Job overview
Are you a theatre practitioner looking for a new role? Will only the best do for you and your patients? You were made for us.
We are currently looking for driven, methodical and highly motivated registered practitioners to join our operating theatre departments.
Whether you are a registered nurse, Operating Department practitioner or a paediatric nurse looking for a change or to gain experience with more complex and specialist surgery and anaesthetic, we want to hear from you.
We are actively recruiting ODPs, or RN’s with an accredited anaesthetic practice qualification alongside those with previous experience in the Post Anaesthetic Care Unit. Other candidates will be considered.
Main duties of the job
You will bring a wide range of experience and specialist knowledge to this role, and be committed providing the highest standard of individualised, holistic patient centred care within the multi-disciplinary team. You will be ready to lead by example, show exemplary communications skills and manage the physical and mental demands of supporting our 11 theatres that cover a wide range of specialities.
Tunbridge Wells at Pembury Hospital is the trusts ‘Hot site’ and runs both an elective and emergency service. It comprises of 11 theatres covering a wide range of specialties: Orthopaedics (Elective & Trauma), CEPOD, Gynaecology, Major Colorectal Surgery, Day case Upper GI, Obstetrics, Ophthalmic, ENT and Paediatric Orthopaedics & ENT. Further expansion of specialties is ongoing with Bariatric soon to be undertaken
Our patients deserve the best and the well-being of our staff is the key to our success. We will work with you to help you achieve your career goals, and will help you strike the right work-life balance, allowing us to meet the needs of our services as well as those of you and your family.
Working for our organisation
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
to hear what our staff say.
Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:
• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children).
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Following your Corporate Induction you will be expected to attend the Trust’s 2-week Induction Programme for RNs, NAs, RMs, ODPs and Paramedics. The programme is full-time (please email if this is problematic) and will involve travel to both Trust sites. The programme includes supernumerary shifts in the clinical area, classroom-based sessions and e-learning.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Registered Nurse Part 1 and 2 /Registered ODP
2. Registered with Nursing & Midwifery Council/HCPC
Desirable criteria
3. Relevant specialist Course Theatre/Anaesthetic
4. Surgical First assistance course
5. Prep for mentors or equivalent
Skills
Essential criteria
6. Specialist clinical skills
7. Assesses patients & their care needs
8. Ability to work within the multidisciplinary team
9. Demonstrates ability to use own initiative
10. Effective & concise communication skills demonstrated.
11. Communication of sensitive information which will need reassurance and empathic communication skills
12. Demonstrate & understanding /use of constructive analysis to improve team performance. To act as mentor for pre and post registration students & other leaner’s
13. To mentor pre and post-registration students & other learners.
Desirable criteria
14. Organisational skills
15. Experience to take delegated responsibility
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria
16. Demonstrates understanding of clinical issues within the Theatre Department
Desirable criteria
17. Experience in two or more areas, i.e. recovery/scrub/anaesthetics
18. Current NHS Issues