Operating Department Practice

Operating department practice is a healthcare profession concerned with providing specialist clinical care to patients throughout the perioperative journey, the period surrounding surgical procedures. Operating department practitioners work in surgical theatres and anaesthetic rooms, supporting the anaesthetic team during induction and recovery, assisting surgeons in the scrub role during procedures, and managing the complex practical and patient care demands of the operating environment. It is a profession that combines precision, technical skill, and the ability to respond calmly under pressure with genuine care for patients at a particularly vulnerable moment in their lives.

At Coventry University this three-year full-time programme prepares you for professional registration and practice in the perioperative environment. You will develop the clinical skills, scientific knowledge, and professional values needed to work safely and effectively across the range of roles that operating department practitioners carry out, including in anaesthetics, surgery, and recovery. The programme includes substantial clinical placement experience in NHS operating departments, giving you the direct patient-facing practice that is central to your professional development and ensuring you are competent and confident at the point of registration.

Registered operating department practitioners work primarily in NHS hospitals and independent healthcare facilities, and the profession is in consistent and growing demand as surgical services continue to expand in both the NHS and the independent sector. The profession offers clear career progression, with opportunities to develop specialist skills in areas such as cardiac, orthopaedic, or neuro-surgery, or to move into roles in education, management, or advanced clinical practice. Some practitioners continue to further professional development, and the skills and experience gained in operating departments are also valued in areas such as critical care, interventional radiology, and pre-hospital care.