Job summary
- Main area
- Scrub/Theatre nursing
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday, four days per week, 08:00-18:00)
- Job ref
- 197-R-LC8051
- Employer
- Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital
- Town
- Woolwich
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 Plus HCAS per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Theatre Team Manager - Scrub specialising in orthopaedics
Band 7
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.
Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup.
We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 – the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.
To achieve this we value Respect, Compassion, and Inclusion; Being accountable over staying comfortable; Listening over always knowing best; and Succeeding together over achieving alone. You can read more about our visions and values here
Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as “good” or “outstanding” in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.
Every year our work includes performing 10,000 procedures in our theatres; bringing seven and a half thousand new lives into the world; carrying out 570,000 visits to patients in their homes or communities and providing emergency care for more than 300,000 patients arriving in our busy Urgent and Emergency Departments.
LGT is a centre for the education and training of medical students enrolled with King’s College London’s GKT School of Medical Education. We are a training centre for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. We are pioneering new roles that will support the changing needs of our patients and are one of the largest employers of physician associates in the country.
We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our local communities. This means playing an active role in the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), and in formal partnerships including the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative, provider partnerships with our local mental health trusts and borough-based boards of the ICS in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham.
Job overview
We are seeking a highly experienced and qualified Nurse/ODP to join our fantastic team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. The post is responsible for managing the scrub team, with a specific focus on trauma and orthopaedics within the theatre department.
We have 8 theatres across two floors of the hospital and have a fantastic Theatre team.
All the following are to be carried out while working in close collaboration with members of the multi-disciplinary team led by a Consultant. To demonstrate clinical expertise within the speciality and work autonomously, managing own allocated clinics independently and seeking guidance/support when necessary.
Main duties of the job
Management and leadership of scrub nursing / practitioners / ODP team, you will be expected to work collaboratively with the surgeons and the anaesthetists. Responsible for staff rostering, training and development including PDR's as well as contributing to policies and actively participate in all governance activities including investigating medicines incidents.
To become an essential member, and point of contact and resource for the multi-disciplinary team and patients and carers.
Ensure that all staff are working to their required level of clinical and professional
competence whilst adhering to NMC and HPC professional codes of conduct.
Ensuring that all staff are developed to attain competence as highlighted at appraisal.
Ensure that all clinical environments reflect a high standard of cleanliness, be proactive in response to any issues raised through cleaning audits, infection control audits or patient environment inspections
Ensure that any Safeguarding issues are raised appropriately to enable investigation in relation to vulnerable adults and children.
Working for our organisation
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:
- Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
- Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
- Improving the experience of staff with disability
- Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
- Making equalities mainstream
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The postholder provides senior clinical leadership and operational management for the Trauma and Orthopaedics scrub team within the theatre department. The role ensures safe, efficient, and high‑quality perioperative care, effective workforce coordination, and the smooth delivery of trauma and elective orthopaedic operating lists. The postholder acts as a specialist resource for staff, patients, and the wider multidisciplinary team.
Autonomously or in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, manage the care of patients carrying out relevant interventions, within agreed clinical protocols and in line with current practice/trends.
To offer a supportive service to patients and their carers, disseminating specialist knowledge enabling individuals to try and adapt to any changes to their body image and life experiences. Liaising with other healthcare professionals when necessary.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical Leadership and Expertise
- Maintain advanced specialist knowledge of trauma and orthopaedic surgical procedures, instrumentation, implants, and consumables.
- Act as the clinical expert for T&O scrub practice, providing guidance, troubleshooting, and decision‑making support during complex cases.
- Ensure compliance with infection prevention, aseptic technique, and theatre safety standards.
Operational Management of Theatre Lists
- Oversee the daily coordination of trauma and elective orthopaedic theatre lists, ensuring appropriate staffing, equipment availability, and readiness of theatres.
- Allocate and adjust staffing to maintain safe skill mix, escalating risks where required.
- Work proactively to minimise avoidable cancellations, delays, and overruns by identifying issues early and implementing corrective actions.
- Liaise with surgeons, anaesthetists, floor coordinators, and schedulers to maintain efficient patient flow.
Workforce Leadership and Staff Development
- Provide day‑to‑day leadership for scrub practitioners, including supervision, mentoring, and clinical support.
- Lead on performance management, sickness management, appraisals, and professional development plans.
- Support staff in achieving competencies, extended roles, and specialist orthopaedic skills.
- Promote a positive, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.
Equipment, Consumables, and Resource Management
- Ensure correct selection, availability, and maintenance of orthopaedic instruments, implants, and consumables.
- Work closely with equipment officers and suppliers to resolve issues, manage stock levels, and support procurement decisions.
- Contribute to cost‑effective use of resources and reduction of waste.
Governance, Quality, and Safety
- Lead or support investigations into incidents, near misses, and complaints, ensuring timely reporting, and implementation of corrective actions.
- Monitor compliance with safety checklists, policies, and regulatory standards.
- Participate in audits, quality improvement initiatives, and service development projects.
Collaborative Working
- Work closely with other Band 7 theatre managers, the Matron, floor coordinators, and the wider perioperative leadership team to ensure consistent standards and coordinated service delivery.
- Build strong relationships with orthopaedic consultants, anaesthetic teams, ward staff, and operational managers.
- Contribute to strategic planning for trauma and orthopaedic services, including pathway redesign and workforce development.
Additional Expectations
- Participate in the senior leadership rota as required.
- Support change management, service redesign, and improvement projects aligned with organisational priorities.
- Maintain professional registration and engage in ongoing CPD relevant to trauma and orthopaedics.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Relevant professional/clinical qualification (RN/ RODP)
- Educated to degree level or equivalent level of experience Possession of relevant education/teaching certification
- Possession of speciality post registration certificate or equivalent
Desirable criteria
- • Knowledge of quality standards
Experience
Essential criteria
- Evidence of experience within operational management in an acute hospital setting in a senior nurse/ODP/midwife role
- Evidence of experience within the relevant speciality / service
- Effective leadership skills and an understanding of leadership and change management practice
- Evidence of having developed team working skills and implemented team working practices - this includes the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve all team members
- Track record of effectively handling competing priorities, meeting challenging deadlines and delivering under pressure.
- Experience of dealing with financial systems i.e. budgetary control, Clinical Governance, Health and Safety and Human resources.
- Successful track record in conflict resolution and performance management
Desirable criteria
- Lead an audit and/or research
- Leading a service
- Knowledge/understanding of quality improvement methodology
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- • Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
- • Computer Skills
- • Ability to conduct own project successfully
Desirable criteria
- • Change management
personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Strong, inclusive and effective leadership style
- Creative, lateral thinker
- Open, participative, dynamic and supportive leadership with a flexible management style
- Flexible and positive approach to work
- Determined and resilient
Desirable criteria
- Committed to collaborative working
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
We recommend applying as early as possible to avoid missing out. All applications received before the cap is reached will be considered equally and assessed against the person specification.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Markku Ahtiainen
- Job title
- Matron - Theatres and Day Care Unit
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 02088364304
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