Job overview
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM STAFF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY SWANSEA BAY UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
The Speciality Manager (Band 7) plays a vital leadership role within the operating theatres, offering advanced clinical expertise, operational coordination, and professional leadership across the designated surgical speciality. The post ensures the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of perioperative services, supporting high‑quality patient care and ensuring compliance with national and local standards such as NATSSIPs, WHO Surgical Safety processes, infection prevention requirements, and speciality‑specific governance frameworks.
Acting as the senior scrub practitioner, the postholder will demonstrate advanced competency across all relevant procedures and provide specialist clinical support to the multidisciplinary team. They will oversee the preparation, organisation, and delivery of complex surgical lists, ensuring that equipment, instruments, implants, consumables, and staffing are adequate, appropriate, and safe. The role requires autonomous decision‑making, the ability to respond rapidly to theatre pressures, proactive problem‑solving, and effective real‑time management of clinical risk.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will provide advanced clinical leadership within the designated surgical speciality, acting as the senior scrub practitioner and a key source of specialist expertise for the multidisciplinary theatre team. They will oversee the safe preparation, organisation and delivery of complex surgical lists, ensuring that all required equipment, instruments, implants and consumables are appropriate, functional and available to support high‑quality perioperative care.
A core responsibility of the role is to maintain high standards of patient safety by leading on speciality‑specific WHO checks, NATSSIPs processes, infection prevention practices and compliance with national and local policies. The postholder will demonstrate autonomous clinical judgement, take appropriate action when concerns arise and support junior staff in the assessment and management of clinical risk.
Working for our organisation
We believe staff are our best asset and we want you to be happy and confident about starting your career here in Swansea Bay University Health Board.
As one of the biggest healthcare groups in the UK we can offer a wealth of professional training and development opportunities in an innovative, forward-thinking organisation.
You might be a nurse or doctor, maybe you specialise in a health science/therapy or can offer skills in one of our support services - we have a job for you.
There are also apprenticeships, work placements and volunteering roles available.
We are an inclusive employer and welcome applications from everyone whatever their sex; religion or belief; race; age; sexual orientation; gender identity or, whether they are pregnant or have recently been on maternity leave, married or are in a civil partnership; or, whether they are disabled.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The role includes responsibility for overseeing all speciality‑specific equipment, instrumentation, implants, and consumables. The postholder will ensure resources are available, functional, and appropriately prepared to support surgical lists, escalating issues that may affect patient safety or operational flow. They will support full compliance with national and local standards, including WHO surgical safety processes, NATSSIPs, infection prevention measures, and clinical governance requirements.
The postholder will provide visible, day‑to‑day leadership and supervision for Band 5 and Band 6 practitioners, ODPs, students, and new staff. They will contribute to training, competency assessment, induction, and appraisal, promoting a positive learning environment and maintaining high professional standards. The role requires the ability to role‑model best practice, support junior colleagues, and foster a culture of civility, safety, and continuous improvement.
Operationally, the postholder will liaise with surgeons, anaesthetists, theatre coordinators, and other clinical teams to ensure effective planning and delivery of speciality workloads. They will manage processes such as equipment repairs, loan kit coordination, procurement, and stock control to reduce delays and maximise theatre utilisation.
The role involves active participation in clinical governance, including audits, incident review, risk assessment, and implementation of improvement actions. The postholder will assist in maintaining and updating speciality SOPs and support the safe introduction of new procedures, equipment, or technologies as required.
The postholder will demonstrate autonomous clinical decision‑making, effective prioritisation, and a commitment to delivering a well‑led, resilient, and patient‑centred service.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Registered Nurse/RODP
2. Evidence of Registration with NMC/HPC
3. In possession of or working towards a Degree
Clinical Experience
Essential criteria
4. Two years scrub experience at Band 6 or equivalent experience
5. Knowledge of clinical governance in particular audit, quality issues and an understanding of research based evidence
Desirable criteria
6. Evidence of commitment to teaching
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
7. Excellent leadership and inter-personal skills
8. Excellent communication skills
9. Demonstrate the ability to be innovative and lead change
10. Responsible for infection control
Desirable criteria
11. Demonstrate effective teaching skills
Personal
Essential criteria
12. Ability to respond to the changing need of the Operating Department.
13. Awareness of individual accountability
14. An effective clinical decision maker
15. Committed to multi-professional team work
16. Awareness of Health & Safety responsibilities
17. Flexible approach to work
Swansea Bay University Health Board is committed to supporting its staff and processes to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing service users experience. In our commitment to increase the number of staff able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we would particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
Equality remains at the centre of the Health Boards policy-making, service delivery and employment practices. We value the diversity of our staff and welcome applications from people from protected groups under the Equality Act 2010, this specifically includes age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/reassignment, race, religion, disability, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnership.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
Welsh language skills are desirable