Surgical First Assistant | Sfa Qualified Theatre Practitioner

The London Clinic; West End; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life insurance

Private medical cover

Pension

Employee assistance programme

Blue light card

Cycle to work

Electric car scheme

Subsidised staff restaurant

Recognition programmes

Job summary

The London Clinic in London, England, is seeking a Surgical First Assistant (SFA-qualified Theatre Practitioner) to join our Main Theatres team on a permanent, full-time basis. You will work closely with consultants to deliver safe, high-quality perioperative care across general surgery, vascular, gynaecology and robotic procedures.

We welcome applicants with current NMC/HCPC registration and a recognised SFA qualification, plus at least three years post-registration theatre experience.

Qualifications

• Current NMC or HCPC registration.
• A degree in nursing, operating department practice or another relevant healthcare subject.
• A recognised Surgical First Assistant qualification.
• At least three years' post-registration experience in operating theatres.
• Extensive scrub experience and knowledge within clinical specialty.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with consultants to provide skilled assistance throughout surgical procedures.
• Anticipate needs of the surgeon and theatre team to support safe operating lists.
• Use scrub expertise across general surgery, vascular, gynaecology and robotic surgery.
• Complete surgical safety checks and maintain perioperative documentation.
• Coordinate operating lists and support patient flow through theatres.
• Ensure instruments, equipment, implants and consumables are available for procedures.
• Share SFA knowledge with colleagues and develop clinical skills across the team.
• Contribute to clinical governance, audit, infection prevention and service improvement.
• Uphold high standards of patient safety and personalised care.

Skills

Communication skills

Organisation

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Education

Nurse or ODP degree

Surgical First Assistant qualification

Current NMC/HCPC registration

Job description

Surgical First Assistant | SFA qualified Theatre Practitioner The London Clinic•England, London, West End

Job Title

Surgical First Assistant | SFA qualified Theatre Practitioner

Department

Main Theatres

Salary

Competitive salary, reflective of your experience and specialist SFA expertise - Band 6

Job type

Permanent

Hours

Full time, 37.5 hours per week, early and late shifts, plus on-call participation. No night shifts

Why consider this opportunity?

• No night shifts
• Exposure to robotic and complex surgery
• A varied caseload across general surgery, vascular, gynaecology and other specialties
• The opportunity to work alongside some of the UK's leading consultant surgeons
• Advanced surgical technology and evolving approaches to patient care
• A permanent position within one of the UK's largest independent charitable hospitals
• Ongoing professional development and opportunities to expand your specialist experience

A little about the role

As a Surgical First Assistant, you will work closely with our consultants and wider theatre team to deliver safe, high quality and personalised care throughout each patient's surgical journey.

You will support a varied and complex caseload across specialties including general surgery, vascular, gynaecology and robotic surgery. You will use your clinical judgement and specialist SFA expertise to anticipate the needs of the surgeon, support procedures to run safely and efficiently, and help achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients.

This is an exciting time to join our Theatre team. We continue to invest in advanced surgical technology and innovative approaches to care. In March 2026, The London Clinic became the first hospital in the UK to successfully perform remote robot assisted telesurgery, with a surgeon in London operating on a patient in Gibraltar more than 2,400 kilometres away.

You will be joining a department that is actively developing its surgical services, giving you valuable exposure to complex procedures, robotic surgery and emerging technology.

A recognised Surgical First Assistant qualification is essential for this position.

What you'll be doing

As a Surgical First Assistant, you will:

• Work directly with consultants to provide skilled assistance throughout surgical procedure
• Anticipate the needs of the surgeon and wider theatre team to support safe and efficient operating lists
• Use your scrub expertise across general surgery, vascular, gynaecology, robotic surgery and other specialties as required
• Complete surgical safety checks and maintain accurate perioperative documentation
• Coordinate operating lists and support the safe and effective flow of patients through theatres
• Ensure the correct instruments, equipment, implants and consumables are available for each procedure
• Share your SFA knowledge with colleagues and support the development of clinical skills and confidence across the team
• Contribute to clinical governance, audit, infection prevention and service improvement
• Act as a positive role model and uphold the highest standards of patient safety and personalised care

What we're looking for

• Current NMC or HCPC registration
• A degree in nursing, operating department practice or another relevant healthcare subject
• A recognised Surgical First Assistant qualification
• At least three years' post registration experience within operating theatres
• Extensive scrub experience and strong knowledge within your clinical speciality
• The confidence and clinical judgement to practise safely within your professional scope
• Experience supporting and developing colleagues within a theatre environment
• A strong understanding of clinical governance, patient safety and evidence-based theatre practice
• Excellent communication, organisation and interpersonal skills

What you'll be part of

At The London Clinic, everything starts with our people. Whether you are at the bedside or behind the scenes, you are part of something bigger, making a real difference to patients and colleagues every day.

As one of the UK's largest independent charitable hospitals, we care for more than 120,000 patients each year. We reinvest our surplus into our services, technology, facilities and, most importantly, our people.

Our Main Theatres Department consists of 10 operating theatres delivering a broad range of elective and complex procedures. You will work alongside experienced scrub practitioners, anaesthetic practitioners, recovery colleagues, nurses and some of the UK's leading consultant surgeons.

The department supports a diverse surgical caseload across specialties including general surgery, vascular, gynaecology, orthopaedics, spinal surgery and robotic surgery. This breadth of work will give you the opportunity to use your existing SFA expertise while gaining exposure to complex cases, advanced surgical techniques and emerging technology.

Our main hospital has 234 beds and a 13-bed Intensive Care Unit. Across The London Clinic, more than 1,300 colleagues and over 700 consultants are united by a shared commitment to safe, compassionate and personalised care.

We are incredibly proud to have been recognised in the Financial Times UK Best Employers Survey 2026. This reflects our commitment to creating a workplace where people feel recognised, supported and able to develop.

What's in it for you

• Life insurance
• Private medical cover
• Pension
• Employee assistance programme
• Blue light card
• Cycle to work
• Electric car scheme
• Subsidised staff restaurant
• Recognition programmes

How to find us:

Our main hospital is based at:

Located in central London near Harley Street, we are within walking distance of:

• Oxford Circus
• Bond Street
• Baker Street
• Great Portland Street

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting all adults at risk, children and young people by implementing robust safer recruitment practices during our selection process. Pre-employment checks are undertaken in accordance with industry standards and regulations, and successful applicants may be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). If you would like further information about our safer recruitment policy, then please contact a member of our recruitment team.

The London Clinic values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. If you have the skills and experience for the role, we encourage you to apply. We are committed to supporting candidates throughout the recruitment process and will make reasonable adjustments where needed - please let us know if there is anything we can do to support you.