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Operating department practitioner
Hours
37.5 per week
Starting salary
£18,200 + per year
As an operating department practitioner (ODP) you would support operating theatre staff and provide care to patients, before, during and after surgery. If you've got good practical skills and you can keep your concentration, this job could be ideal for you.
In this job you would need to be able to work well within a busy team. You would also need to be organised and learn quickly.
To get into this job you will need a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) in Operating Department Practice (approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC)). You must also be accepted on to the state register and be a member of the College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP).
WorkDesc
The work
Your duties would often include:
- preparing the operating theatre and equipment, such as drips, instruments, dressings and swabs
- making sure specialist equipment is available for specific procedures
- monitoring theatre cleanliness
- ordering and rotating single or multiple use items of stock and drugs
- providing the surgical team with the items they need during an operation (often called 'circulating duties')
- monitoring machinery
- keeping accurate records.
Your work may also involve assessing patients before allowing them to join a surgical ward and reviewing the care they have received at each stage. You are likely to have a coaching and mentoring role when you are based in a department with trainee ODPs, and in some NHS Trusts you may be involved in training other healthcare professionals, such as trainee paramedics.
You would normally work within an anaesthetic, surgical or recovery team. However, you could also work in areas such as accident and emergency, intensive care, day surgery clinics, maternity units and resuscitation teams.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would usually work 37.5 hours a week on a shift system covering evenings, nights and weekends. Overtime and on-call duty is also common in order to deal with emergencies. Part-time work may be possible.
You would mainly work in sterile conditions in pre-operative anaesthetic areas, operating theatres and recovery rooms. These areas are clean and light but can be hot. You would wear surgical clothing and a mask.
Working in the theatre can be emotionally and physically demanding, and involve standing for long periods.
IncomeDesc
Income
Starting salaries for ODPs can be between £18,200 and £21,800 a year. With experience this can rise to around £27,500 to £34,200.
Additional cost of living allowances may be paid to those working in certain geographical locations.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You will need a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) in Operating Department Practice (approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC)) before you can work as an ODP. You must also be accepted on to the state register and be a member of the College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP).
The HPC website includes details of approved courses, which are available on a two year full-time basis or part-time for up to seven years. You can also search for providers on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website.
To get on to the diploma you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C) preferably in English, maths and/or a science-based subject. You may also need one or two A levels. Check with course providers for exact entry requirements because alternative qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education course, may also be accepted.
On the diploma, you will study areas such as anatomy, anaesthetics, surgery, pharmacology, microbiology and infection control. You will spend around 60% of the course on clinical work placements in operating theatres, accident and emergency departments, and intensive care units.
You may be able to apply for NHS funding for an approved course. Where this is available, your tuition fees will be met in full and you will receive a non-means tested bursary to help towards living expenses. For details, check with individual universities and the NHS Business Services Authority.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
You can continue to study to achieve a degree, though this is not essential in order to work as an ODP.
Throughout your career you will be expected to keep your skills up to date and you may be encouraged to work towards additional qualifications as part of your continuing professional development (CDP). You can access opportunities for CDP through the College of Operating Department Practitioners.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To be an operating department practitioner you should have:
- good practical skills
- the ability to work in a busy specialist team
- a reliable, friendly and reassuring manner
- good organisational skills
- the ability to learn quickly, act calmly and maintain concentration
- a flexible approach to work
- effective communication skills
- the ability to motivate, train and mentor other health professionals and trainees
- an understanding of issues surrounding patient confidentiality
- awareness of health and safety issues, particularly infection control.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Health Professions Council 
Park House
184 Kennington Park Road
London
SE11 4BU
Tel: 020 7582 0866
www.hpc-uk.org
NHS Careers
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
College of Operating Department Practitioners
197-199 City Road
London
EC1V 1JN
Tel: 0870 746 0984
www.codp.org.uk
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could find work within the NHS, as well as private hospitals around the UK. You could also work as an ODP within the armed forces.
With experience, you may be able to progress to team leader or senior ODP and take responsibility for managing an operating theatre unit. You could also move into education, training and research, or specialise in an area such as special care for babies or organ transplantation.
You may find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
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