Operating Department Practitioners are vital members of the multidisciplinary team working within theatre departments. They ensure safe, effective, and holistic care throughout the patient’s perioperative journey. ODPs can also be found working in other areas of the hospital such as A+E, critical care areas, endoscopy units, and imaging departments. The profession is regulated by the Health and Care Professions council (HCPC), and upon qualification apprentices can apply to the HCPC for registration to practice under the protected title of ‘Operating Department Practitioner’. The integrated apprentice degree at LSBU allows apprentices to work alongside other ODP students undertaking the standard degree pathway
ModePart-time | Duration3 years | Start dateSeptember | Application code5620 | Application method Direct to LSBU |
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All applicants must have the following:
Additional Entry Requirements:
Alternatively for those candidates who do not meet 112 UCAS points, applications will be considered who have both of the following:
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The cost of the apprenticeship is paid fully by the employer (sometimes part funded by the government) through apprenticeship levy. The apprenticeship levy is a pot of money some companies pay into, which all businesses have access to spend on the training costs of apprenticeships. Companies fall into two categories: levy-payers (who pay into the pot) and non-levy payers (who do not). You can find out more in our Levy and Funding section, specifically for employers
The apprentice does not contribute toward the cost of study.
Apprenticeship standards are all assigned a funding band by the Government – these funding bands are the maximum amount the Government will fund via the levy towards a given apprenticeship standard. There are currently 30 funding bands ranging from £1,000 to £27,000.
Employers with less than 50 staff sending an apprentice aged 16-18 will have 100% of the training costs paid by the government. All employers who employ an apprentice aged 16-18 on the first day of teaching will receive a £1,000 incentive from the government. You can find out more in our Levy and Funding section, specifically for employers.
You can find out the funding band for an Apprenticeship Standard on the Government website. To find out how much we are charging, please get in touch with us at apprenticeships@lsbu.ac.uk
Some modules include field with and site visits, which may be residential or outside the United Kingdom, ranging from three to five days. These are organised by the Division and students are required to contribute towards the cost. If there are any field trips or any course visits as part of your course, we will let you know in good time.
Mode Part-time | Duration 3 years | Start date September | Application code 5620 | Application method Direct to LSBU |
An Apprenticeship Standard is comprised of a programme of study, an End Point Assessment and on-the-job learning. This means that in addition to meeting academic requirements, you’ll need to be employed in a role related to your apprenticeship. The process of applying depends on whether you have an employer to sponsor (and support) you.
If you are employed and your employer has confirmed they will support your apprenticeship:
You are welcome to submit an application via our application system. You’ll need to provide details of your employment/employer as part of the application. You’ll also need to ensure you and your employer meet the requirements – find out who can be an apprentice to see if you meet the entry requirements and employer commitments to find out more about your employer’s role.
If you are not employed:
If you’re a prospective apprentice, you can find out more about who can be an apprentice on our student pages.
If you’re an employer, you can find information about the employer commitments and further related information on the related pages for business.
See our admissions policy 1.0 MB and complaints policy 516.0 KB.
There are steps the apprentices, the employer and the University need to complete before you start your course. Take a look at the steps to be completed in the Enrolment section. Employers may also like to look at our steps to offering an apprenticeship.
An exciting part of many of our Health and Social Care courses is the opportunity to learn off-campus and work with patients, clients and/or service users. Before you start, we need to make sure that you have the correct levels of immunisations.
Please be aware that from 1 April 2022, all NHS and Social Care personnel (including students) will be required to have evidence of double vaccination against Covid. This measure has been taken to protect the public, patients and staff.
If you are unable, or unwilling, to be vaccinated, we will not be able to provide you with the practice placements necessary to complete your health care degree. If this is the case, you may wish to look at an alternative career.
See the government's press release statement.
All pre-registration students need to be DBS cleared before going on placement. You’ll need to have an enhanced DBS check even if you have had one before and will not be able to go on placement until this is complete. The DBS process is not difficult but can take some time so it's best to get started as soon as you receive your email. You will receive the email during Summer 2021.
If you're part of the DBS Update Service, your subscription is up to date and you already have a DBS certificate, please bring in your original green DBS certificate for the document check. To take advantage of the update service, your certificate needs to be classified as 'Enhanced' and workforce must be listed as 'Adult and Child'. If you have any queries, please email us at hscdbsoh@lsbu.ac.uk
Our DBS supplier, Verifile, will send you an email with all the details you need to complete your DBS. Verifile will give you instructions to log into their system and complete your personal details and information. To complete the process, you'll need your passport or driving licence and 5-year address history including dates when you moved in/out. You can use your application number to track the progress of your DBS. When you've finished, your Disclosure Statement will be mailed to the most recent address in your submission, so please make sure it's correct. We don't automatically receive a copy of this Statement, which is why we need you to bring it in as part of the next step.
The university programme is based on a 3-year model, taking 36 months to complete. Apprentices undertake work-based clinical placements interspersed with attendance at university study blocks, and complete the corresponding assessments during semester’s 1 and 2 of each academic year (September-June). Then during the summer months (June-Aug), apprentices undertake further work-based learning according to their level; surgery and anaesthetic placements during year 1, surgical, anaesthetic and recovery placements during year 2, and advanced perioperative placements during year 3. Throughout the summer, apprentices will be required to complete reflective learning logs for all placements undertaken and utilise feedback received from their mentors/practice supervisors to identify additional areas for development.
The Operating Department Practice (ODP) critical care laboratory has been carefully designed to reflect hospital acute care environments. At one end it resembles an operating theatre and at the other there is a recovery/intensive therapy unit.
The theatre has an operating table, theatre lights, anaesthetic machine with oxygen pipelines, patient monitoring, suction machine, resuscitation trolleys and the fully functioning SimMan equipment. There is also a scrub area, with sinks, gowns and gloves so students can get "scrubbed up" when taught to handle instruments.
There are various anatomical trainers and we can teach students about airway management and intubation as well as CPR. The operating table is used to teach patient positioning and patient anaesthetic scenarios are recreated using equipment and a mannequin.
The Operating Department Practice (ODP) critical care laboratory has been carefully designed to reflect hospital acute care environments. At one end it resembles an operating theatre and at the other there is a recovery/intensive therapy unit.
The theatre has an operating table, theatre lights, anaesthetic machine with oxygen pipelines, patient monitoring, suction machine, resuscitation trolleys and the fully functioning SimMan equipment. There is also a scrub area, with sinks, gowns and gloves so students can get "scrubbed up" when taught to handle instruments.
There are various anatomical trainers and we can teach students about airway management and intubation as well as CPR. The operating table is used to teach patient positioning and patient anaesthetic scenarios are recreated using equipment and a mannequin.
We are University of the Year for Graduate Employment for the second year in a row - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018, 2019.
At LSBU, we want to set you up for a successful career. During your studies – and for two years after you graduate – you’ll have access to our Employability Service, which includes:
Our Student Enterprise team can also help you start your own business and develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.
When you finish the course, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as an ODP with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This allows you to practice both within the UK and a range of other countries. In recent years, all students who qualified as operating department practitioners through LSBU have gained employment in theatre departments in UK hospitals. Day-to-day duties range from preparing the operating theatre and equipment, to providing the surgical team with items needed during an operation. After surgery, ODPs provide care and expertise to patients in recovery.
ODPs need to be well-organised, have effective communication skills, maintain composure and act calmly. They usually work shifts, which can mean evening and weekend work. Promotion routes include progressing to team leader or senior ODP. There are also opportunities in research, education, training and management.
In recent years, all students who qualified as operating department practitioners through LSBU have gained employment in theatre departments within UK hospitals.
If you graduate from this course, you will be able to apply for further study at postgraduate level as well as gaining additional specialist skills and expertise through continuing professional development frameworks. You can find out more about professional development courses on offer through our online CPPD prospectus.
We’re proud of our professional links with the College of Operating Department Practitioners and the Health and Care Professions Council, the regulator of health, Psychological and Social professionals.
The Health and Care Professions Council is the regulator of health, Psychological and Social professionals.
Trusts will need to ensure that the following placement areas can be provided for their apprentices, either directly by the employing Trust or alternatively via a contractual agreement with another Trust/s. Such contracts should be in place prior to the commencement of the apprenticeship.
During their training, apprentices should be exposed to patients of varied acuity from a range of specialties in anaesthetic, surgical and recovery areas. This will need to include an Advanced Recovery area such as overnight recovery, CCU, HDU or ITU.
A third-year Paediatric anaesthetic placement should be offered. For hospitals that do not have a paediatric specialism, an alternative advanced anaesthetic specialist area can be offered. Further advice on this 3rd year specialist anaesthetic placement can be discussed with the course team.
Each Trust has a Practice Educator who undertakes the organisation and allocation of individual placements. They provide an interface between the University and the Trust and act as work-based mentors.
The Practice Educator will regularly meet with and provide you with a year-on-year practical training programme, designed to make best use of learning and assessment opportunities. They are also responsible for providing regular structured tutorial sessions for you, collating clinical assessment documentation and ensuring all required competencies are facilitated. Practice Educators are able to assist you with portfolio construction and management, and are the first point of contact if you are experiencing difficulties in the workplace.
A varied teaching and assessment diet is used to allow apprentices to learn in a variety of ways and build competence in various methods of assessment. Teaching includes lectures, seminars, skills-lab training, online learning, role-play, debates/discussion, computer labs, as well as supervised learning within the clinical area. Assessment methods utilised include assignments and projects, written examinations, presentations, and OSCEs.
Apprentices must demonstrate competence in all skills, knowledge, and behaviours, as defined by the integrated Degree Apprenticeship Standard. In order to successfully complete the award apprentices must also evidence a minimum of 20% of their time in ‘of the job training’ activities, this can be achieved in a variety of ways; attending lectures, seminars/workshops, tutorials, skills-lab sessions, e-learning, blended learning and self-managed learning.