Job summary
Senior Theatre Practitioner
Department Theatres (TRAUMA AND ORTHOPAEDICS)
Band 6 £38,682 - £46,580 per annum, pro rata
Hours 28.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
Are you an aspiring Band 6 Theatre Practitioner looking to work in busy and challenging operating department? We would love you to come and join our fantastic Theatre Team at Milton Keynes University NHS Hospital. We are looking for both experienced Registered Nurses and Operating Department Practitioners (OPD).
This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified Theatre Practitioner, to join our team within the busy operating department. We cover a range of specialities including trauma and orthopaedic, general surgery, urology, gynaecology, obstetrics, ENT and ophthalmology.
At MKUHFT there are exciting opportunities to train to be part of our Surgical teams performing procures with the use of the Versius Surgical Robot. Milton Keynes was one of the first Trusts in the country to use this innovative system that enables clinicians to perform complex procedures with reduced impact on our patients resulting in faster recovery times, less time in hospital and a reduced risk of infections in Colorectal, General Surgery and Gynaecology.
Informal visits are encouraged to meet our team and get a feel for the great work we do.
For any further information please contact Jeff Mejares at RamielJeff.Mejares@mkuh.nhs.uk.
Interview 02 October 2025
Main duties of the job
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
This is a 28.5 hour a week post covering 24 hours/7 days a week service and will therefore involve internal rotation between day and night shifts and on-call shifts. You will be given a rotation plan to ensure you maintain competencies in 2 or 3 areas of practice to support your professional development. Multi-skilled ODPs with current experience are encouraged to apply.
You are expected to work to high standards and maintain clinical excellence within the operating theatres, providing excellent care to all patients visiting the department.
The theatres at MKGH are split into two suites with a total of 12 operating theatres, and a procedure room suite which undertakes both elective and emergency work. The role of the Band 6 is to assist in theatres in the delivery of safe and effective care to the patient.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities
Managerial and Leadership Responsibilities:
Manage overall responsibility of the running of specific clinical theatre list within a given day, including organising resources [to include staff] and dealing with emergency requests, re-establishing priorities as required to meet service needs.
Act as team leader undertaking delegated tasks from Senior Team Leader / Manager to include PDR, sickness and performance management.
Clinical
Assess, develop, implement and evaluate patient care when receiving the patient into the theatre environment, whilst supporting the patient through invasive procedures and during handover at the completion of the anaesthetic/surgical procedure. Be able to deal with more complex cases such as paediatric patients (6 months onwards) and able to assist with difficult airways (awake fibre optic intubations).
Prepare, assemble and check theatre and anaesthetic equipment, planning and organising their own time and that of junior staff. Ensuring the provision of equipment and stock for procedures planned for the coming week, troubleshooting potential issues as required
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities
Managerial and Leadership Responsibilities:
Manage overall responsibility of the running of specific clinical theatre list within a given day, including organising resources [to include staff] and dealing with emergency requests, re-establishing priorities as required to meet service needs.
Act as team leader undertaking delegated tasks from Senior Team Leader / Manager to include PDR, sickness and performance management.
Clinical
Assess, develop, implement and evaluate patient care when receiving the patient into the theatre environment, whilst supporting the patient through invasive procedures and during handover at the completion of the anaesthetic/surgical procedure. Be able to deal with more complex cases such as paediatric patients (6 months onwards) and able to assist with difficult airways (awake fibre optic intubations).
Prepare, assemble and check theatre and anaesthetic equipment, planning and organising their own time and that of junior staff. Ensuring the provision of equipment and stock for procedures planned for the coming week, troubleshooting potential issues as required
Please refer to the Job Description for further details
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 Operating Department Practice OR Registered General Nurse OR DipHE Operating Department Practice OR accredited additional qualification in anaesthetic practice equivalent to AAGBI
- Mentorship course
Desirable
- Evidence of degree level study
- Able to demonstrate a good level of understanding and skill of paediatric anaesthetics
- First Line Management Course/Team Leadership course or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in the trauma and orthopaedic theatre environments
- Experience of mentoring students
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate sensitive and complex information to people with widely varying levels of understanding
- Ability to assess patients and plan, organise and evaluate their care
- Ability to manage own workload and that of junior staff
- Ability to work with high levels of physical skill
- Ability to maintain accurate records
- Ability to assess patients as fit for transfer
- Ability to organize the ongoing provision of staff, kit and disposables
- Ability to help develop and implement new policies and procedures
Personal and people development
Essential
- Self-motivated
- Acts as a role model
- Has a flexible attitude
- Encourages and develops juniors and trainees
- Has good organizational skills
Communication
Essential
- Excellent and accurate written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to communicate sensitive and complex information to people with widely varying levels of understanding
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 Operating Department Practice OR Registered General Nurse OR DipHE Operating Department Practice OR accredited additional qualification in anaesthetic practice equivalent to AAGBI
- Mentorship course
Desirable
- Evidence of degree level study
- Able to demonstrate a good level of understanding and skill of paediatric anaesthetics
- First Line Management Course/Team Leadership course or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in the trauma and orthopaedic theatre environments
- Experience of mentoring students
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate sensitive and complex information to people with widely varying levels of understanding
- Ability to assess patients and plan, organise and evaluate their care
- Ability to manage own workload and that of junior staff
- Ability to work with high levels of physical skill
- Ability to maintain accurate records
- Ability to assess patients as fit for transfer
- Ability to organize the ongoing provision of staff, kit and disposables
- Ability to help develop and implement new policies and procedures
Personal and people development
Essential
- Self-motivated
- Acts as a role model
- Has a flexible attitude
- Encourages and develops juniors and trainees
- Has good organizational skills
Communication
Essential
- Excellent and accurate written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to communicate sensitive and complex information to people with widely varying levels of understanding
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
