Senior Theatre Sister/ ODP – Anaesthetics/ Recovery | The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and committed Senior Theatre Practitioner to undertake the role of Anaesthetic and Recovery Lead. The role will be a key stakeholder within the theatre leadership team combining Management, Clinical and Technical Expertise, in support of the Theatre Manager.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and line manage a multidisciplinary team of theatre personnel.
• Support the daily running of the operating department, ensuring efficiency and delivery of planned operating sessions, inclusive direct clinical support and supervision.
• Provide safe, quality planned care for patients during their perioperative phase of care, by ensuring theatre teams deliver high standards of evidence-based care.
• Provide leadership and direction to the team, capitalising on research and development opportunities.
• Manage people and financial resources to ensure the effective operation of the team for which they are responsible.
• Ensure effective skill-mix and appropriate caseload management.
• Allocate work and assess performance of the team members objectively against set criteria/competencies.
• Be responsible for ensuring individual PDR’s are planned and completed for team members.
• Provide clear feedback to team in a way that is conducive to maintaining and improving performance.
• Establish and maintain effective communication with Lead nurses, team members and relevant stakeholders.
• Be responsible for standard of nursing care delivered in work area.
• Display evidence that staff provide holistic, evidence-based, patient-centred care.
• Responsible for standard operating procedures and policies being upheld within the operating department.
• Responsible for the investigation of incidents and shared learning responses, under Patient Safety Incident Response Framework.

Leadership:

• Provide professional and managerial leadership to the departmental team, including acting as role model and coach to junior staff.
• Communicate complex information across barriers of understanding showing empathy and reassurance to staff, relatives, and patients.
• Organise the appropriate safe staffing levels are adequate for the workload and be aware of changing situations; including ensuring that annual leave is commensurate with service requirements.
• Rota planning and staff allocation, ensuring appropriate skill mix.
• Liase, communicate and negotiate with colleagues to ensure co-operation in achieving departmental objectives, promoting good working relationships and establishing team motivation.
• Act as or support the Theatre Co-Ordinator in the day-to-day operational floor management of the operating sessions to ensure throughput of patients requiring surgery.
• Plan and facilitate regular staff meetings to maintain effective communication with staff throughout the department.
• To generate a culture which promotes empowerment and ensures that decision-making is allocated to appropriate levels, allowing staff to feel they make a valuable contribution.
• Carry out clinical duties as required and maintain clinical skills.
• Act as a senior resource for clinical advice and troubleshooter for clinical and technical problems.
• Support and cross cover of the theatre leadership team as required.

Human Resources Management:

• Carry out PDR’s, recruitment initiatives and interview prospective new staff or existing staff for promotion.
• Monitor the management of attendance of staff and proceed within timely manner.
• Participate in Disciplinary or Grievance procedures according to Trust policy when necessary.
• Ensure that robust performance management systems are in place for your team.
• Ensure support is in place for all new starters throughout probationary period and preceptorship.
• Deal with complaints or suggestions from staff as appropriate.
• Ensure all members of the team have up to date professional registrations.
• Monitor, train and develop staff for them to perform efficiently and effectively.
• Identify department requirements for training and educational course places, liaising with practice based educator.

Financial:

• Identify, lead, and implement value improvement initiatives with the support of the theatre manager.
• Be responsible for monitoring and controlling stock and non-stock items used within the theatre areas to prevent wastage.
• Act as authorised signatory for stock, non-stock items and invoices.
• Lead and conduct trials on new products and equipment and where appropriate after evaluation, initiate the change to new merchandise.
• Ensure any company representatives entering the department have followed the correct process with the procurement team and that the Operational Lead has given permission for them to visit.
• Ensure that equipment service contracts are up to date and that the equipment receives regular servicing/maintenance.

Governance:

• Plan, Write and Implement and maintain Theatre Standards, Policies and Risk Assessments to maintain high standards and a safe environment.
• Ensure all incidents are reported appropriately and in a timely manner via the datix system.
• Investigate and report on incidents within a timely manner.
• Encourage and promote evidence-based practice using integrated care pathways, protocols of care with an inter-disciplinary approach that supports clinical benchmarking.
• Ensure all audits are undertaken and relevant reporting processes have been followed in a timely manner.
• Lead, supervise and/or undertake an active role in research, development, improvement and implementation of new techniques and practices within the department assessing results and impacts.

This advert closes on Thursday 21 May 2026.