B5 – Theatre Practitioner, Ashford Theatres – London Rd, Stanwell, Ashford

Job overview

Ashford Hospital operates as a dedicated Elective Centre, offering advanced facilities designed for efficient, high-quality care. The site includes eight theatres—six of which have laminar airflow systems—and a 13-bed recovery suite. The department also features two specialist ophthalmic theatres and two day surgery theatres with a dedicated three-bed recovery area. Other specialities include Breast, Colorectal, Bariatric, Upper GI, ENT, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Maxillofacial, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, and Vascular Surgery.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a forward-thinking, proactive and highly motivated practitioner to join our theatre team at Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust.  Previous theatre experience is welcome, along with experience from other specialities or those just starting on their nursing or ODP career.

As a team member, you will have a range of learning opportunities available. Starting with a rotation throughout the departments, you will develop your competencies within each speciality. We provide in-house training for our fantastic staff, and all team members are allowed to attend conferences and training off-site with links to the University of Surrey, Kingston and Bucks and UWL Universities, including the opportunity to become Surgical First Assistants and Anaesthetic Practitioners.

Please contact Ashford site Matron Tom D’Souza at tom.dsouza@nhs.net for an informal visit. 

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will work as part of a team to provide a safe, cost-effective, efficient care environment for patients, relatives and carers. You will be expected to function clinically within the Operating Department, carrying out scrub and circulating roles. They will participate in the training of junior staff and continue their own personal and professional development by rotating within the perioperative department. Effective communication skills are vital for this role, both written and verbal, with all levels of staff, including the multidisciplinary team, patients and relatives, taking into account impairments, levels of consciousness and language barriers.

You will be required to adhere to local policies, guidelines and SOPs to maintain a high standard of good quality care within the department.

Working for our organisation

Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond.

Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Surrey, and St Peter’s, Chertsey, Surrey.

We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals, and other healthcare facilities.

Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. There has never been a better time to join us in the NHS at Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with our strong commitment to staff health and wellbeing. We are committed to providing continuous professional development, staff benefits and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.

Please see the supporting links which you can find on the right-hand side of this job advert. There is guidance on how to make an application on NHS Jobs as well as more information about joining the ASPH Team

Although it isn’t the Trust’s normal practice, adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Successful candidates will need:

• Provide specialist support and knowledge to patients within clinical areas in the operating department and surrounding areas.
• Act as a role model and create an environment that promotes excellence in Theatre Practice and empowers staff to develop high levels of clinical skills and autonomy.
• Deliver skilled, practical care to all patients and lead in the monitoring, planning and delivery of individualised patient care, providing specialist advice to junior staff in areas of practice.
• Be prepared to extend knowledge and skills by rotation to other specialities
• Participate in emergency cover for the department, including out-of-hours shifts, on-call cover and rotation onto night duty for the Operating Department and other areas where applicable.
• Be competent in current emergency resuscitation techniques, both in theory and practice.
• Report any complaints, accidents, untoward incidents or unusual occurrences to the Clinical Manager and ensure that, where possible, remedial action is taken to prevent the occurrence/reoccurrence of such incidents. Ensure incident forms are completed with statements where appropriate.
• Demonstrate a personal duty of care in keeping yourself and other staff up to date in the use of new equipment and procedures in the relevant areas of care.
• Actively participate in current research and clinical audit, promoting changes in practice as required.
• Ensure rigorous adherence to infection control practices, including hand hygiene and universal precautions.