Job summary
To work as an experienced and autonomous practitioner within a specialist orthopaedic hospital, demonstrating advanced clinical knowledge and professional leadership as a key member of the multidisciplinary team. The post holder will provide high-quality perioperative care across anaesthetics, scrub, and recovery roles, adopting extended responsibilities in line with their skills, competence, and scope of practice. Based primarily in the Operating Theatres--with flexibility to support satellite areas across the Trust as required--the post holder will contribute to maintaining a safe environment and ensuring consistently high standards of patient care at all hospital sites. They will be expected to manage complex, non-routine clinical activities, applying sound judgement and specialist expertise. The Band 6 ODP will uphold and develop their own professional standards, engaging in continuous learning and staying informed of advances within orthopaedic and perioperative practice. The role includes acting as a visible role model, providing leadership, support, and supervision to junior staff, and contributing to a culture of excellence, safety, and compassionate care.
Main duties of the job
As a senior member of the perioperative team, the Band 6 Operating Department Practitioner is expected to provide advanced clinical expertise, leadership, and professional support across the theatre environment. The post-holder will contribute to the safe and efficient delivery of anaesthetic, surgical, and recovery services while promoting high standards of patient care, staff development, and service improvement. This role requires a proactive, flexible practitioner who can coordinate daily activity, uphold governance standards, and act as a role model for junior colleagues.
About us
At the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), we are committed to achieving the best staff experience in the NHS. In the 2023 NHS Staff Survey, we proudly:
- Scored above the national average for the People Promises: "We are recognised and rewarded," "We are always learning," "We work flexibly," "We are a team," and for staff engagement.
- Ranked #1 among all Trusts in North and Central London for all People Promises and themes.
- Ranked #1 among all Acute Specialist Trusts for "We work flexibly."
At RNOH, we're committed to being actively anti-discriminatory and actively inclusive. We recognise our brilliant people do brilliant work, and we offer rewarding careers, no matter what their background. We continue to strive to break down barriers to be the Trust where people come together because what they do matters, makes a difference and where they can thrive.
Joining our organisation means enjoying a wide range of staff benefits, including:
- 24/7 access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
- A Rewards & Recognition platform, offering opportunities to thank colleagues, send gifts, and access exclusive discounts.
- A dedicated Staff Wellbeing Hub, providing a space to relax and recharge away from the work environment.
- Salary sacrifice schemes for transport (season ticket loans, car and bike), electrical goods, and childcare
At RNOH, we are more than a workplace--we are committed to patients, to excellence and the wellbeing of our staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
- Contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of local and national policies, ensuring they are embedded effectively within the theatre environment.
- Support the recruitment, induction, and ongoing professional development of junior staff, providing guidance, supervision, and constructive feedback.
- Establish and maintain systems for monitoring quality standards, facilitating clinical audit, risk management, and the handling of complaints, and ensure appropriate actions are taken in response to findings.
- Uphold and promote HCPC clinical standards within the theatre setting, ensuring safe, highquality practice.
- Lead and support service improvement initiatives, promoting innovation and positive change within perioperative services.
- Coordinate daytoday activities of the anaesthetic team when required, ensuring safe staffing levels, effective skill mix, and appropriate allocation of duties.
- Support the management of staff rosters, annual leave, study leave, and training requirements, ensuring fair allocation and continuity of service.
- Provide flexible support to the oncall service, including covering absences where necessary.
- Oversee operational procedures within theatres, including monitoring stock levels of pharmacy items and disposables, maintaining agreed levels, and ensuring anaesthetic rooms are fully equipped and in date.
- Ensure the safe custody, administration, and documentation of controlled drugs in accordance with Trust medicines policy, reporting discrepancies immediately and initiating investigations as required.
- Take responsibility for the safe use, maintenance, and servicing of clinical equipment, ensuring faults are reported promptly and equipment is used in line with manufacturer guidance and Trust policy.
- Report potential complaints, incidents, or risks to the Theatre Coordinator and participate in the Trusts risk management processes.
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Act as a senior, accountable practitioner within the operating theatre team, delivering highquality, individualised perioperative care in accordance with the HCPC Code of Conduct.
- Ensure all patient documentation is accurate, comprehensive, and completed in a timely manner, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
- Ensure the anaesthetic room is safely prepared for use, supporting the organisation of theatre lists and assisting colleagues in providing safe, effective patient care.
- Complete all required anaesthetic documentation, including machine checklists, temperature monitoring audits, and anaesthetic times on EPIC, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Liaise effectively with all members of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that changes to theatre lists or patient needs are communicated promptly and clearly
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support the development of a competent, welltrained workforce by identifying training needs, facilitating learning opportunities, and delivering formal and informal teaching sessions.
- Maintain full compliance with mandatory training, including safe use of medical devices, ensuring personal and team competencies remain current and aligned with Trust and regulatory standards.
- Keep up to date with advances in perioperative practice, including anaesthetic, surgical, recovery, and resuscitation techniques, and share relevant knowledge with the wider team.
- Participate in the Individual Performance Review and the Trusts annual appraisal process, supporting others to do the same.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Participate in professional appraisal, maintaining an uptodate portfolio that reflects ongoing development and competence.
- Manage disciplinary or performancerelated situations sensitively and confidentially, escalating appropriately in line with Trust policy.
- Work collaboratively with other hospital departments and wards to optimise theatre utilisation and ensure efficient patient flow throughout the perioperative pathway.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Contribute to equipment procurement processes, ensuring all mechanical and electrical equipment is included in obsolescence and replacement planning, with lifespan assessments and costings documented.
- Check and order pharmacy items to maintain appropriate stock levels and ensure continuity of service.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role and grade, following discussion and in line with service needs.
- Demonstrate flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service, including long days, weekends, and oncall commitments.
- Recognise that this job description outlines the general scope of the role and may be amended in consultation with the post holder to reflect evolving service requirements.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
- Contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of local and national policies, ensuring they are embedded effectively within the theatre environment.
- Support the recruitment, induction, and ongoing professional development of junior staff, providing guidance, supervision, and constructive feedback.
- Establish and maintain systems for monitoring quality standards, facilitating clinical audit, risk management, and the handling of complaints, and ensure appropriate actions are taken in response to findings.
- Uphold and promote HCPC clinical standards within the theatre setting, ensuring safe, highquality practice.
- Lead and support service improvement initiatives, promoting innovation and positive change within perioperative services.
- Coordinate daytoday activities of the anaesthetic team when required, ensuring safe staffing levels, effective skill mix, and appropriate allocation of duties.
- Support the management of staff rosters, annual leave, study leave, and training requirements, ensuring fair allocation and continuity of service.
- Provide flexible support to the oncall service, including covering absences where necessary.
- Oversee operational procedures within theatres, including monitoring stock levels of pharmacy items and disposables, maintaining agreed levels, and ensuring anaesthetic rooms are fully equipped and in date.
- Ensure the safe custody, administration, and documentation of controlled drugs in accordance with Trust medicines policy, reporting discrepancies immediately and initiating investigations as required.
- Take responsibility for the safe use, maintenance, and servicing of clinical equipment, ensuring faults are reported promptly and equipment is used in line with manufacturer guidance and Trust policy.
- Report potential complaints, incidents, or risks to the Theatre Coordinator and participate in the Trusts risk management processes.
CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Act as a senior, accountable practitioner within the operating theatre team, delivering highquality, individualised perioperative care in accordance with the HCPC Code of Conduct.
- Ensure all patient documentation is accurate, comprehensive, and completed in a timely manner, maintaining confidentiality at all times.
- Ensure the anaesthetic room is safely prepared for use, supporting the organisation of theatre lists and assisting colleagues in providing safe, effective patient care.
- Complete all required anaesthetic documentation, including machine checklists, temperature monitoring audits, and anaesthetic times on EPIC, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Liaise effectively with all members of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that changes to theatre lists or patient needs are communicated promptly and clearly
EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support the development of a competent, welltrained workforce by identifying training needs, facilitating learning opportunities, and delivering formal and informal teaching sessions.
- Maintain full compliance with mandatory training, including safe use of medical devices, ensuring personal and team competencies remain current and aligned with Trust and regulatory standards.
- Keep up to date with advances in perioperative practice, including anaesthetic, surgical, recovery, and resuscitation techniques, and share relevant knowledge with the wider team.
- Participate in the Individual Performance Review and the Trusts annual appraisal process, supporting others to do the same.
PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Participate in professional appraisal, maintaining an uptodate portfolio that reflects ongoing development and competence.
- Manage disciplinary or performancerelated situations sensitively and confidentially, escalating appropriately in line with Trust policy.
- Work collaboratively with other hospital departments and wards to optimise theatre utilisation and ensure efficient patient flow throughout the perioperative pathway.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Contribute to equipment procurement processes, ensuring all mechanical and electrical equipment is included in obsolescence and replacement planning, with lifespan assessments and costings documented.
- Check and order pharmacy items to maintain appropriate stock levels and ensure continuity of service.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role and grade, following discussion and in line with service needs.
- Demonstrate flexibility in working patterns to meet the needs of the service, including long days, weekends, and oncall commitments.
- Recognise that this job description outlines the general scope of the role and may be amended in consultation with the post holder to reflect evolving service requirements.
Person Specification
Communication & Relationship Skills
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Able to communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and MDT.
- Able to manage conflict and provide constructive feedback
Desirable
- Experience delivering teaching sessions or presenting to groups.
Knowledge, Training & Experience
Essential
- HCPC-registered ODP
- Evidence of post-registration clinical development within anaesthetics, scrub and/or recovery.
- Experience working in a perioperative environment, including complex cases
Desirable
- Previous leadership or supervisory experience.
- Experience in orthopaedics or a specialist surgical area
- Specialist qualification (e.g., ALS).
Analytical & Judgment Skills
Essential
- Able to make autonomous clinical decisions within scope of practice
- Able to recognise and respond to changes in patient condition
- Able to interpret guidelines, policies, and evidence
Desirable
- Experience contributing to clinical audit or quality-improvement work
Person Specification
Communication & Relationship Skills
Essential
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Able to communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and MDT.
- Able to manage conflict and provide constructive feedback
Desirable
- Experience delivering teaching sessions or presenting to groups.
Knowledge, Training & Experience
Essential
- HCPC-registered ODP
- Evidence of post-registration clinical development within anaesthetics, scrub and/or recovery.
- Experience working in a perioperative environment, including complex cases
Desirable
- Previous leadership or supervisory experience.
- Experience in orthopaedics or a specialist surgical area
- Specialist qualification (e.g., ALS).
Analytical & Judgment Skills
Essential
- Able to make autonomous clinical decisions within scope of practice
- Able to recognise and respond to changes in patient condition
- Able to interpret guidelines, policies, and evidence
Desirable
- Experience contributing to clinical audit or quality-improvement work
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).
