Theatre Care Assistant - All specialities

Transformation Unit; England; Remote; GBP 21,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust is expanding its Theatre teams as part of a major transformation programme. We are hiring Theatre Care Assistants (Band 2) across multiple specialties to deliver high-quality perioperative care in a 24/7 theatre service.

Roles require flexibility to cover 24/7 shifts, including nights and weekends. Full-time, permanent contracts with 37.5 hours per week and ongoing training through apprenticeship-style development pathways are offered.

Qualifications

• Passionate about delivering high standards of patient care.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, high-acuity environment.
• Strong team players with excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality care across multiple specialities supporting Registered Scrub Practitioners.
• Work within a 24-hour, 7-day theatre service, participating in night shifts, weekend rotas and bank holiday coverage.

Skills

Patient care

Team player

Communication skills

Flexible scheduling

Education

Qualification in Maths and English

Job description

Main area Theatres Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Shifts to cover 24 hours, 7 days per week) Job ref 153-SU06928

Employer University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Bournemouth Hospital/Poole Hospital Town Bournemouth/Poole Salary £25,272 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 19/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 27/10/2026

Theatre Care Assistant - All specialities

Band 2

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with 'university hospital' status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you'll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we're also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

Job overview

Are you ready to be part of a once-in-a-generation transformation helping to deliver outstanding surgical care for the population of Dorset by shaping the Future of Perioperative Care at UHD?

Join us at this exciting time of expansion and transformation by joining our Theatre departments. We have vacancies in multiple specialities across UHD.

This transformation is delivering new, state-of-the-art theatre facilities including an innovative four-table 'barn' theatre, one of the first of its kind in the UK, and significant investment in the future of Robotic surgery.

We are currently expanding our services and staffing establishment in line with the transformation of services across UHD. This is an exciting period of growth and we are seeking enthusiastic and motivated individuals across a range of experience levels to join our friendly and supportive Theatre teams. We are looking for individuals who are:

• Passionate about delivering high standards of patient care
• Able to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-acuity environment
• Strong team players with excellent communication skills
• Flexible and able to committed to supporting a 24/7 service
• Training streams to support the development to Registered Practitioner through Apprentice programme

Main duties of the job

• Provide high-quality care across multiple specialities supporting Registered Scrub Practitioners in Vascular, Emergency, General, Urology, Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Trauma, Head and Neck, Obstetrics and Robotic Surgery.
• Work within a24-hour, 7-day theatre service, participating in night shifts, weekend rotas, and bank holiday coverage.

Working for our organisation

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.

This service has a planned move in April 2027

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.

AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person specification

additional requirements

• Able to work 24/7 and bank holidays

Qualifications

• Willingness to undertake additional training and education in relation to theatre skills
• Qualification in Maths and English

Experience

• Experience of working with the public
• Experience of working in a theatre environment.
• Experience of working in a caring environment
• Keyboard skills and ability to read and write clearly

Language Requirement

• Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.