Registered Scrub Practitioner

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Band 5 Scrub Practitioner to join the perioperative team. You will be a Registered Nurse or ODP, with scrub expertise, rotating across clusters to develop a broad range of scrub skills and contribute to safe perioperative care.

The role requires flexible working patterns with shifts that may include early mornings and nights, and a commitment to patient safety and teamwork within a large NHS trust.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with current live NMC registration or Registered ODP with current HCPC registration.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.
• Teaching and assessing qualification (998 or equivalent) or willing to undertake after 2 years post registration.

Responsibilities

• Participate in all aspects of clinical operating department work with high standard of patient care and safety.
• Deputise for the Team Leader when required.
• Involve in assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of care programmes within a flexible team structure.
• Run theatre lists efficiently and competently following policies and procedures.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Flexibility

Scrub proficiency

Education

NMC registration

HCPC registration

Teaching and assessing qualification (998)

Job description

Main area All surgical specialties Grade Band 5 Contract Permanent: Rotational post all surgical specialties Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week (Post holders will be required to work a variety of shifts whick may include 07:30-20:00, 08:00-20:30, 08:00-18:00,19:45-07:45. We are unable to accommodate fixed shift patters and anything less than 23hpw due to the requirements on the service.) Job ref 339-ASCR6944-GB

Employer Bristol NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Southmead Hospital Town Bristol Salary £32,073 - £39,043 per annum, pro rata for part time roles Salary period Yearly Closing 23/11/2026 23:59

Registered Scrub Practitioner

Band 5

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1 st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Band 5 Scrub Practitioner, who is a Registered Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner to join our perioperative team.

Candidate will have experience of working as a Scrub Practitioner within the last 24 months and demonstrate a commitment to delivering safe, effective, and patient-centred care across a range of surgical specialties.

This is a rotational post, flexibility is an essential requirement of the role. Candidates will rotate between designated scrub clusters on a block basis, working within one scrub cluster for an agreed period before moving to another cluster.

The purpose of rotation is to support the development of a broad range of scrub skills, promote workforce flexibility, and ensure practitioners can contribute effectively across different clinical settings. Candidates must be willing to adapt to the requirements, working practices, and teams within each cluster.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

• Current registration with the NMC as a Registered Nurse or the HCPC as an Operating Department Practitioner.
• Current experience and competence in an operating theatre scrub setting.
• The ability and willingness to work across a variety of surgical specialties and clinical environments.
• Effective communication, teamwork, and professional behaviours that support safe perioperative care.
• A flexible, proactive approach to learning, adapting to different teams, and maintaining high standards of patient safety.

Main duties of the job

• To participate in all aspects of clinical operating department work, and provide a high standard of patient care and safety in accordance with the Bristol NHS Foundation Trust philosophy and objectives, policies and legal requirements.
• To deputise for the Team Leader when required/experience allows.
• Will be involved in the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care and work within a flexible team structure involving a multidisciplinary team.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a full overview of the Job Description and Person Specification, please refer to the PDF documents attached as an additional documents to this advert.

Care Management

• Demonstrate a sound understanding of scrub and circulating roles and the responsibilities in these roles.
• Be competent in all aspects of scrub / circulating technique and procedures.
• Participate in all safety procedures including safety briefings and WHIO Safer Surgery checklist, swab needle and instrument counts, management of clinical specimens etc.
• Work as a skilled member of the perioperative team, and be responsible for the assessment of care given to patients within the operating theatre and other areas where operative / invasive procedures are performed.
• Run theatre lists both efficiently and competently following policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility in ensuring the safe, effective and efficient management of allocated resources within scrub / circulating areas including assisting with the planning of daily allocation of team members.
• Be responsible for the care and maintenance of all instrumentation, equipment and consumable goods within your designated area. This responsibility will extend to all areas of the scrub / circulating service and to inform the appropriate person of any stock/equipment requirements.
• Take appropriate action in regards to faulty equipment as per Trust policy and participate in the ordering and training of new equipment
• Ensure that the department is at all times clean and organised with sufficient supplies and equipment which are correctly cleaned, in working order and correctly stored.
• Supervise the work of junior and unqualified colleagues in the assessment of patients and advise appropriately, providing specialist knowledge in assessing and interpreting acute and other patients conditions.
• Support Theatre Managers in developing and reviewing policies and standards for the safe use of equipment and substances hazardous to health in the department

Person specification

Education/Training/Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with current live NMC registration or Registered ODP with current HCPC registration
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Teaching and assessing qualification (998 or equivalent) or willing to undertake after 2 years post registration (secured a position on this type of course)

Work Experience

• Recent experience of working as a Registered Nurse/ ODP in an acute operating theatre setting
• Experience across a range of operating theatre scrub specialties

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Effective communication skills, verbal & written, to include report writing and record keeping.
• Contribution to team development
• Sound knowledge of the guidelines set out in the NMC / HCPC code of professional conduct and current perioperative issues
• Excellent organisational skills, proven ability to problem solve and remain calm under pressure
• Effective computer / IT skills and expectation to develop these in line with the needs of the service
• Ability to undertake shift work (flexible options available)

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.