BMI Healthcare has a reputation based on 30 years of clinical excellence and commitment to our patients and staff. Our mission is to deliver exceptional experiences for the patients treated in hospitals throughout the UK – and to do that, we need exceptional people.

BMI Healthcare’s Three Shires Hospital in Northampton has a vacancy for a Surgical First Assistant to join their team of staff in the Theatre department.

This is a bank role working on an “as and when required” basis, you will be required to supplement staffing levels during busy periods and provide cover for existing staff in times of annual leave or absence.

Applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrable skills and an underpinning knowledge beyond the standard level of knowledge expected of a qualified perioperative practitioner.
• Practitioners must have completed SFA accredited awards, such as an Advanced Scrub Practitioner module an SFA in-house training course developed by an individual healthcare organisation or an award or module run by a higher education institution.
• Practitioners will be required to demonstrate competence defined by the AfPP SFA Competency toolkit (AfPP 2013). AfPP recommend that job titles and job descriptions are updated to reflect the role of the SFA as defined by the PCC (2012).
• Must provide evidence of continuous competent assistance under the direct supervision of the operating surgeon, e.g., logbook of procedures assisted with.
• If the SFA is an independent practitioner professional liability insurance must be in place, and sufficient for their level of practice.
• Registered Practitioner with NMC or HCPC registration.
• ILS.
• Proficient in the use of a PC, including the use of software and systems.

Duties of this role include:     

• A Surgical First Assistant (SFA) is a registered healthcare professional who provides continuous competent and dedicated assistance under direct and indirect supervision of the operating surgeon throughout the procedure, whilst not performing any form of surgical intervention (PCC 2012).
• Participate in pre-list huddle as part of the WHO Safe surgical checklist.
• Assistance with positioning the patient for the surgical procedure according to surgeon specifications.
• Protection of pressure points.
• Ensure that circulation is not impaired.
• Guard against Nerve damage.
• Maintain patient normothermia.
• Working towards agreed objectives and demonstrating BMI behaviours at all time.
• Assist with retraction of tissues, Suctioning, irrigating, or sponging.
• Assist with haemostasis including the use of electro-surgery and the application of haemostatic agents.
• Cutting sutures.

Please see attached role profile for further detailed information on the responsibilities and accountabilities of this vacancy.

Salary & Benefits:

BMI Healthcare offers a competitive hourly rate.

Interested?

If you would like to apply for this opportunity, please complete our brief online application form and ensure to upload the most recent copy of CV.  We aim to respond to your application within 14 days of the closing date.