Operating Department Practitioner
Also advertised as: Anaesthetic Practitioner, general marketing assistant, marketing associate, marketing executive assistant, marketing officer, marketing operations assistant
Supports patients and surgical teams before, during and after operations.
What the job involves
Operating department practitioners prepare theatres, assist anaesthetists and surgeons, and monitor patients recovering from anaesthesia. It is a fast-paced, precise role where a calm head under pressure is essential, since theatre lists rarely go exactly to plan. Many practitioners rotate between anaesthetic, surgical and recovery duties.
Typical responsibilities
- Prepare theatre equipment and instruments
- Assist anaesthetists during induction and surgery
- Monitor patients in recovery
- Maintain sterile technique throughout
- Manage emergency equipment and drugs
Common employers
- NHS surgical units
- Private hospitals
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£27,000 – £31,000 a year
With experience
£34,000 – £41,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours including nights and on-call for emergency theatres
Working environment
Operating theatres and recovery units
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Sterile technique
- Equipment knowledge
- Calm under pressure
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
Transferable skills you may already have
- Working precisely under time pressure
- Military or emergency services background
- Following strict protocols
Requirements employers ask for
- Sterile technique
- Equipment knowledge
- Calm under pressure
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
- FdSc or BSc Operating Department Practice
- HCPC registration
- HCPC registration
- Enhanced DBS check
- build business relationships
- manage personnel agenda
- draft corporate emails
- assist in the practical actions for developing marketing campaigns
- support managers
- marketing management
- marketing department processes
- organise business documents
- communicate schedules to the people concerned
- prepare presentation material
- perform business research
- customer relationship management
Useful but not essential
- Working precisely under time pressure
- Military or emergency services background
- Following strict protocols
- Experience as a healthcare assistant in theatres
- Immediate life support training
- execute email marketing
- liaise with financiers
- prepare exhibition marketing plan
- speak different languages
- perform mystery shopping
- write work-related reports
- accounting
- conduct public presentations
Helpful qualifications
- Experience as a healthcare assistant in theatres
- Immediate life support training
Licences and checks
- HCPC registration
- Enhanced DBS check
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Operating Department Practitioner (Degree Apprenticeship)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Biology
- Related subject: Health and social care
Where this career can lead
next
Senior ODP
next
Advanced Anaesthetic Practitioner
next
Theatre Team Leader
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Fast-paced, hands-on clinical work
- Strong demand across surgical specialties
- Clear NHS banding progression
What people find hard
- High-stakes environment with little room for error
- Unsociable on-call hours
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a operating department practitioner?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. required
- How much does a operating department practitioner earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £27,000 to £31,000 a year, rising towards £41,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Working precisely under time pressure, Military or emergency services background, Following strict protocols.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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