BRADFORD hospitals are opening their doors to show people what a career with their operating theatres team can offer.

The theatre recruitment event takes place at Bradford Royal Infirmary on Saturday, November 9, from 10am to 2pm, when there will be interactive sessions and an opportunity to chat to existing theatre staff, who will explain their roles and the opportunities on offer.

The Trust is looking to add to its theatre team by recruiting Band 5 nurses into the role of theatre practitioners, who would work in the areas of anaesthetics, scrub and recovery.

Successful applicants will be fully mentored and supported throughout their training.

Jonathan Waddington, General Manager, Theatres and Day Case, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to join a theatre team which can offer experience in a wide variety of surgical specialities.

"Working in theatres might not always seem like the obvious choice to those embarking on careers in nursing but the open event is a great way of showcasing how interesting and rewarding a career in this field can be.

“As a major teaching hospital, we have an excellent education and training ethos and there are opportunities for theatre staff to continually develop their knowledge. We are one of the few trusts to use the revolutionary da Vinci robot for urology surgery and one of only a handful of national cochlear implant centres. These are just two examples of innovation that set us apart from other trusts."

Matron for Theatres, Wendy Hartley added: “The fact that Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a number of specialist areas ensures that career development is continual and there are always opportunities to be involved in something new and exciting.

"Anyone joining the team will have access to these opportunities, as well as have a fantastic support network behind them.”

In total, the Trust has 20 theatres, including its nucleus theatres, which are based in four theatre suites.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals became one of the first NHS trusts in the country to employ apprentice operating department practitioners (ODPs) as part of a new apprenticeship scheme. The ODPs work in the operating theatres at Bradford Royal Infirmary while they study for a degree level qualification via Bolton University, with the offer of a permanent post with the Trust in three years’ time.

Anyone interested in attending the theatre recruitment event can email Theatres.DaycaseCBU@bthft.nhs.uk to register beforehand, or the event will be signposted from the main concourse in the main entrance on the day.