Senior Theatre Support Worker - Orthopaedics - KMOC

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

The closing date is 17 April 2025

Job summary

Are you a Theatre Support Worker looking to utilise your existing experience and knowledge for a new role?

We are currently looking for driven, methodical and highly motivated Senior Theatre Support Workers to join our operating theatre departments within our new Kent and Medway Orthopaedic Centre.

You will bring a wide range of experience and 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 new Orthopaedic Centre.

Over 200 new posts will support the new Centre, which is part of a national scheme to deliver more than 50 new surgical hubs across England. The new Centre will open in spring 2024 and treat patients from across the region, increasing the Trust's capacity for planned surgical procedures.

The Centre will contain the latest novel open plan laminar flow theatres; open-plan surgical areas where up to three patients are treated in a dedicated space with a specialised air canopy over each station to prevent the spread of infection. The new facility will also include a 14-bed inpatient ward and a 10-bed day case ward, with recovery, x-ray and therapy space, all within a dedicated elective building.

Main duties of the job

As a Senior Theatre Support Worker you will help to provide a seamless service to patients as part of a multi-disciplinary team within the peri-operative clinical setting in both clinical and non-clinical practices, within the scope of practice for theatre support workers (clinical support workers) as defined by the department.

The Senior Theatre Support Worker will have the knowledge and skills to support patient care during surgery and local anaesthetics and will be expected to utilise this to support both the ongoing care to patients and support the perioperative theatre teams.

The Centre willexpand orthopaedic surgical capacity across Kent and Medway, playing an important part in elective recovery and the reduction of patient waiting times across the region.

The Kent and Medway Orthopaedic Centre will work alongside our existing services to provide care. Our amazing Maidstone Orthopaedic Centre (MOU) and Maidstone Short Stay Unit (MSSU) will all continue.

You will be working closely with the Theatre Leads, Seniors and other healthcare professionals, as well as supervising, supporting and developing junior staff, encouraging the delivery of high-quality care and experiences to patients.

Possession of excellent communication skills and being able to adapt to any situation is essential. You must be prepared to teach others your invaluable skills and you will have the ability to work well within a multidisciplinary team whilst being a role model to others.

About us

Working for your 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 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.

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

Date posted

03 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

359-6967082-T3

Job locations

Maidstone Hospital

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9QQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Weve 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 Trusts Clinical Induction Programme for Healthcare Support Workers (which starts on the first day of employment). The programme is full-time (please contact the CSW Induction Programme Lead ifyou have any issues: rallen@nhs.net), lasts for two weeks and will involve travelling to both Trust sites. The programme includes two supernumerary shifts in the clinical area (an early and a late shift), all of the other days are classroom-based and run from 9am to 5pm.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Weve 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 Trusts Clinical Induction Programme for Healthcare Support Workers (which starts on the first day of employment). The programme is full-time (please contact the CSW Induction Programme Lead ifyou have any issues: rallen@nhs.net), lasts for two weeks and will involve travelling to both Trust sites. The programme includes two supernumerary shifts in the clinical area (an early and a late shift), all of the other days are classroom-based and run from 9am to 5pm.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ Level 3 in Healthcare support or equivalent experience
  • Care certificate

Desirable

  • European Computer Driving Licence or IT qualification
  • Functional skills English and maths level 2 or GCSE English and maths grades A-C

Experience

Essential

  • Full-time equivalent experience as a Theatre Support Worker/Trainee in a Theatre Department

Desirable

  • Acute sector experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers (2013).
  • Demonstrates understanding of clinical issues within a Theatre Department.
  • Insight into role and responsibilities of post.
  • Able to describe the importance of delivering high quality care to patients.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of current healthcare issues.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ Level 3 in Healthcare support or equivalent experience
  • Care certificate

Desirable

  • European Computer Driving Licence or IT qualification
  • Functional skills English and maths level 2 or GCSE English and maths grades A-C

Experience

Essential

  • Full-time equivalent experience as a Theatre Support Worker/Trainee in a Theatre Department

Desirable

  • Acute sector experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge of the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers (2013).
  • Demonstrates understanding of clinical issues within a Theatre Department.
  • Insight into role and responsibilities of post.
  • Able to describe the importance of delivering high quality care to patients.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of current healthcare issues.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

Address

Maidstone Hospital

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9QQ


Employer's website

https://www.mtw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

Address

Maidstone Hospital

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9QQ


Employer's website

https://www.mtw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

KMOC Theatre Manager

Susan Jounus

susan.jounus@nhs.net

07729080853

Date posted

03 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

359-6967082-T3

Job locations

Maidstone Hospital

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9QQ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)