Senior Theatre Scrub Nurse

Spencer Private Hospitals Ltd; Margate; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading private hospital group in the UK is seeking a dedicated Senior Theatre Scrub Nurse to deliver specialist care within busy operating theatres. In this role, you will assist in various surgical procedures, mentor junior staff, and maintain high standards of patient care. The ideal candidate will have a nursing background, relevant qualifications, and experience in various surgical specialties. A commitment to continuous professional development and leadership is essential.

Benefits

Supportive family-oriented environment

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner with NMC/HPC registration.
• Previous post-registration theatre experience in the private sector.
• Experience in orthopaedic, general, gynae, urology, ENT surgeries.

Responsibilities

• Assist and perform all aspects of surgical procedures as per competencies.
• Provide professional leadership and guidance within the team.
• Administer and maintain custody of medicines.

Skills

Leadership

Interpersonal skills

Organisational skills

Effective oral and written skills

Ability to work as a member of a team

Clinical skills

Education

Registered Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner

NMC/HPC Registered

Mentorship or equivalent

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

We are growing our Theatre teams! Are you an experienced and motivated Senior Theatre Scrub Nurse ready to take the next step in your career?

We are seeking a dynamic and dedicated Senior Theatre Scrub Nurse to provide specialist care within our busy operating theatres. The post holder will perform and assist in all aspects of surgical procedures to an expert level in line with personal competencies. The post holder will work with the surgical team in delivering and maintaining a high standard of surgical care before, during and after surgery.

The role involves a multiplicity of surgical procedures which include, but are not limited to, general surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology, urology, ENT and colorectal patients.

Main duties of the job

• Assist and perform all aspects of surgical procedures to a level in line with personal competencies.
• Serve as a point of knowledge for junior team members and act as a mentor.
• Implement and evaluate pathways of care within the perioperative setting.
• Co‑coordinate with medical, nursing, ancillary staff and other departments to ensure timely delivery of patient care.

Interview Date: Week commencing 12th January 2026

Please note we are not offering sponsorship for this role.

About us

We are a leading private hospital group dedicated to providing high quality care within a supportive, family‑oriented environment.

Key responsibilities

• Contribute to the maintenance of patient care standards and assist with the implementation of changes to care delivery systems.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of professional standards which reflect customer requirements and best practice.
• Carry out planned care for a group of patients without direct supervision, providing individualized patient care.
• Provide professional leadership, advice and guidance within the team, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient records inline with professional standards.
• Administer and maintain custody of medicines in line with SPH policy and professional standards.
• Assist in the maintenance of professional standards, highlighting to the line manager when standards are not met.
• Undertake practice assessments competently.
• Monitor clinical observations and act accordingly on findings.
• Act as the patient advocate.
• Be clinically competent in all areas of advanced practice relevant to the post.
• Ensure own professional knowledge is continuously updated.
• Work with the teams to attain and maintain a CQC rating of Good or Outstanding.
• Maintain high-quality, patient‑centred care and uphold professional standards within the theatre setting.

Key recommendations to ensure safe surgical practice

• Complete a validated university programme of study meeting nationally recognized standards.
• Maintain appropriate indemnity cover.
• Ensure scope of practice is aligned with service need.
• Record name and designation within perioperative documentation.
• Focus on intra‑operative care; avoid taking additional duties such as SFA.
• For any dual role, ensure it is a registered practitioner, endorsed by policy and supported by risk assessment.

Personal / Professional Development

• Maintain and improve professional knowledge and competence.
• Participate in personal objective setting and review, including creating a personal development plan and performing the Trust’s appraisal process.
• Monitor and maintain stock levels; report deficiencies to Theatre Manager.
• Participate in effective resource management such as staffing rosters.

Business Development

• Propose and assist in the implementation of new ideas and procedures.
• Implement and develop research‑based nursing care, adhering to SPH policies and procedures.

Quality

• Assess patient care needs by planning, implementing and evaluating programmes of care within a multidisciplinary team.
• Complete the Perioperative Care Plan.
• Adhere to pharmaceutical codes of practice including preparation, custody, ordering and documentation of controlled and prescribed drugs.
• Maintain active status on the relevant professional register.
• Prepare and maintain complex medical equipment (e.g., anaesthetic, life support, surgical items) and complete appropriate documentation.
• Provide support and resuscitation skills as a member of the resuscitation team.
• Organise and deliver patient care and equipment during inter‑department and inter‑hospital patient transfers.
• Provide emergency theatre cover during major incidents.
• Facilitate surgical procedures, including patient positioning and specimen labelling.
• Act as the circulating person and perform safety checks.
• Act as the scrub person, providing required sterile instruments and implants.
• Participate in the Governance agenda and report incidents promptly.
• Monitor patient condition for adverse reactions and act appropriately.
• Adopt precautions to protect self and others from contamination.
• Report abnormal clinical situations to Theatre Manager.
• Stay updated on procedures for fire, major incidents and faulty equipment.
• Demonstrate up‑to‑date knowledge of current clinical practice.

Person Specification

Skills

• Leadership, interpersonal and organisational skills.
• Good working knowledge of Word/Excel/Outlook.
• Effective oral and written skills.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.
• Dealing with emergency situations within operating theatre department.
• Highly developed physical/clinical skills where accuracy is important.

Experience

• Ability to assess, plan and evaluate patient care.
• Knowledge of research and evidence‑based practice.
• Catalyst for change.
• Teaching and assessing/mentorship, or willing to undertake.
• Knowledge of CQC.
• Provide highly specialised emergency knowledge.
• Orthopaedic, general, gynae, urology, ENT surgeries.
• Minimally invasive procedures.
• Laser applications.
• Multiskilling – demonstrate competency in recovery and other areas.
• Post‑registration theatre experience in private sector dealing with children and adults.

Other

• Manual handling of patients and manoeuvring heavy instrumentation and equipment.
• Frequent unpleasant working conditions; contact with body fluids, foul linen daily.
• Daily contact with substances hazardous to health.
• Flexible to needs of the business.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner.
• NMC/HPC Registered.
• Mentorship or equivalent.

Personal Attributes

• Remain alert and focused for long periods of time.
• Long periods of peri‑operative concentration.
• Occasional demands and interruptions.

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.