About this role
Job summary
We are looking to recruit a highly motivated and enthusiastic Theatre Support Assistant to join our Halton Site Theatres across Captain Sir Tom Moore and Nightingale Theatres.
This post is recruited at the Band 2 Pay bracket, with progression to the Band 3 bracket upon achieving full competency. Regular reviews will support your progress, in conjunction with online e-learning, and other in-house training modules.
We welcome applications from both experienced Theatre Support Assistants and Healthcare Assistants who are wishing to expand their skills into the Theatre environment.
We are an elective surgical department, with a combined total of 8 Theatres, and 2 Procedure Rooms. We have recently completed our expansion, and successfully constructed our 8th Theatre and Procedure Room.
In March 2023, CSTM Theatres achieved a Gold Star Accreditation for Care & Excellence. We are a CQC-rated 'good' organisation with 'outstanding' features, we are working towards university hospital status, having achieved teaching hospital status in 2019.
Our elective surgery service is based at Halton Hospital in Runcorn and we are seeking experienced, motivated and caring individuals who share our mission to be "outstanding for our patients, our communities and each other".
If you require a Visa to work in the UK, please be advised that Band 2 is not eligible for a Certificate of Sponsorship. It is essential that you have unrestricted Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role.
Main duties of the job
As a Theatre Support Assistant, you will be an integral part of the patient's perioperative journey by:
Working within Theatres to support the care of our patients. Working within the sterile services hub. Supporting the interprofessional team in the patient's perioperative journey. Working within the multi-professional team. Using excellent communication skills to enhance care and efficiency. Opening sterile packs to ensure Infection Prevention and Control. Assisting counting Instruments, Swabs and Sharps. Completing designated theatre documentation, digital and paper formats. Assisting with the setup of a Theatre Suite. Maintaining a clean and usable department. Completing E-Learning and regularly organised training. Having the willingness to learn and grow. Reporting to the Team Leaders to complete daily theatre orientated tasks.
We offer full support by all members of staff. Regular reviews will support your progress in conjunction with online E-learning, and other in-house training prospects.
You will also have opportunities to work across site at the Nightingale Building, and Warrington Hospital (based on service requirements), where we support Children's Surgery, and patients who may require higher levels of clinical support.
About us
Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM). They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation
Our mission is to be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other
Our vision is to be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn
Our approach to healthcare is founded on our four core values:
Kind - we are caring, supporting and respectful to everyone
Open - we are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working
Fair - we listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all
One team - we work well together and with our communities
We employ almost 6,500 people from more than 80 nationalities and are fully committed to being an equal, diverse and inclusive employer. Our culture and values ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and that no job applicant or employee is disadvantaged at any stage of their journey.
We are also proud to be an Armed Forces Friendly organisation and welcome applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists and families.
Working at NCM means becoming part of a dedicated team of clinical and support staff who are passionate about keeping people well and supporting wellbeing. If you share our values and are motivated by making a difference for our patients, we'd be delighted to receive your application
Job description Job responsibilities
Overview: Halton Site Theatres
Halton Site Theatres currently support a weekday only provision with future potential development for weekend/night services.
Nightingale Building:
The Nightingale building is part of our elective general surgery hospitals which has 3 Theatres and 1 Treatment Room for a varied range elective specialities and Chronic Pain services. Specialities consist of General, Breast, Gynaecology, Urology, ENT, Vascular, and Dental.
The Captain Sir Tom Moore Building is situated adjacent to the Nightingale Hospital.
CSTM Building:
We are a site with 5 laminar flow theatres and 1 Treatment Room and perform a wide range of Orthopaedic Surgery such as, Joint Replacements, Sports Injury, Trauma Injury and Elective Upper/Lower Limb Orthopaedic Procedures. CSTM also encompasses a varied range of specialities, including General, Breast, Gynaecology, Urology, ENT, Vascular, and Dental alongside its Orthopaedic provisions.
Warrington Hospital
There are 8 Theatres on the Warrington acute site which provide services for the following specialties: Gynaecology, Obstetrics, General, Urology, Breast Surgery, ENT, Dental, Colorectal, Ophthalmic, Trauma & Orthopaedic, and Paediatrics. We also provide a 24-hour Trauma, Obstetric and Emergency service. As part of this service, staff who are based on this site are required to support emergencies and provide an out of hours service including rotation onto nights and an on-call Rota.
Please see the attached Job Description, Person Specification and Job Advert for further details.
Full Time:1 x 08:00 -19:003 x 08:00 -17:30
***Currently working Monday to Friday provision. Potential of expanding to weekend/night working in the future (all subject to organisation and departmental requirements***
Person Specification
Experience. Essential
Experience of working in a health care setting.
Desirable
Experience of working in a theatre environment.
Qualifications. Essential
Good level of education, including literacy and numeracy. Basic IT knowledge. The ability to personally and professional develop. NVQ 2 Health Social Care/Care Certificate
Skills, Knowledge and Competencies. Essential
Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the support assistant within the Theatre Department. Ability to communicate effectively with patients and colleagues. Ability to demonstrate knowledge and experience of team working. Knowledge of infection control and the processes in place to reduce incidence of cross infection.
Desirable
Knowledge of current legal and departmental documentation in place to ensure patient safety. Knowledge of Theatre Instrumentation. Working within the sterile hub area.
Physical Skills. Essential
Evidence of time management skills/Prioritising workload. Good attendance record. Able to perform wide range of duties. Able to work across sister hospital sites.
Desirable
Knowledge of surgical instrument components.
Physical Effort. Essential
Able to stand for long periods of time. Able to assist in the safe moving and handling of loads. Manual handling of anaesthetised patients. Able to lift moderate to heavy (15kg) loads.
Mental Effort. Essential
Able to concentrate for lengthy periods of time.
Emotional Effort. Essential
Ability to assist in supporting vulnerable patients and during distressing circumstances.
Working Conditions. Essential
Exposure to chemical substances harmful to health (COSHH). Exposure to blood and bodily fluids. Work with Exposure Prone Procedures (EPPs).
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 North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (WHH)
Address Halton Site Theatres (CSTM and Nightingale Buildings)
Hospital Way, Halton
Runcorn
WA7 2DA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://northcheshireandmersey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)