Theatre Scrub Team Leader

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust; Redditch; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Redditch seeks an experienced Theatre Scrub Team Leader to oversee daily scrub services and lead a team of practitioners. The role involves ensuring high standards of patient care, infection control, and staff development. Ideal candidates will have significant scrub experience and strong leadership skills. Competitive salary range of £38,682 to £46,580 per year, with opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Continuous professional development opportunities

Supportive work environment

Employee wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Significant scrub experience in a theatre environment.
• Strong leadership skills and experience in mentoring.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of scrub practitioners.
• Ensure compliance with infection control and safety standards.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to quality initiatives.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Leadership skills

Knowledge of surgical procedures

Infection prevention knowledge

Education

Current NMC or HCPC registration as RN or ODP

Relevant post-registration qualification in perioperative or scrub practice

Teaching or education qualification

Job description

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Theatre Scrub Team Leader

The closing date is 08 December 2025

Are you a skilled and motivated scrub practitioner looking to take on a leadership role? We are seeking an enthusiastic Team Leader to join our perioperative team at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. This is an exciting opportunity to support the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care while leading and supporting a team of registered practitioners and support staff.

As a Band 6 Team Leader, you will oversee the daily running of scrub services, coordinate theatre teams, and promote best practice in patient safety, infection control, and effective resource management. You will also play a key role in mentoring and supporting staff development while fostering a positive, inclusive working environment that reflects the Trust’s core values.

We are looking for someone with significant scrub experience, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to continuous professional development. If you are ready to make a positive impact in a dynamic theatre environment, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Lead and support a team of scrub practitioners to deliver high-quality, evidence-based patient care across a range of surgical specialties.

Coordinate theatre activities, including planning, preparation, and resource allocation, to ensure efficient and safe service delivery.

Maintain and promote high standards of infection control, patient safety, and adherence to clinical guidelines.

Mentor, coach, and support junior staff and students, fostering a culture of continuous professional development and reflective practice.

Contribute to service improvements, quality initiatives, and the implementation of best practices within the perioperative environment.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch, and Worcester.

Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient‑centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision – working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities. Our values are: Being open and honest, ensuring people feel cared for, and showing respect to everyone. These values underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

Best services for local people

Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients

Best use of resources

Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services, and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation – this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job responsibilities

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post Title: Team Leader - RN,ODP Scrub

Pay Band: Band 6

Hours: Full/Part time

Contract: Permanent

Location / Department: Countywide Theatres

Accountable to: Theatre Matron

Reports to: Senior Team Leader

Ref: 2025

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Patients, anaesthetists, surgical teams, theatre personnel

External: Visitors to theatres, relatives, ward personnel, housekeeping, portering, and estates teams

Liaises With: Anaesthetists, theatre practitioners, other theatre team leaders, recovery nurses

Risk Assessment: This post involves manual handling activities and a risk of exposure to bodily fluids and chemicals. The role requires some computer screen work and may involve working under pressure in emergency situations.

Job Purpose: Ensure the delivery of high‑quality patient care throughout the peri‑operative journey, particularly in the scrub role. Support and coordinate the scrub team, ensuring safe and effective theatre care. Act as the patient’s advocate, prioritising their needs and well‑being throughout the peri‑operative journey. Coordinate and communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care. Work closely with the Theatre Coordinator and the senior team leader to ensure the smooth running of the theatre department. Maintain patient safety by ensuring compliance with infection prevention and control practices. Deputy for the senior team leader when necessary, ensuring high standards of leadership and patient care. The role may require working across all Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust sites.

Key Duties:

Scrub Specific Duties: Lead the scrub team to ensure safe, efficient, and compassionate care during surgery. Ensure patient care, including surgical instrument management, aseptic techniques, and theatre setup, is delivered safely and in line with best practice. Act as the main point of contact for scrub‑related queries and concerns. Oversee the preparation, use, and maintenance of scrub equipment and consumables to ensure safety and compliance. Assist in managing surgical complications, ensuring a timely response to any changes in the patient’s condition. Ensure the theatre environment is prepared and equipped to handle emergency situations. Monitor and review surgical procedures and patient progress, ensuring safe handover to recovery teams. Maintain accurate scrub and theatre records in line with legal and Trust policies.

Management: Support the senior team leader in managing the scrub staff team, ensuring high standards of performance, training, and teamwork. Ensure that all safety measures are in place. Report all accidents, incidents, and near misses to the theatre coordinator or senior team leader. Contribute to risk management by identifying and mitigating risks within the department. Assist with staff attendance monitoring and day‑to‑day management of discipline within the team. Address performance issues with staff and take appropriate action to ensure high standards of care. Assist in recruitment and selection processes. Conduct staff appraisals and identify training needs to help develop staff and improve service delivery. Foster a supportive, team‑focused culture that encourages learning, development, and continuous improvement. Promote a culture of safety and learning, encouraging a no‑blame approach and supporting staff to take part in regular competency assessments. Ensure all team members receive appropriate training in theatre procedures and equipment use. Support the senior team leader and theatre coordinator in managing resources effectively, including input into budget planning and monitoring.

Participate in clinical audit activities to monitor and improve the quality of care within the scrub team.

Education and Training: Work with the recruitment and development team to support a regular programme of education and development for staff across theatres. Act as a student assessor. Support the learning and development of students within the department. Supervise, teach, and assess junior and new staff in scrub practices and theatre techniques. Ensure the department’s clinical staff are up to date with the latest practices, guidelines, and equipment. Contribute to the development of training programmes to meet identified needs and reflect best practice. Provide feedback from in‑house and external training courses to share knowledge on emerging techniques.

Professional: Maintain an environment conducive to the training and development needs of individuals. Stay current with changes in clinical practices, guidelines, and equipment. Encourage staff to participate in clinical supervision and reflective practice. Maintain a professional attitude at all times, ensuring a high standard of practice. Be aware of personal and professional development needs and attend mandatory training. Promote effective communication within the multidisciplinary team. Counsel staff in relation to professional development. Ensure infection prevention and control practices are followed at all times.

General Duties: Participate in the on‑call rota or out‑of‑hours duties as required for emergency surgery. Provide short‑term cover for colleagues during periods of leave. Adhere to the Trust’s IT policies regarding email and internet usage. Ensure all Trust standards are maintained and monitored to improve the quality of care. Every employee has a duty to take care of their own health and safety and that of others and to cooperate with the Trust to ensure statutory and Trust regulations are complied with.

Vision and Values: As a representative of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, you are expected to uphold our core values:

Being open and honest. Ensuring people feel cared for. Showing respect to everyone.

These values guide daily conduct and ensure inclusive, compassionate service delivery, fostering a culture of transparency, empathy, and respect for all.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Current NMC or HCPC registration as RN or ODP
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Relevant post‑registration qualification in perioperative or scrub practice
• Teaching or education qualification

Experience

• Experience supervising or mentoring students or junior staff
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Previous experience at Band 6 or equivalent level
• Experience of recruitment, performance management, or staff development
• Involvement in service improvement, audit, or quality initiatives
• Experience in coordinating or managing theatre lists or rotas

Other Job requirements

• Willingness to work flexibly across Trust sites and participate in on‑call or out‑of‑hours rotas as required
• Commitment to maintaining mandatory training and professional registration
• Able to undertake manual handling and work under pressure in emergency situations
• Access to independent means of transport to meet the demands of a countywide role. Able to demonstrate our Trust values and behaviours: Being open and honest we all communicate clearly and honestly, asking for help when we need it, and making it easier for the people around us to share ideas and concerns. Ensuring people feel cared for we all take responsibility for actively supporting and nurturing a kind and compassionate environment for ourselves and others. Showing respect for everyone we all act with consideration and fairness, valuing each other as individuals and appreciating our different perspectives.

Skills / Knowledge

• Excellent communication and leadership skills
• Sound knowledge of surgical procedures, instrumentation, and sterile techniques
• Understanding of infection prevention and control, safeguarding, and health & safety
• Ability to prioritise and manage competing demands in a theatre setting
• Awareness of Trust policies, governance, and patient safety frameworks
• Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusivity.
• Understanding of theatre budgets or resource management
• Awareness of current national guidance and developments in perioperative care

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.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

£38,682 to £46,580 a year – Agenda For Change Band 6