Practice Development Surgical Care Practitioner, (SCP) Cardiothoracic Surgery

Practice Development Surgical Care Practitioner, (SCP) Cardiothoracic Surgery

Band 8A | Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust | Frontline Health Professionals

Location: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Division

Banding: NHS Band 8A

Pay rate: £35.00 to £50.00 per hour, depending on experience and availability

Pay day: Weekly

About the role

Frontline Health Professionals is actively recruiting a Practice Development Surgical Care Practitioner (SCP) in Cardiothoracic Surgery, supporting Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust within the Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Division.

We are looking for an experienced and highly skilled Surgical Care Practitioner with proven expertise in endoscopic vein and radial artery harvesting. This is a senior post within a specialist surgical team, delivering high quality patient care across the full surgical pathway, from pre-operative assessment, through intra-operative practice, to post-operative management. The successful candidate will also lead the development and integration of the Surgical Care Practitioner team, including the supervision and training of trainee SCPs, and will contribute to service improvement through education, audit, research, and clinical leadership.

Key responsibilities

Provide effective pre-operative assessment of surgical patients, including conduit harvesting site assessment, history taking, examination, and patient education.

Interpret angiograms, chest X-rays, ECGs, and blood results, and arrange appropriate investigations.

Act as first or second assistant in complex cardiothoracic procedures.

Perform conduit harvesting (vein, radial, mammary), median sternotomy, sternal wound closure, and other surgical procedures as agreed within scope of practice.

Lead post-operative care, wound management, early identification of surgical complications, and discharge planning.

Lead the structure, coordination, and ongoing development of the Surgical Care Practitioner programme.

Supervise and mentor trainee SCPs, junior team members, and pre and post registration staff.

Develop and maintain strong links with Oxford Brookes University, including teaching contributions to specialist courses.

Lead clinical audit activity, maintain departmental audit databases, and liaise with the Royal College of Surgeons and SCTS.

Promote evidence based practice, identify research opportunities, and support staff to publish and present at conferences.

Provide clinical leadership and act as a role model across the cardiothoracic department.

Qualifications

RGN Level 1, C&G 752, or ODP Level 3.

Qualified Surgical Care Practitioner.

Current active registration with the NMC or HCPC.

Registered Independent and Supplementary Non-Medical Prescriber, or actively working towards this qualification.

Substantial specialist post accreditation experience in cardiothoracic surgery.

Required skills

Effective and independent in Endoscopic Vein Harvesting.

Effective and independent in Endoscopic Radial Artery Harvesting.

Demonstrable evidence of ultrasound and conduit scanning skills.

Evidence of senior level leadership and developmental work.

Managerial experience within a clinical environment, including HR, finance, and clinical risk and governance at a senior level.

High level clinical skill, excellent manual dexterity, and confident handling of sharp and delicate instrumentation.

Ability to work autonomously and as part of a multi professional team.

Demonstrable knowledge of research and its application to practice.

Experience of designing and undertaking clinical audit.

Evidence of service innovation and a commitment to education.

Ability to develop, implement, and review local policies, and to integrate national guidelines into local practice.

Excellent communication and documentation skills, both verbal and written.

Strong IT skills, with the ability to adapt application software for departmental use.

Ability to work under pressure, to tight deadlines, and in potentially hazardous environments.

Flexibility to stay late on a case by case basis, work long days to meet caseload targets, and participate in an on call rota.

Sound decision making, effective time management, motivated and able to motivate others.

Awareness of own limitations and a professional attitude at all times.

Preferred skills

Master’s level education in Surgical Care Practice.

Recognised teaching or mentoring qualification.

Published work, conference presentations, or other contributions raising the profile of cardiothoracic surgical practice.

Professional accountability

Managerially accountable to the Lead Surgical Care Practitioner.

Clinically accountable to the Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeons.

Professionally accountable to the Cardiothoracic Theatres Clinical Lead.

Equal opportunity statement

All candidates will be required to meet Frontline Health Professionals’ full compliance standards in line with NHS Employment Check Standards, including enhanced DBS, occupational health clearance, right to work verification, mandatory training, and references covering the last three years of employment.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and include your best contact number, and a member of the Frontline team will be in touch to discuss the opportunity in more detail.