Theatre Team Manager - Scrub

Job overview

An Outstanding Leadership Opportunity

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is seeking 2 experienced, forward thinking and motivated Nurses or Operating Department Practitioners (ODP) to join our excellent Theatre team at University Hospital Lewisham.

This is an exciting opportunity to provide clinical and operational leadership within our busy Theatre Department. The postholders will lead and manage the scrub team across two or three of the following surgical specialties: General Surgery (including colorectal and bariatrics), Urology, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Paediatrics, ENT and Orthopaedics and Trauma.

The Theatre Department comprises of 11 operating theatres across two floors, delivering a wide range of elective and emergency surgical services. You will work closely with consultants, anaesthetists, theatre practitioners, floor coordinators, ward teams, and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of perioperative care.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will provide senior clinical leadership and operational management for the designated specialty scrub team. The role is responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred perioperative care, maintaining patient safety, coordinating workforce resources, and supporting the smooth running of operating lists.

As an expert practitioner, the postholder will maintain advanced specialist knowledge within their designated surgical specialties and act as a key resource for staff, patients, and the multidisciplinary team. They will promote clinical excellence, development, and contribute to the achievement of departmental, divisional, and organisational objectives.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong team, clinical and operational leadership skills, sound clinical judgement, and a commitment to continuous quality improvement. They will foster a positive and inclusive working environment, support staff development, and champion the highest standards of patient care, safety, and professional practice.

The postholder is responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe, efficient, and high-quality perioperative care, effective workforce coordination, and the smooth running of operating lists.

Working autonomously and in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, the postholder will coordinate and deliver patient care within agreed clinical protocols, professional standards, and current evidence-based practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership and Expertise

- Maintain advanced specialist knowledge of trauma and orthopaedic surgical procedures, instrumentation, implants, and consumables.

- Act as the clinical expert for T&O scrub practice, providing guidance, troubleshooting, and decision‑making support during complex cases.

- Ensure compliance with infection prevention, aseptic technique, and theatre safety standards.

Operational Management of Theatre Lists

- Oversee the daily coordination of trauma and elective orthopaedic theatre lists, ensuring appropriate staffing, equipment availability, and readiness of theatres.

- Allocate and adjust staffing to maintain safe skill mix, escalating risks where required.

- Work proactively to minimise avoidable cancellations, delays, and overruns by identifying issues early and implementing corrective actions.

- Liaise with surgeons, anaesthetists, floor coordinators, and schedulers to maintain efficient patient flow.

Workforce Leadership and Staff Development

- Provide day‑to‑day leadership for scrub practitioners, including supervision, mentoring, and clinical support.

- Lead on performance management, sickness management, appraisals, and professional development plans.

- Support staff in achieving competencies, extended roles, and specialist orthopaedic skills.

- Promote a positive, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.

Equipment, Consumables, and Resource Management

- Ensure correct selection, availability, and maintenance of orthopaedic instruments, implants, and consumables.

- Work closely with equipment officers and suppliers to resolve issues, manage stock levels, and support procurement decisions.

- Contribute to cost‑effective use of resources and reduction of waste.

Governance, Quality, and Safety

- Lead or support investigations into incidents, near misses, and complaints, ensuring timely reporting, and implementation of corrective actions.

- Monitor compliance with safety checklists, policies, and regulatory standards.

- Participate in audits, quality improvement initiatives, and service development projects.

Collaborative Working

- Work closely with other Band 7 theatre managers, the Matron, floor coordinators, and the wider perioperative leadership team to ensure consistent standards and coordinated service delivery.

- Build strong relationships with orthopaedic consultants, anaesthetic teams, ward staff, and operational managers.

- Contribute to strategic planning for trauma and orthopaedic services, including pathway redesign and workforce development.

Additional Expectations

- Participate in the senior leadership rota and undertake on call and cross site working in accordance to Trust service requirements.

- Support change management, service redesign, and improvement projects aligned with organisational priorities.

- Maintain professional registration and engage in ongoing CPD relevant to trauma and orthopaedics.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.