NHS Logo

Team Leader Anaesthetic Practitioner

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
This job is closed to applications
Medical Protection Advertisement

Location
Salary
£37,338 - £44,962 pa
Profession
Manager and corporate
Grade
Band 6
Deadline
30 Jun 2025
Contract Type
Permanent
Posted Date
16 Jun 2025

Job overview

Band 6  Team Leader- Anaesthetic Practitioner

We are looking for experienced anaesthetic practitioners to be Team Leaders in our busy, growing theatre department covering all specialties .

We are a regional provider for major head and neck work and bariatrics as well as a broad range of other specialities, including robotics.

This is an exciting time to be joining theatres due to the commissioning of eight new Operating Theatres providing additional capacity and allow old Theatres to be re-purposed. This includes two hybrid Theatres, capable of delivering interventional and specialist services such as major vascular surgery

Applicants will have a wide variety of skills to offer our department, including supporting junior staff, daily management abilities and competence in all areas of anaesthetics.

Main duties of the job

To deputise and support Senior Practitioners in Theatre in all aspects of  continuing operational management of the service and the 24 hours management of the theatre complex.

To function as a highly skilled practitioner in anaesthetics, assisting the Anaesthetist pre-operatively, intra-operatively and in the immediate post-operative period.

To lead in the provision of a safe environment and to ensure the highest standards of care is received by patients during the Perioperative journey.

To act as a clinical and professional role model for all levels of staff and students working in the Department.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Act as a professional member of the operating theatres team in accordance with NMC/HPC Code of conduct. This will include the carrying out of the highest standard of individualised patient care and ensuring that all documentation is accurate and comprehensive.

To ensure that the Anaesthetic Room is set up for use and assist in the organisation of the theatre.

To liaise with all members of the theatre team and ensure changes are communicated quickly and accurately to all team members.

To work with other Trust departments and wards to facilitate maximum use of operating sessions and ensure optimum flow of patients between the wards and theatre.

Assist in the development and maintenance of patient care packages and review their effectiveness by means of audit.

Working with the Theatre Services Operational Manager and Senior Practitioners to develop and implement clinical audit and effective programmes for all staff working in the department.

To lead in the facilitation of the WHO Safer Surgery Checklist in Theatres, ensuring it’s smooth running and supporting staff in its use.

To take charge regularly in the absence of the Senior Practitioner in Anaesthetics in regard to anaesthetic staffing and equipment issues.

Assist in the deployment of staff making use of available resources and identifying skill mix to meet the needs of the service.

To provide supervision, mentorship and support to learners and other junior staff working within the department.

To participate in planning the duty rota maintaining a flexible approach to ensure adequate staffing levels over a 24 hour period.

To be flexible in supporting the on-call service in cases of sickness or other absence.

To help ensure the maintenance of records of sickness and annual leave and implement Trust policies and policies/procedures where appropriate relating to this.

To co-ordinate operational procedures within theatres as appropriate.

To monitor stock levels of pharmacy items and disposables and maintain agreed levels.

To ensure that anaesthetic rooms are fully equipped in terms of both drugs and disposables and that these are within date.

To ensure that the custody and registration of controlled drugs is carried out in accordance with Trust policy. This also includes reporting any discrepancies in the handling of controlled drugs immediately and instigating any necessary investigation.

To assist the Theatre Services Operational Manager in department budgeting and to be economic in the use of stock and clinical requisitions, avoiding waste whenever possible.

Assist the Senior Theatre Practitioner (for Anaesthetics) in leading the department team by an appropriate management style that maintains good moral and team approach to work.

To assist in establishing appropriate systems within the department for the monitoring of quality standards, facilitate audit of services, risk assessment, investigation of complaints and act on them accordingly.

To participate in the selection and interviewing of staff at Band 5 and below.

To be actively involved in promoting good communication styles and systems across the multi-disciplinary team.

To be conversant with and lead in ensuring compliance to Trust policies and procedures.

To contribute to the department learning environment through teaching and by example.

To act as mentor to learners with particular attention to monitoring and continuous assessment of students and in conjunction with the Practice & Development Practitioner, helping to create an atmosphere conductive to learning for all staff.

To ensure accurate input of data into IT systems.

To undertake appropriate activities to update clinical knowledge and skills in conjunction with an annual appraisal, and the Knowledge and Skills Framework.

To assist the Theatres Equipment Manager for the servicing and safe use of equipment in the clinical area. This includes assisting with the maintenance and utilisation of equipment (in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction), training other staff in its use, and reporting any defects as per Trust policy.

In conjunction with the Theatres Equipment Manager, to participate in equipment procurement programmes. This includes ensuring all relevant mechanical and electrical equipment used within the department is documented.

To attend and actively contribute to relevant meetings and working groups.

Professional and Legal responsibilities

To be conversant with policies and procedures relating to Fire and Health & Safety

To report all accidents and complaints in accordance with agreed policies and assist in investigations of complaints and accidents as required.

To uphold the principles of the NMC/HPC Code of Professional conduct, standards for CPD and maintaining registration.

This is an outline job description designed to given an overview of the responsibilities of the current post. This post-holder will also be expected to be flexible to respond to change and organisational need. The post-holder will also be expected to contribute to the wide corporate and organisational needs of the Trust, in consultation with the post-holder, as appropriate.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

TEAM LEADER THEATRES ANAESTHETICS BAND 6