On behalf of the course team, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the course and for choosing to study to become an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP). You will have received your welcome pack from admissions confirming that you have a reserved place for the cohort commencing in September.
Danni James
Course Director
Academic Calendar: 12-week Trimesters (long break)
View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2024-25 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.
We look forward to you starting your studies with us.
At Canterbury Christ Church University, we pride ourselves on supporting our students and helping them achieve their ambitions. We will do everything we can to help you build your expertise and clinical practice experience for your career as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP).
Our promise to you: you will receive high quality teaching and learning; 1:1 personal and academic tuition in a caring environment. We will provide you with good support both within the university and during clinical practice which is undertaken within your employing NHS Trust or Independent Health care Provider. Your commitment to us: to communicate with us, to work hard; to be a reliable, professional, and enthusiastic self-motivated learner throughout the duration of your studies.
Please feel free to contact the Apprenticeship Course Director for any advice or questions you may have before you start your studies in September.
Please ensure you view and engage with the Welcome Schedule.
In addition to your course welcome activities, you can also join us at our Health Hub, timings below, where we can help you with any questions you may have or direct you to the most appropriate service.
You are now on your own exciting journey, but you are also part of our community where we support each other to grow and flourish at university and beyond. Drop in and stay connected, meet new friends and your peers. Meet and chat to our placements team, academic course administration team and existing students.
Drop in on the 1st floor of the Rowan Williams Court building in RWf39 during any of the times below:
Follow us on our CCCU_Health Instagram account to keep up to date with what is happening for students.
As part of starting your studies here at Canterbury Christ Church University, you will need to obtain occupational health clearance and attend a uniform measure & issue appointment.
Students need to obtain occupational health clearance to ensure they are fit to practice. As an Operating Department Practice Apprentice this will be arranged by your employer. As such please contact your employer with any queries.
At your measure & issue appointment, you will be welcomed by the CCCU Uniform Team and our uniform suppliers, Alexandra. Once your sizing requirements have been determined, you will be able to collect your uniform which is expected to last the duration of your course. Your uniform is provided to you free of charge.
Click here for your uniform appointment location and time.
Essential information regarding your uniform can be found on the uniform policy.
On placement you will be required to wear a placement badge, which will have your course title and preferred first name. This placement badge is provided to you free of charge. You will be supplied with your placement badge once you have started your course. Please note, this is not your student ID card.
You will receive an email from the Uniform Team regarding important tasks that you will need to action prior to your Welcome Week. If you have any questions about your uniform or placement badge, please email health.uniform@canterbury.ac.uk.
Operating Department Practice is an exciting and rewarding career that involves working with many different patient groups undergoing a variety of anaesthetic and surgical interventions. The course will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes to meet the needs of patients, employers and other health and social care professionals you may work with. The focus for this course is on the experience of the patient throughout their perioperative journey and the role of practitioners delivering care primarily within three core areas identified as: the anaesthetic phase, the surgical phase, and the post anaesthetic care (recovery) phase, within an interprofessional approach to perioperative care.
The demands placed on Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) mean you will learn to take responsibility for managing all aspects of patient care within the operating department and critical areas. Your studies will focus on operating department practice interlinked with learning with and from others to prepare you for your future working environments. To ensure you experience the most current and relevant health and social care education, the course has been designed to reflect the rapidly evolving dimensions of the health and social care sector and the needs of the individual concern. Finally, "No two patients are the same", "No two operations are the same". Variety and being prepared to expect the unexpected are at the heart of Operating Department Practice.
The aim of the apprenticeship is for you to be clinically safe and a competent practitioner, able to show a critical understanding of the theories and principles of Operating Department Practice. On completion of the apprenticeship, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is a requirement to practice under the protected title of Operating Department Practitioner.
When not attending University, apprentices will adhere to the normal working pattern of their employer, (usually a 37.5-hour week) which may include a variety of shifts including weekends, nights, early and late shifts to provide clinical experience that supports the complexity of the level of study. The exact pattern will depend on the working practices of your employer. This may mean working in a Theatre Support Worker (TSW) / Healthcare Assistant (HCA) role for a proportion of your working week. For example, you may be working in your TSW HCA role one day a week, with the remaining three days undertaking and gaining your clinical practice skills as an apprentice. You could however be undertaking the course on a full-time training contract with your employer. It is important to note that the University are unable to enforce the time spent between your employment role and fulfilling the clinical practice requirements of the apprenticeship course, this will be dependent on your contract of employment.
In line with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Standard ST0582 apprenticeship, you must meet the 15 standards as set out in the care certificate within 3 months of commencing the apprenticeship. You will need to sign a commitment statement and an Individual Needs Assessment (INA) with your employer and the university which will outline the planned content and schedule for training. This will be sent to you prior to you starting the course for you to complete and return to the university apprenticeship unit. The statement outlines what is expected of you, as a student and offered by your employer and the university, as the education provider. In addition, this will detail how to resolve queries or complaints during your time on the apprenticeship course.
We would encourage you to review the course structure and module options via your course page before you arrive.
Additionally, you can review an Introduction to Operating Department Practice – CCCU Massive Open Online Course. This free introduction course explores the career potential of becoming an ODP.
International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.
CourseSupport-health@canterbury.ac.uk