Scrub Team Leader - Elective Orthopaedics

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a Scrub Team Leader for Elective Orthopaedics, open to Registered Nurses or Operating Department Practitioners with scrub experience. You will lead a skilled team, scrub for elective orthopaedic cases, and support the multidisciplinary theatre team.

Join a large NHS trust delivering care across multiple sites, with opportunities for professional development, flexible working discussions, and a commitment to equal opportunities and patient-centered

Qualifications

• ODP or RGN with current NMC/HCPC registration.
• Experience as Band 5 in scrub department.
• Awareness of risk management and health & safety policies.

Responsibilities

• Act as the Team Leader and manage day-to-day operations in the clinical area.
• Deputise for Band 5 to support effective clinical practice and patient care.
• Provide expert, patient-focused care in the Elective Orthopaedic theatre setting.
• Organise and prioritise care with the multidisciplinary team.
• Facilitate effective communication between team members and departments.
• Demonstrate leadership and professional role modelling at all times.
• Address inappropriate staff behavior and manage conflicts in absence of the Clinical Coordinator.
• Support and educate students and junior staff; contribute to development reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Audit

Communication

Risk management

COSHH

Manual handling

Education

ODP/RGN with NMC/HCPC registration

Awareness of Risk Management and Health & Safety

Teaching/assessing course (Desirable)

Job description

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates 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

Scrub Team Leader for Elective Orthopaedics (Registered Nurses or Operating Department Practitioners)

We are looking for Registered Nurses or Operating Department Practitioners who have substantial experience of working within an Elective Orthopaedic Scrub Team.

You must be proficient in scrubbing for Elective Orthopaedic cases. Experience of leading the Team on a shift basis is essential. Surgical First Assistant qualification is desirable but not essential.

You must be highly motivated, organised, have excellent communication and clinical skills and be able to work effectively alongside the established teams to deliver holistic patient care.

The successful candidate will be required to work a full, rotational shift pattern, we are unable to offer fixed shift patterns.

Main duties of the job

• Act as the Team Leader and take direct responsibility for the day-to-day management of a clinical area.
• Act as a deputy to the Band 5 to facilitate the delivery of effective clinical practice, ensuring that all patients receive the highest possible standard of care.
• Provide expert, patient focused care in the Elective Orthopaedic theatre setting in accordance with Trust policies and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Organise and prioritise care in conjunction with the multidisciplinary team, delivering a high level of care.
• Facilitate effective communication between all members of the multidisciplinary team and associate departments.
• Demonstrate leadership and act as a professional role model ensuring that a professional approach is maintained by all team members at all times.
• Address members of staff behaving inappropriately and manage any conflict arising in the absence of the Clinical Coordinator
• Support and educate colleagues including student nurses, student Operating Department Practitioners, medical students and junior medical colleagues.
• Facilitate the Annual Development and Review process for an identified group of colleagues

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, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and 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 the South West has 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

Care Management

• Adheres to the NMC/HCPC Code of Conduct at all times
• Demonstrates clinical expertise in the care of patients receiving treatment in the theatre environment
• Carries the Theatre Coordinator phone as required, keeping clinical teams informed of workflows, resolving any issues and conflicts and promoting positive team dynamics at all times
• Manages the clinical workload effectively, assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the needs of the patients on an ongoing basis.
• Acts as a resource to others, providing accurate information, advice and supports the multidisciplinary team, patients and their carers.
• Ensures that accurate patient records are maintained and reflect changes in the patients ongoing condition and changing care needs
• Ensures that patients and their carers are updated regularly with accurate information, delivered in a manner that is sensitive to their needs
• Ensures that clinical guidelines are implemented and are actively audited in conjunction with the Clinical Matron, Clinical Coordinators and Perioperative Education Team
• Maintains and promotes high standards of cleanliness within the department and reports deficits to the Clinical Coordinator
• Ensures that practice is evidence based and supports with the development of departmental policies and Standard Operating procedures.

Quality Management

• Actively supports the implementation of the Trust / nursing strategy
• Uphold high standards of patient care in accordance with Trust policies and Standard Operating Procedures
• Develops own competence in recruitment and retention, sickness management and performance management as determines by line manager
• Actively supports the process of risk management and Health & safety upholding relevant policies to promote this and ensuring that incidents are reported using the DATIX system.
• Make a positive contribution to service development and act as a positive role model for change
• Actively promote customer care, assisting with the local resolution of (informal) complaints and supporting the Clinical Coordinators /Band 7 investigate formal complaints.

Financial Management

• Contributes positively towards the delivery of a cost effective service, adjusting staffing levels to meet clinical demand and cooperation with the Clinical Coordinators and within budgetary constraints
• Takes responsibility for monitoring stock levels within budgetary limits, resolving shortfalls as appropriate
• Develop the financial awareness of the team, prompting a lean approach and efficient use of both human and material resources

Information Management

• Collects, records and manages information using both paper based and IT systems
• Makes use of relevant information in decision making, problem solving and care management
• Ensures that colleagues maintain strict confidentiality of patient records in line with Trust policy and Data Protection Act
• Challenges any breaches in confidentiality and reports to the Clinical Coordinator
• Uses Trust IT systems to disseminate important information to colleagues at all levels

Staff Management

• Assists with the ongoing organisation of the unit, including taking responsibility for a designated area of practice within a department on a daily basis to ensure optimal theatre utilisation at all times
• Carries the unit bleep as required, keeping Coordinators and colleagues informed of patient flow, managing problems and conflicts and maintaining positive team dynamics
• Takes a leadership role in emergency situations Maintains the confidentiality of personal information pertaining to staff
• Attends and contributes to departmental, cross department and multidisciplinary team meetings and working groups
• Acts as a mentor to junior staff members. Is responsible for the orientation, supervision and ongoing development of junior staff and learners in conjunction with the Clinical Coordinators and Perioperative Education Team
• Acts as a practice assessor taking responsibility for completing assessment documents within agreed timeframes
• Act as a mentor to post basic students, facilitating a positive learning environment and development of their clinical skills in accordance with Trust policies and Standard Operating Procedures
• Promote clinical audit and the application of evidence-based practices.
• Participate in research projects and practice development initiatives within the clinical area as appropriate
• Act as a “link practitioner” (i.e., infection control, tissue viability etc.) ensuring attendance at and contribution to Trust wide meetings, taking responsibility for disseminating information at a practice level

Professional Development

• Works within and accepts responsibility for maintaining agreed levels of clinical competence commensurate with job role and developing service requirements ensuring clinical currency as technology and ways of working develop
• Keep up to date with NMC/HCPC standards, Trust policies, Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines and adhere to these at all times
• Demonstrate an insight into own professional development, contributing to the process of identifying own educational needs in conjunction with the Clinical Coordinators and Perioperative Education Team
• Participate in own Appraisal and Development Review and after training be responsible for undertaking the appraisal process for own team of junior staff
• To ensure own educational commitment meets the requirements of the professional body and Trust requirements

Working Conditions / Effort

• A requirement to act as a professional role model
• A need to respond to frequently changing needs of the theatres.
• Exposure to distressing and emotional situations
• Frequently standing for long periods
• Manual handling and postural demands.
• Exposure to potential violent and aggressive behaviour
• Contact with blood and body fluids
• Requirement to wear PPE
• The need to use highly developed skills and demonstrates a high level of manual dexterity
• A requirement to concentrate and remain focused for extended periods of time
• The need to work a shift system

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• ODP/RGN with current NMC/HCPC registration
• Awareness of Risk Management and Health & Safety within the operating department

Desirable criteria

• Willingness to undertake teaching and assessing course
• Recognised Surgical First Assistant qualification

Work Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience as Band 5 in scrub specialty or relevant similar experience

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of current practice and understanding of National Codes of Standards and Conduct.
• Experience leading a team
• Knowledge of audit
• Awareness of Risk Management/Health & Safety
• Awareness of COSHH/Manual Handling regulations
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective record-keeping and documentation.
• Ability to work as