Studying ODP at Christ Church has been the best decision of my life. I am developing valuable skills that will lead me to an excellent and challenging career.
Victoria

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I would like to study

Duration:

3 years

UCAS code:

B991

Location(s):

Medway

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Overview

Play an essential role in the surgical team as an operating department practitioner, caring for patients before, during and after an operation.

Our course enables you to become a confident, capable ODP able to carry out complex activities in operating theatres and allied healthcare settings. You will be supporting patients as they prepare for, undergo and recover from routine and emergency surgical and anaesthetic procedures. You will be guided by staff, within both the University and clinical practice, who have extensive experience in this field of practice and in interprofessional education, which is key to the teamwork needed for patient care.

Once successfully completed, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an operating department practitioner.

Why Study Operating Department Practice?

This exciting, hands-on course will be your gateway to developing a career as an operating department practitioner (ODP).

You'll be immersed in operating department practice right through the course and will be supported by academics and professionals with vast experience. From developing your practical skills in our simulation suites to working in real healthcare environments, you'll be exposed to many different situations and will care for people with varying needs.

Extra £5,000 a year funding for health students

Specialist facilities

Operating Department Practitioner apprenticeships

Entry requirements

GCSE English language and mathematics, at grade C (4-9) or above, or equivalent.

A typical offer would be 112 UCAS points or BBC at A2 Level or equivalent.

Offers of a place can only be made after a successful interview, and are subject to a satisfactory reference, health clearance and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

More information about entry requirements.

112

UCAS Points

All about the course

To ensure you experience the most current and relevant 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 perioperative patient.

You will explore areas including:

human biology and health
advancing anaesthetic practice
advancing surgical practice
advancing post-anaesthetic care
the role of Surgical First Assistant (SFA)
leadership and management
seriously ill and highly dependent patient management.

You will undertake clinical placements within hospital operating departments and other healthcare practice areas. Working under direct supervision alongside qualified practitioners, you will develop your knowledge and skills and build an understanding of the patient’s journey and the work of others in their care.

On successful completion of the course, you will be a clinically safe and competent practitioner, able to show knowledge and a clinical understanding of the theories and principles of operating department practice.

Module information

Please note that the list of optional modules and their availability may be subject to change. We continually review and where appropriate, revise the range of modules on offer to reflect changes in the subject and ensure the best student experience. Modules will vary when studied in combination with another subject.

Core/optional modules

How you’ll learn

All staff involved in the teaching of this course are registered professionals and are experienced lecturers, either currently involved in research or delivering research informed teaching. You'll also learn from other expert practitioners, such as consultant anaesthetists, surgical care practitioners, surgeons, nurses and paramedics.

You'll be taught through lectures, seminars, group discussions and reflection, where you'll use your experiences from clinical practice. You will also develop your practical skills in the safe environment of our simulations suite.

You'll be supported during tutorials and seminars, which include focused discussions that encourage you to link theory to practice.

For each module, you'll typically have 50 hours contact and will be requires to undertake self-directed study as set out by your lecturers.

All courses are informed by the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2015-2022.

Approximately 60% of your time will be spent on clinical placement, mainly within an operating department where you'll experience a wide range of anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthetic interventions. In addition, you will develop a wider understanding of healthcare and the needs of patients through clinical placements in other settings such as the ward area, A&E, ITU or HDU.

All practice hours must be completed before being able to progress to the next year / level of study. This equates to 675 hours within the first year, 787.5 hours in the second year and 900 in the third year. By the end of the course you should have completed 2362.5 clinical practice hours in order to meet the College of Operating Department Practitioner requirement of 60% of the course in placement. Any practice hours that are missed will need to be made up at an agreed later date and this may mean an extension to your course.

You must sign a declaration of suitability each year to say you are of good health and good character.

You will complete a work book at your own pace and will be encouraged to appraise and manage your development by producing a personal development plan.

We encourage interactive learning for all our ODP students and self-directed study can involve peer and tutor feedback. This cohesive, interactive way of learning encourages you and your peers to share your knowledge and experiences so that you develop the interpersonal skills that you'll need throughout your career.

You will be introduced to models and tools for reflective practice and will be encouraged to share your reflections via an electronic blog and practice supervision. Ultimately, you will become self-directed in your studies and take responsibility for being an independent learner.

Our team consists of highly experienced lecturers and operating department practitioners from a variety of backgrounds.

A member of the teaching staff has been awarded the Fellowship of the Association of Operating Department Practitioners for services to the profession.

We pride ourselves on supporting and helping you to achieve your ambitions. We will help you build your expertise for your career as an Operating Department Practitioner.
Alan MountProgramme Director, Operating Department Practice

How you’ll be assessed

To meet the different learning styles that you may present and to align this with the module content, a variety of assessment methods are used within the modules for each year of the course. Your understanding of theory will be assessed in a variety of ways including; objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), essays, case studies, exams, reflective pieces of study, on-line assessments, and student lead presentations.

You will be encouraged to keep a reflective log of your experiences to demonstrate your progress and development on the course. The practice elements of modules are assessed in clinical practice by Practice Placement Mentors and other mentors with a relevant professional background. Practice elements of the modules are assessed on a pass/fail basis and are detailed in the Practice Assessment Record (PAR). You will need to pass both the theory and the practice for every module to pass each year and the course.

Your future career

You will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) upon successful completion of the course. Newly qualified operating department practitioners typically start their careers on a band 5 (NHS) before progressing to higher bands following professional development and experience over a period of time.

Several of our students have gone on to roles in major teaching hospitals in London. Others have gained employment locally with the NHS and the private/independent sector, while others are working further afield. With experience, additional education and training, you could go on to any number of roles in the UK and abroad. These may include non-medically qualified anaesthetist (anaesthesia associate), physicians associate, surgical care practitioner, resuscitation training officer, transplant teams, Accident and Emergency, Intensive Therapy Units (ITU), management and education.

Fees

The 2020/21 annual tuition fees for this course are:

	UK / EU	Overseas
Full-time	£9,250	£13,000

Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated.

Please read the 2020/21 Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding 2020/21 tuition fees and year on year fee increases.

Read advice about funding your degree
See information about the financial support available for undergraduate studies
If you would like information about paying your fees, please contact accounts.receivable@canterbury.ac.uk
For specific fee queries, please contact fees@canterbury.ac.uk

Further entry requirements

Applicants for Operating Department Practice need to demonstrate a basic understanding of the profession and explain why it is the right career choice for you.

Student recruitment is undertaken by means of a Values Based Recruitment approach which is aligned with the values and behaviours expected by the NHS Constitution.

In line with the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency for ODP’s, if English is not your first language, you will require an IELTS score of 7 with 7 in all component parts.

Offers of a place can only be made after a successful interview, and are subject to satisfactory Occupational Health clearance and Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Industry links

We work very closely with the NHS and the private and independent healthcare sector, and your practice learning will be in these settings.

Professional accreditation

The course meets the requirements of the College of Operating Department Practitioners curriculum and is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.

On completion of the course and in preparation for registration, the Programme Director must be satisfied that you meet the relevant statutory regulatory body fitness to practise criteria. You will be required to sign an annual declaration of ongoing fitness to practise at regular intervals during the course. The Faculty of Health and Wellbeing has a Fitness to Practise policy and procedures which may be instigated should you demonstrate behaviour or conduct that falls short of that expected by the University and/or statutory regulatory body. For more details, visit www.canterbury.ac.uk/policies-procedures

To be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council you must demonstrate good health and good character throughout your studies and on completion. Applications for professional registration will be subject to satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and Occupational Health clearance.

Professional Foundation Year

We will consider your application for the main three-year professional programme. However, applicants may also be considered for a four-year option – i.e. the Health and Social Care Professional Programme with Foundation Year. The decision about your suitability will be made as part of the admissions process and if you are chosen to be interviewed for the Foundation Year option, this will be clearly stated in your Interview Offer Letter. Applications cannot be made directly to the Foundation Year and places are limited.

Find out more about the Professional Foundation Year

Please note the Professional Foundation Year is now closed for September 2020 entry.

Apply now