Course summary

From SEPTEMBER 2025 this course will be delivered using NEW COURSE CODE HU10. If you are interested in starting in September 2025 please apply using this code Operating Department Practitioners are specially trained for operating theatre roles. Throughout your training, you'll develop autonomy as a practitioner, collaborating with anaesthetists, surgeons, and other professionals to prepare and assist in surgical and anaesthetic procedures, enhancing patient care experiences. Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) play a crucial and unique role in patient care. They are responsible for a wide spectrum of tasks essential for the smooth running of perioperative environments. As an ODP you may prepare and maintain operating theatres, ensure the availability of equipment and drugs, manage patient safety and support patients' emotional and physical needs throughout their surgical journey, from pre-anaesthesia to post-anaesthetic care in recovery. Staying calm in pressured environments, ensuring safety and ensuring everyone has a voice to speak up when needed are all vital skills you’ll be developing on the course.

• Leads to eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for registration as an ODP.

• You will learn through simulated activities such as role play and clinical skills development. Facilities replicate those found in hospitals, including a mock operating theatre and scrub room, mock ward setting, high dependency bays, and utilising high-tech manikins which respond to the treatment provided.

• Learn to collaborate and thrive as an ODP and within multidisciplinary teams to coordinate safe, evidenced-based care delivery.

• Practice placements sourced for you by the university, providing you with opportunities to develop clinical skills and become a safe, confident and competent practitioner.

• Study one module at a time, with 5 weeks of learning followed by one week of assessment per module.

• All home students on this course can apply for a minimum payment from the government of £5,000 per year. You can apply for additional payments if you incur childcare costs.

• The role of ODPs is dynamic and varied. Increasingly, ODPs are also adapting their knowledge and skills to work in non-traditional acute settings like emergency departments, intensive care, interventional radiology, cardiac catheterisation, MRI, CT scanning, and endoscopy units.

• Teaching and learning are supported by highly trained, clinically current and experienced staff, clinical partners, service users, fellow ODP students and those from other health courses across the school.

• We focus on your future employability, offering insight into areas such as surgical first assistance, critical care, leadership and management.