Theatre Scrub Practitioner

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust; North East, Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a Theatre Scrub Practitioner for their sites in North East England. The role involves providing perioperative care and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team. Candidates should be registered nurses or operating department practitioners with experience in the theatre setting. The provider emphasizes staff welfare, offering excellent development opportunities. Applications are welcome from diverse candidates, including those from under-represented groups.

Benefits

Supportive team environment

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Registered with NMC or HCPC is required.
• Experience in Operating Theatre is necessary.
• Existing experience as a scrub practitioner.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient care within the perioperative environment.
• Assess care needs and develop programmes of care.
• Ensure rights, dignity and confidentiality of the patient.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Specific skills relevant to area of practice

Recruitment and selection skills

Education

Registered Nurse / Operating Department Practitioner

Teaching and assessing qualification or willingness to work towards

Diploma or degree or relevant practical experience

Job description

Theatre Scrub Practitioner

The closing date is 25 December 2025

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust invite applications for the position of Theatre Practitioner for scrub for our site at the Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We currently have both substantive and bank posts available.

The pandemic has demonstrated the value of our greatest asset – our employees. The dedication and support that our workforce has provided has been second to none and here at CDDFT we are extremely proud of them.

We care for our colleagues, and as a modern‑day employer in the NHS we realise that prospective employees can choose where they wish to work. That is why, in our opinion, the health and wellbeing support we offer our staff is second to none.

Our Theatre team are friendly and supportive, encouraging professional development to enhance skills and professional competence. The departmental Practice Development team, in coordination with the Theatre Management team, supports the staff members to identify and realise areas for career progression, both on an individual basis and also as a team approach to achieving their highest potential.

Main duties of the job

• Participate in the monitoring of standards of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care.
• Participate in direct care needs of patients, providing expert knowledge of all clinical specialities and acting as a role model.
• Participate in audit and monitoring accurate documentation in accordance with Trust policy, NMC and HCPC guidelines.
• Be competent in facilitating an emergency service covering all specialties provided within the department, during elective and nonelective periods.
• Ensure the safe administration of drugs in accordance with Trust Policy, and NMC and HCPC guidelines.
• Ensure that all procedures and techniques are carried out in accordance with local competencies and agreed policies and standards.
• Ensure rights, dignity and confidentiality of the patient are protected at all times.
• Act as patient advocate in all matters relating to his/her care, treatment and welfare.
• Check departmental cleanliness and where necessary assist other members of the team in the preparation, clearing and cleaning of the operating suite and equipment before, during and after operating.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre‑employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites – Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester‑le‑Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community‑based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

Over reliance on AI‑generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

For the most up‑to‑date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Job responsibilities

To provide patient care within the perioperative environment and act as a skilled member of the multidisciplinary team.

To assess care needs, develop programmes of care and implement and evaluate these programmes of care, carrying out all relevant forms of peri‑operative patient care without direct supervision over a 24‑hour period, caring for both adult and paediatric patients undergoing routine and emergency surgery.

The post carries a regular commitment to rotational night duty and out‑of‑hours work, however this is not a requirement for individuals starting on a training programme.

Dimensions of the job

To provide perioperative care within the theatre environment, across the range of specialities offered by the Trust.

The care to be delivered in line with both local and national policies, procedures and guidelines.

Trust Behaviours Framework

• Working together for patients
• Patients come first in everything we do. We fully involve patients, staff, families, carers, communities, and professionals inside and outside the NHS. We speak up when things go wrong.
• Respect and Dignity. We value every person whether patient, their families or carers, or staff as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and seek to understand their priorities, needs, abilities and limits.
• Commitment to quality of care. We earn the trust placed in us by insisting on quality and striving to get the basics of quality of care – safety, effectiveness and patient experience right every time.
• Compassion. We ensure that compassion is central to the care we provide and respond with humanity and kindness to each person's pain, distress, anxiety or need.
• Improving lives. We strive to improve health and wellbeing and peoples experiences of the NHS.
• Everyone counts. We maximise our resources for the benefit of the whole community, and make sure nobody is discriminated against or left behind. All employees are required to promote high quality care and good health and wellbeing through the enduring values described by the Department of Health: “The 6Cs – care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.”

Duty of Candour

All employees are required to comply with the Statutory Duty of Candour: The volunteering of all relevant information to persons who have or may have been harmed by the provision of services, whether or not information has been requested and whether or not a complaint or a report of that provision has been made.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse / Operating Department Practitioner
• Experience as a Registered Nurse / ODP within the Operating Theatre
• Teaching and assessing qualification or willingness to work towards
• Diploma or degree or willingness to work towards or relevant practical experience within the department specialities

Statutory Registration

• Registered with NMC or HCPC

Experience

• Existing experience as a scrub practitioner
• Scrub or Anaesthetic Recovery experience

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Specific skills relevant to area of practice
• Recruitment and selection skills

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.

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust