Course overview

Operating department practitioners (ODPs) are a vital part of the multidisciplinary perioperative theatre team, providing a high standard of patient-centred care during anaesthesia, surgery and post anaesthetic care (recovery). You can expect to work within the whole of the perioperative environment across a variety of surgical specialities assisting anaesthetists and surgeons alongside the wider multidisciplinary team.

This patient-centred course prepares you with the knowledge, skills and understanding to ensure that you can contribute fully to healthcare delivery in a dynamic and fast-moving surgical environment. This course leads to the achievement of the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency for Operating Department Practitioners (ODP). On successful completion of the course, you will be eligible to apply for registration with HCPC as an ODP.

From September 2020 all new and continuing students on this course will receive a £5,000 learning support fund each year if they’re eligible. They will not need to pay it back.
Full details here

The course is designed to ensure early exposure to practice where you will gain experience across a variety of specialist areas including general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, ear, nose and throat, obstetric surgery, anaesthetic and post-anaesthetic care. You will be allocated to surrounding NHS hospital trusts to enable you to develop essential skills and knowledge and this will be supported by evidence-based learning in the University with lectures, seminars and practical activities in our clinical skills labs and simulated operating theatre. As a student ODP, there will be a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice and clinical decision making throughout the course as you work towards achieving the requirements for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Over 50% of the course is completed within the practice environment in NHS and private operating theatres and placements throughout the North East region where you will engage in supervised practice. You will work alongside experienced clinical staff following various shift patterns including nights and weekend working in order to gain the maximum learning experience. The academic components of the course are completed within the University setting with lecture rooms and simulation suites.As with all healthcare professionals, the public place a high level of expectation and trust in their Operating Department Practitioners and therefore to work in this sector, it is essential that you are able to demonstrate the core values embedded within the NHS Constitution:

• Working Together for Patients
• Respect and Dignity
• Compassion
• Improving Lives
• Everyone Counts

The School is committed to the development of quality courses and to the enhancement of the student experience. To that end the Student Voice is central to the design and delivery of the learning experience. We invite you to provide feedback at key points in your student journey and ensure that we respond to your feedback through our 'you said, we did' approach.

Professional accreditation

On successful completion of the course you will be eligible to apply for registration to the Health and Care Professions Council.

Please note 100% attendance is expected during this programme.

Supporting information for applicants

Our School feedback policy (word - 278kb)
Our School reference policy (word - 276kb)

Course details

In the early part of the course you gain the relevant foundational knowledge and skills needed to work within the perioperative environment. You will gain an understanding of perioperative pharmacology, relevant anatomy and physiology, infection control and the legal and ethical concepts surrounding theatre care. Throughout the course, there will be a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice, clinical decision making and continuing professional development.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You are expected to have:

• a minimum of two GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including English language and maths. Key Skills/Functional Skills Level 2 in Communication and Application of Number can be accepted in place of English and maths GCSE. Please note these are not required if you are doing an Access course – however, you must have English and maths as listed below.*

Plus any of the following qualifications:

GCE and VCE Advanced Level
96 points from two or three A levels.

AS Level
One AS level can be accepted when combined with two or three A levels to meet the 96 points required.

Access course
96 UCAS points from a QAA-recognised course (any combination)
*We can accept level 2 Access units in communication and maths in place of English and maths GCSEs.

BTEC QCF Extended Diploma
96 points (MMM).

CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care
96 points (C) in health and social care.

Foundation degree
A pass in any subject.

Irish Leaving Certificate
96 points from four or five Highers/Honours subjects.

NVQ
Level 3 plus 40 credits at level 4 in any subject.

Open University
60 credits at Level 4 with the Open University, or a CertHE pass in any subject.

Scottish Highers
111 points from four or five Highers.

Advanced Scottish Highers
96 points from three Advanced Highers.

For further detailed entry requirements for this course please visit www.ucas.com

• The selection process includes shortlisting of your application, following which, if successful, you will be invited for an interview.

Shortlisting criteria
Your application will be measured against the following criteria:

• Your ability to complete all sections of the application form fully and correctly
• The level of all qualifications and grades are specified
• Appropriate academic entry requirements achieved or predicted
• Personal statement supportive of chosen course and demonstrates an understanding of the uniqueness of the profession and the role of the professional
• A satisfactory reference

If you are invited to interview and the date is not suitable we may not be able to offer you an alternative date due to the high volume of applications received for this course - but it is important that you contact the Admissions Office immediately.

Interview criteria
At the interview, which will be structured around multiple mini interview (MMI) workstations you will be measured against the following criteria which is mapped against the NHS Constitutional Values (DH, 2013): NHS Constitution

• Privacy and Dignity
• Resilience and reflective ability
• Problem solving
• Advocacy and empowerment
• Honesty and Integrity
• Team working
• Choice of career and the ODP role

A range of scenarios will be used to enable you to demonstrate your ability to address the NHS constitutional values alongside communication skills based on your performance throughout the workstations.

If you are successful in both shortlisting and interview you will receive a conditional offer which is subject to the following:

1. Evidence of achievement of any required academic qualifications
2. A successful work based risk assessment which will reflect the HEOPS recommendations - please read these here. For more information on all of the HEOPS standards click here
3. An enhanced criminal history (DBS) check may be required for certain modules or placements which involve working with children and/or adults at risk. Where an enhanced DBS check is required, applicants will cover the cost of these checks which can only be processed through the University.
4. A satisfactory reference

• International applicants must have IELTS 7.0 with a minimal score of 6.5 in all sections or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 100/120 (in conjunction with a Teesside University English language test)* before an unconditional offer is made
• If you are successful at shortlisting you will be invited to attend an interview (which may be in person OR video call) in one of our international offices in either India, Malaysia or China, or through a secure web link (which will be arranged by the University).
• If you can not attend an interview as stated, you will be unable to proceed with your application.

*Students holding TOEFL qualifications at the required grade will be able to combine the qualification with a Teesside University English language test to meet the English language requirement. The English language test will assess listening and speaking competency.

For international enquiries please email internationalenquiries@tees.ac.uk

For additional information please see our entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country

You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL

Employability

Career opportunities

The qualified ODP is trained in all areas of theatre work and can specialise in surgery, anaesthetics or post-anaesthetic care. They can develop their role through teaching or pursue theatre management roles. New areas of practice are also opening up to the ODP such as accident and emergency and intensive care units. Career opportunities exist within NHS hospital trusts and private hospitals, primary care trust clinics and the armed forces.

Information for international applicants