Apprentice Operating Department Practitioner

Earn while you learn – begin your journey towards becoming a Registered Operating Department Practitioner. Are you passionate about making a difference in patient care and looking for an exciting, hands-on career in healthcare? This is your opportunity to train as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) while gaining invaluable experience across a dynamic and supportive NHS Trust.

We are proud to offer a fully-funded apprenticeship leading to a BSc (Hons) in Operating Department Practice, combining university-based academic learning with practical, on-the-job training. You will complete the Integrated Degree Apprenticeship in Operating Department Practice, designed to develop the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours to become a confident, competent and compassionate practitioner.

Main duties of the job: Working within our modern, well-equipped theatre departments across the Trust, you’ll play a key role in ensuring safe, high-quality care for patients undergoing surgical procedures. ODPs are critical members of the perioperative team, supporting patients before, during and after surgery. As an Apprentice ODP, you’ll work closely with multidisciplinary teams – including anaesthetists, surgeons, nurses and other healthcare professionals – learning how to deliver expert care in anaesthesia, surgery and post-operative recovery.

You’ll be immersed in a highly technical and fast-paced clinical environment, gaining practical experience in handling surgical instruments, managing specialist equipment, preparing anaesthetic apparatus, and supporting safe patient transfers. You’ll also be involved in preparing medications, monitoring vital signs, and ensuring infection control and safety protocols are maintained at all times.

Your apprenticeship will include placements in other departments, giving you a broader understanding of the wider healthcare system and how perioperative care fits within the patient journey. Throughout your training, you will be fully supported by experienced mentors and educators committed to your professional development.

Upon successful completion of the programme, you will meet the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Proficiency and be eligible to apply for professional registration as an ODP.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too. We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

What We’re Looking For: We Are Seeking Individuals Who:

• Have a genuine interest in delivering high standards of patient care
• Are calm under pressure and thrive in a team-based environment
• Demonstrate strong communication skills and attention to detail
• Show commitment, compassion, and professional integrity
• Are ready to take on a rewarding yet challenging career path

Key Responsibilities During Apprenticeship: As an Apprentice ODP, you will:

• Work under supervision to assess and support patients throughout the perioperative phases
• Contribute to maintaining a safe, effective, and responsive theatre environment
• Develop decision-making and clinical reasoning skills to meet patient needs
• Learn to respond appropriately in clinical emergencies
• Adapt practice in response to evolving evidence and best practice guidelines
• Ensure care delivery meets national standards, including CQC and AFPP guidelines

This is more than just a job – it’s the start of a rewarding NHS career where your training leads directly to a professional qualification, salary progression, and the opportunity to positively impact lives every day. Join us at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and take the first step towards becoming a Registered Operating Department Practitioner.

Person specification:

Qualifications:

• Essential criteria: Care Certificate, 112-136 UCAS Tariff score, A level grades at BBC or above / equivalent, BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma at DMM, International Baccalaureate at 30 points, FETAC / QQI 5 Distinctions in health care-related subjects, Access to HE Diploma in Nursing qualification (Minimum 60 credits overall with 12 Merits and 30 Distinctions at Level 3 and 15 Credits at Level 2 at Pass), 5 GCSE’s including Maths, English and Science at grade 4/C or above or equivalent. Functional Skills in English and Maths. An Access to Higher Education qualification (minimum of 45 Level 3 credits, with 18 at Distinction and 27 at Merit) which must be in a science-based subject is also acceptable.
• Desirable criteria: Evidence of recent study, Health and Social Care Level 3 or equivalent.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Essential criteria: Insight into the roles and responsibilities of the post, Basic IT skills, Excellent communication skills including verbal, non-verbal and written, Good organisational and time management skills, Manual dexterity, Excellent interpersonal skills, Team working.
• Desirable criteria: Some basic knowledge and understanding of human anatomy and physiology, Evidence of practical knowledge and competences demonstrated through hobbies and interests or actual workplace experience, (could be through Work Experience while in School / College).

Professional/Functional Experience:

• Essential criteria: Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service clearance, The Apprentice ODP Practitioner must be 18 years of age or older and must not hold a qualification at the same or higher level in the vocational subject area, Awareness of professional and personal limitations.
• Desirable criteria: Health and Social Care experience, Previous experience working in the perioperative setting.

Special Requirements:

• Essential criteria: Willingness to travel to meet the requirements of the post, with the support of paid travel expenses in line with Trust policy. Annual holiday entitlement will be in line with Trust policy however: No annual leave will be granted during university term time. Annual leave will need to be authorised by the Theatre Professional Development Facilitator to ensure there will be minimal disruption to training. Able to cope with the Occupational Health requirements for the post including physical and emotional aspects of the role. Willingness to develop new skills and undertake apprenticeship training programme – including study days in university and external clinical placements. Ability to work flexibly on a variety of shifts covering the 24-hour cycle of care. Be expected to complete self-study sessions outside of working hours in order to complete academic components of the programme.

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) has an outstanding reputation and a proud record of achievement. As a well performing, well led and ambitious Foundation Trust, we have exciting times ahead of us. We have an ongoing commitment to improving the health and care services for the 900,000 people we serve across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and south Buckinghamshire.

We are proud of the ambitions laid out in our strategy, Our Future FHFT, including our vision to be a leader in health & wellbeing, delivering excellence for our communities. We continue to invest in our services and facilities, including a £10 million upgrade to the hospital maternity unit as well as £49m major new Emergency Assessment Centre on our Wexham Park site. The opening of a brand new £100m state of the art hospital which replaced the existing hospital facility at Heatherwood and are planning to invest further in diagnostics and inpatient capacity at Frimley Park. We have also made significant investment in our quality improvement and digital programmes to support our vision and we will ensure that we achieve our aim of providing the highest quality healthcare to our patients. Our new EPR – Epic – went live in June and we are already beginning to reap the benefits of this ambitious investment.

Our three core values, and the behaviours that support them, guide everything we do and set out what we expect of our staff in the way they treat patients, visitors, service users and each other: Committed to Excellence, Working Together and Facing the Future.