Job summary
Closing Date: 06.10.26
Shortlisting to take place in the week following closing date: commencing 07.10.26
Interview expected to take place in the week following shortlisting: commencing 12.10.26

Deputy Team Leader - Theatre Practitioner (Band 6)
Department: Acute & Vascular Theatres Location: Bradford Royal Infirmary

Are you an experienced Nurse or ODP with a strong background in operating theatres? Do you enjoy mentoring others and helping your team deliver the best possible patient care?

We are looking for a skilled, motivated Theatre Practitioner to join us as a Deputy Team Leader in our Acute and Vascular Theatre team.

In this role, you will balance hands-on clinical work with leadership responsibilities. You will help coordinate daily theatre lists, oversee safety audits, and support the development of our junior staff and students. We need someone who is a strong advocate for patient safety, communicates clearly under pressure, and is ready to help shape the future of our service.

You will be joining a welcoming, diverse, and supportive team operating across four theatres.

Working Hours: This post requires flexible working across 7 days, including nights, weekends, and Bank Holidays.

Main duties of the job
The purpose of the Deputy Team Leader is to support the Theatre Coordinator to provide leadership, management and clinical expertise, specific to the surgical speciality within the operating theatres and to ensure the delivery of safe, effective patient care.

The Deputy Team Leader will contribute to the development of the clinical speciality, the professional progress of self and junior team members whilst ensuring effective resource management.

The post is an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team, involving specialised operating department skills and leadership competencies which contribute to the effective and economical use of available resources.

No direct budgetary control, but the Deputy Team Leader will support the management of the team and the department by working flexibly to help team members to deliver safe, quality patient care.

Deputy Team Leader will be required to supervise qualified and unqualified staff daily as directed by the Theatre Coordinator.

About us
Our People Charter outlines the behaviours we can expect from one another and what you can expect from Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust:

• We value people
• We are one team
• We care

We're keen to meet people who share these values and are passionate about delivering the highest quality of care to our patients.

Job responsibilities

• Work as a highly skilled, knowledgeable and flexible senior member of the theatre team in all key areas of peri-operative care: Anaesthetics, Theatre and Recovery by giving full support to junior staff and leading by example.
• Providing expert clinical advice to nurses and members of the multi-disciplinary team. To be an effective communicator within the Peri-operative team
• Ensure the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of individualised quality patient care by self and team members, using advanced clinical knowledge and skills with reference to Infection Control and Prevention and Risk management.
• Ensure that patients receive high quality clinical care and a good patient experience, having regard for their customs, religious beliefs and doctrines.
• To be responsible for maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and other staff within the clinical environment.
• In support of the Team Leader ensure the workload of the speciality area is organised efficiently and effectively and team members are supported appropriately. Ensure appropriate deployment and organisation of staff to ensure effective running of the department.
• Critically evaluate and implement evidence-based practice to provide a high standard of care. Seek to improve upon it by promoting benchmarking and disseminating best practice through Practice Development initiatives, clinical trials and equipment evaluation.
• Support the Team Leader in active participation in the Clinical Governance Agenda.
• Support the Team Leader in collaboration and communication with colleagues across the Trust to ensure a high standard of care for all patients. Ensure proactive communication within the team engaging all practitioners.
• Manage the theatre department in the absence of a team leader by adopting a problem-solving approach day to day to difficulties in practice.
• Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergency situations in theatre.
• To interpret information and take appropriate action and lead others to do the same.
• Ensure all documentation and electronic record data is completed accurately and legibly in accordance with good record keeping guidelines.
• Report/record/investigate any risk management issues in line with Trust/Theatre policy, support Team Leaders to investigate and respond to incidents on IRIS and complaints where appropriate.
• Maintain own clinical skills in specialist area of responsibility and ensure knowledge of other specialities is kept up to date.
• Act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient orientated approach to the delivery of care and to meet standards within the CQC outcomes and other relevant guidelines.
• Ensure the integrity, cleanliness and storage of basic and specialised theatre equipment is maintained. Keep updated personal knowledge in the use and clinical application of equipment.
• Attend and organise training sessions for theatre equipment prior to use and ensure attendance is signed and recorded.
• Actively participate in the induction and training of all new staff providing mentorship as required, act as a preceptor/mentor where appropriate, and assist in the delivery of specific learning contracts for all staff. Link to Clinical Trainer/Group Training and Development Co-ordinator with a view to speciality specific training needs and facilitate learning opportunities.
• Understand the education structure of training and act as a mentor where appropriate for all grades of staff.
• Participate in the IPR/Appraisal process to ensure personal and Trust objectives are met. Support the Team Leader in the process to determine personal development needs are identified and met for junior staff.
• Personal responsibility to ensure all mandatory training is up to date and that of the team.
• Support the Theatre Co-ordinator in the management of available resources in terms of staffing, equipment and consumables. Maintain agreed stock levels and take action to rectify deficiencies immediately.
• Comply with all Trust Policies and Procedures.
• Support the Team Leader in the facilitation of regular staff meetings to ensure all staff are informed in a timely manner.
• Working within guidelines of NMC or HPC codes of Practice depending upon registration, takes every reasonable opportunity to sustain and improve his / her knowledge and professional competence.
• Any other duties at a comparable level of responsibility as may be allocated.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Can demonstrate a high standard of clinical practice in relation to theatre setting
• Previous theatre experience minimum of 3 years
• Demonstrate resource management ability

Desirable

• Budgetary management experience
• Change management experience

Skills
Essential

• Can demonstrate a contribution towards providing a positive learning environment.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills. Good written and verbal skills.
• Demonstrate effective leadership and team building skills
• Ability to work as an effective member of the peri-operative team
• Demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate problem solving, time management and organisational skills

Knowledge
Essential

• Understanding of Information Governance and Confidentiality
• Specialist knowledge of theatres and specialities

Desirable

• Demonstrate financial awareness and understanding of the ability to manage allocated resources effectively
• IV skills
• ILS

Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse Registered operating Department Practitioner
• ENB 6590, 998, C&G 730, mentor prep or equivalent modules
• Health related diploma/degree or evidence to further academic study.

Desirable

• ENB 176/182
• Management Certificate or equivalent experience
• Leadership training

Other Requirements
Essential

• Able to stand for long periods
• Able to work flexibly within contracted hours including night duty and on-call/standby.
• Excellent communication/interpersonal skills
• Able to work under pressure and cope with demanding situations
• Demonstrate flexible and adaptable ways of working

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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).