  • Provide patients with a detailed description of the perioperative pathway. This will include information on the benefits of Enhanced Recovery (ERAS) and postoperative expectations.

Policy and service development

Identify and participate in policy and service development where required

Provide input for the development of this role once experience gained

Finance, equipment and other resources

Demonstrates an understanding of financial implications

Uses resources cost effectively

People management and training

To ensure new administrative research staff receive induction and training on relevant processes and governance issues, organising their attendance and providing local induction.

  • Ensure the administrative support staffing levels, and appropriate skill mix, is maintained to provide a robust service, which can meet the capacity and demands of activity to meet the strategic goals of the Trust

Information technology and administrative duties

Comprehensively document all patient contacts using paper and/or electronic hospital notes.

Research and development

  • Participate in regular audit of the service using PDSA cycles.

Freedom to act

Must have a full understanding of the Data Protection Act 1998 and be fully conversant with patient confidentiality

Person Specification

NHS experience

Essential

  • 2 years NHS experience

Desirable

  • Torbay Hospital experience
Person Specification

NHS experience

Essential

  • 2 years NHS experience

Desirable

  • Torbay Hospital experience

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

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge

Torquay

TQ2 7AA


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge

Torquay

TQ2 7AA


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Support Manager

Terry Kidd

terry.kidd@nhs.net

07824012698

Details

Date posted

16 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

388-7470214-PC&S

Job locations

Torbay Hospital

Lowes Bridge

Torquay

TQ2 7AA


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)