Assistant Pre-Op Practitioner - Pre-Operative Assessment

NHS AfC: Band 3

Main area Operating Department Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (This job may entail working some Saturdays and also rotation to Newark Hospital when staffing needs to be flexed and there is clinical need) Job ref 214-SRG-8313439

Site King's Mill Hospital Town Sutton-In-Ashfield Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 23/11/2026 23:59

Thank you for your interest in this role, we would be delighted to welcome you to Sherwood Forest Hospitals.

Sherwood is nationally recognised as being an excellent place to work and deliver care. We are rightly proud of the 5,500 colleagues who work here and know that happy colleagues deliver better care.

Our teams work in a supportive, inclusive environment, which nurtures wellbeing and has opportunities for development and progression. We do not just care for our patients, we also care for you.

At Sherwood Forest Hospitals, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. As such, we particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, or Disabled. We believe that a diverse team better represents the communities we serve and brings a wealth of perspectives and experiences to our work.

Job overview

Play a vital role in preparing patients for surgery and help ensure they receive the care and support they need before their procedure at King’s Mill Hospital.

We are looking for a motivated and patient-focused Assistant Pre-Operative Practitioner to join our Pre-Operative Assessment Unit. Working alongside registered nurses and other healthcare professionals, you will support the assessment and preparation of patients for planned surgery, carrying out clinical tasks such as taking blood samples and initial health assessments in line with your training and competencies.

You will contribute to the smooth running of the unit by preparing clinical equipment, maintaining accurate and confidential patient records, following infection prevention and control procedures, and ensuring a safe and organised environment. You will also help patients feel at ease by communicating clearly, treating them with dignity and responding appropriately to their needs and concerns.

We are looking for someone with strong communication and organisational skills, a flexible approach and the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team. A willingness to undertake further training and competency assessments is essential, with opportunities to expand your clinical knowledge and develop your skills in pre-operative care.

Join our team and become part of the service that helps prepare patients for a safe and successful surgical journey.

Main duties of the job

To understand the role in more detail, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

Working for our organisation

We are an award-winning NHS Foundation Trust working alongside health and social care colleagues across the county to provide acute and community healthcare services to more than 420,000 people across Mansfield, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood, and parts of Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

We put the patient at the heart of everything that we do and it is our aim to make sure that every patient is treated as we would want a member of our own family to be treated. At the same time, we expect our staff to be caring, kind and courteous to each other and to look out for each other. We believe that we are truly a clinically-led organisation.

We are proud that our Trust colleagues have voted us the best acute Trust to work for in the East Midlands for seven years running in the National NHS Staff Survey, while the Care Quality Commission has rated our Trust as ‘outstanding’ for care and our King’s Mill Hospital as the only ‘outstanding’ NHS-run hospital in the East Midlands.

Not all of our roles are eligible for visa sponsorship. To find out which roles are eligible, please refer to the shortage occupation list found here:

Home Office guidance has changed as of 9th April. Anyone that requires switching visa type may not be eligible for sponsorship even if the role is on the shortage occupation list.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail, please refer to the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Knowledge Requirements

• Good written and verbal communication skills

Qualifications

• NVQ level 3 in care or peri operative support
• Willingness to undertake further NVQ level 3 study

Further Training

• Willingness to undertake competency based assessment for role additions
• Speciality specific anatomy knowledge

Experience

• Experience working in an acute surgical environment
• Experience in adapting to fluctuating workloads
• Experience in dealing with anxious patients and working in a stressful environment

Contractual Requirements

• Work Flexibly to meet the needs of the service

Not all of our roles are eligible for visa sponsorship. To find out which roles are eligible, please refer to the shortage occupation list found here:

Home Office guidance has changed. Anyone that requires switching visa type may not be eligible for sponsorship even if the role is on the shortage occupation list.

We as a Trust support the use of AI and other tools to support your application. However, all personal statements and behavioural examples must be truthful and factually accurate. Your application should reflect your own personal/professional experiences and qualifications to ensure authenticity and credibility.

For the avoidance of doubt, plagiarism includes presenting the ideas or experiences of others or content generated by artificial intelligence as your own. We review all applications carefully to ensure that the information provided in your supporting statement aligns with your qualifications, work history and the duties undertaken within those roles. Your experience will also be explored further during the interview process.

If you would like this information in an alternative format or in a different language please contact us on 01623 622515 ext 3271.

Please note that we no longer accept handwritten/paper applicationsand that the email address given on your application will be used for all correspondence regarding this post.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications have been received. Priority for vacancies at the Trust will be given to existing employees of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust whose roles are currently at risk of redundancy due to organisational change. If a high number of applications are received, a longlisting exercise will be conducted prior to shortlisting.

Only applications received on or before the closing date will be considered for short listing. This is to ensure that the Trust meets its commitment to Equality of Opportunity.

In submitting an application, you authorise Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to confirm any current and previous NHS Service details and you agree to the Trust obtaining and transferring personal date held about you, including Occupational Health data (inoculations and screening tests). This data will be shared using the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and third party systems via an automated process and will only be used for the purposes of maintaining your employment record.

Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check. The Trust will pay for the check initially and then the money will then be deducted from your first salary once you've commenced employment. The current price of a check is £26.40 for a standard check and £54.40 for an enhanced. If you are asked to complete a DBS check and have a previous identity that you do not wish to be disclosed to your employer and/or on your DBS certificate, you should call or email the dedicated sensitive applications team before submitting your application. The team is experienced in dealing with sensitive cases and will advise you of the process and what you need to do.

Please note any genuine job offer letters will only be received if you have applied, interviewed, and received a verbal offer from the appointing manager for a vacancy within Sherwood Forest Hospitals. If you receive a job offer and you are not sure of its authenticity, please report it to the following email sfh-tr.recruitmentqueries@nhs.net

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.

Name Kelly Crutchley Job title Ward Sister Email address k.crutchley@nhs.net Telephone number 01623 622515 Additional information

Deputy Sisters Carol Turner or Andrea Staines could also give an overview of the role in the absence of the Ward Sister.