Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Manage sickness / absence, and initiate return from sickness interviews in line with Trust policy.
 Manage performance of staff in line with Trust policy.
 Ensure the Individual Development Review process is implemented and effective for all
staff within the service area in compliance with Trust and Governmental policy.
• Overall responsibility for the economic use of all resources. Holds delegated budget.
Responsibility for the control and monitoring of budgets as required, providing the
Directorate Manager and Deputy Directorate Manager with relevant specialist information
regarding budgets, e.g., knowledge of competitors / costs / alternatives. This includes
negotiating with relevant parties to achieve the most economic use of the budget. Is
authorised signatory for staff overtime payments and specialist budget.
• Continuing responsibility for the control and management of the theatre service, maintaining clinical excellence within the specialties.
• In partnership with other professionals provide excellent patient care. This process should include relevant assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care in accordance with the Trust policies.
• Implement a care plan for an individual patient conducive to the operative procedure being undertaken.
• To utilise a variety of strategies to communicate complex, sensitive information to medical, surgical and clinical leads and other members of the multidisciplinary team. The communication is required to span wide variations in background knowledge and understanding and requires language and content to be adapted accordingly and a good level of skill in negotiation, diplomacy, tact and empathy is often required.
• To communicate often complex information to patients regarding their treatment in a straightforward and understandable way, overcoming barriers to their understanding. The use of excellent interpersonal and communication skills is required to demonstrate empathy and reassurance where necessary.
• Be aware of own limitations and know when it is appropriate to seek advice and support in a timely manner from team members/ seniors.
• Preparing central lines for insertion by Cardiac Anaesthetists including Swann Ganz. Knowledge and preparation of complex cardiac output system, and interpretation of results.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of airway management. Assisting Anaesthetists as per AAGBI guidelines in the immediate perioperative area, CITU, catheter labs and the cardiac building.
• Facilitation and management of specific airway devices for Cardiothoracic surgery i.e: one lung ventilation, standard ventilation, and critical care (Tracheostomy). Provision of advanced airway equipment for video laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy.
• SODP is responsible for organisation and acquisition of blood components, transfusion, and reconstitution of fractionated products.
• Ensure that theatre documentation is maintained to the Trust standard (including electronic records).
• Participate in conducting clinical audit/ research and development to achieve the agreed standards.
• In conjunction with the staff team contribute to developing and maintaining a department ethos and a standard approach to the delivery of excellent patient care.
• Provide a holistic approach to patient care, using research and evidence-based practice to improve and maintain high clinical standards.
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• Under guidance from the senior sister/charge nurse/Clinical Lead ODP, contribute and participate in the process of setting goals and benchmarking standards of care. Collaborate with other members of the theatre team to ensure the patient’s needs are met to a consistently high standard.
• Promote awareness and compliance amongst colleagues regarding Trust policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards.
• To actively participate in the Trust’s framework of clinical governance within the department.
• To provide a suitable and safe environment for the physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing for staff, patients/clients and their relatives/carers.
• Identify and report clinical risks and report to the departmental manager so that appropriate action can be taken in accordance with the Trust risk management policy.
• Record and report all incidents/complaints involving staff, patients and visitors in accordance with Trust policies and assist in any investigations as required.
• To regularly take charge of the clinical area, utilising resources effectively. Ensuring that safe staffing levels are maintained.
• To delegate tasks and activities to the multi-disciplinary team members in relation to patient care, for example when taking charge of a theatre or the department.
• To frequently take part in the out of hours theatre on call rota and manage own and others workload.
The SODP will facilitate the smooth running of the department by taking responsibility for the diverse workforce as and when required.
This may involve acting as Theatre Co-Ordinator or Team Lead; ensuring that resources are used effectively and that the theatre lists run smoothly and where possible on time whilst liaising with medical staff, directorate management and critical care areas.
This type of communication is a skill and requires expert knowledge, with information being delivered in a concise, accurate and unbiased way, situations will often present the need for tactfulness and diplomacy.
Team leads will be expected to lead multidisciplinary teams through critical or life-threatening scenarios as and when they present in clinical areas, frequency is undefinable, but can be as many as 3-6 times a day.
The SODP will be responsible for the continued professional development and overall performance of other team members, acting as a mentor and offering support, in conjunction with other more senior colleagues.
The SODP will be responsible for managing and maintaining levels of all pharmaceutical and disposable stock, used by the anaesthetic department, alongside other essential stock items, thus ensuring continuation of an efficient service. The SODP will also be expected to trouble shoot when there are issues with supply and maybe asked to find an alternative at short notice.
The SODP will be required to use several information/ networking systems within the department and be competent in each e.g. Gemweb, ORMIS, MAXIMS, HISS, Healthroster and ESR to name a few.
The SODP as an autonomous practitioner, will be expected to provide all aspects of relevant patient care without direct supervision. They will also be required to demonstrate procedures, supervise qualified and/or unqualified staff, and maintain a safe working environment for themselves, their patients, and other colleagues.
The SODP must be flexible and adaptable in their approach to clinical work and provide cover for numerous clinical areas, which will be defined and specified as appropriate to speciality, knowledge, and experience.
The SODP will ensure optimal use of theatres in relation to booked operating sessions and the availability to meet the demands of elective and emergency work.
The SODP will be responsible for the repair, management and service of all anaesthetic equipment and machinery, and will be required to liaise directly with company representatives and engineers during this process.
The SODP will contribute positively towards the delivery of a cost-effective service.
The post holder will be expected to adjust staffing levels via the rota to meet demand, whilst balancing resources to assist the clinical and management teams and where possible keep within agreed budgets. This will often require excellent negotiation and empathetic skills.
An SODP will be expected to attend the weekly departmental theatre scheduling meeting to help facilitate the surgical activity for the upcoming week and plan for this.
SODP will be expected to update their clinical skills and professional practice on a regular basis. Training and time will be provided to maintain equipment update competencies, and study time to attend professional meetings ensuring that clinical skills are kept up to date on new equipment, techniques, and specialist medical and point of care tests, (POCT) as well as laboratory equipment used daily.

OCT Equipment Currently in Use
1. Rotem (Thromboelasometry)
2. Hepcon (Heparin Concentratino Assays)
3. Platelet Function (Platelet Aggregometry)
4. ACT (Activated Clotting Time)
5. Arterial Blood Gas Analyser (GEM 5000)
6. CoaguChek Near patient INR Testing
• The SODP should be able to deliver training and identify competence using all point of care testing equipment. Thus, ensuring that all POCT equipment is operated in a controlled manner consistent with the trusts’ POCT policies.
• The SODP should have a high level of competency and specialist knowledge on all anaesthetic equipment to deliver POC services to the following areas:
1. Cardiac Theatres
2. Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
3. High Dependency Unit
4. General theatres
5. Pre-operative Assessment Clinics
6. Cardiac wards
7. Maternity services
8. Catheter Labs
POCT Responsibilities of the SODP
• Assist POCT Quality Team with auditing and collation of data, to produce regular quality reports.
• Ensure Quality Control tests are carried out in-line with the manufacturers guidelines for each piece of equipment, to quality assure that all specimens processed, at the point of care, are accurate and results are reliable.
• Maintain disposable stock levels by ordering replacements as required, using the Trusts on-line procurement systems.
• Perform daily maintenance and management of the POCT equipment.
• To work autonomously maintaining and updating POC equipment, as well as troubleshooting, ensuring continuous provision of service.
• To maintain competencies for all POCT equipment during core and non-core hours including knowledge of IT systems and POCT connectivity infrastructure.