3 newly-qualified Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) have secured permanent roles at St Mary’s Hospital following the successful completion of a pioneering NHS apprenticeship scheme.
Danie, Abraham and Pete are celebrating the end of their 3-year Operating Department Practice (ODP) Degree Apprenticeship – the first of its kind on the Isle of Wight – having now registered as qualified professionals and taken up posts within the Isle of Wight NHS Trust.
The trailblazing trio have gained extensive hands-on experience across a wide range of clinical placements including theatres, maternity, mental health, critical care outreach, the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service and the Mobile Endotracheal Intubation Team.
Speaking collectively, the new ODPs said:
“The apprenticeship has allowed us to transition into practice with confidence in our knowledge and skills, while working in a team and work environment that we know well.
We have waited a long time for this opportunity, which made studying around our family commitments possible. It has been hard work, but we are proud of our achievements and happy to finally be registered ODPs.”
ODPs play a vital role in supporting patients through every stage of surgery – from anaesthetic and scrub to recovery. Apprentices are trained in sterile procedures, surgical instrument management, patient monitoring, pain relief and emergency preparedness.
Now fully qualified, Danie, Abraham and Pete will continue in 50/50 split roles across scrub, anaesthetics and recovery, supported by a multidisciplinary team including nurses, anaesthetists, paramedics and senior ODPs.
Bethanie William, Practice Development Lead for Theatres (ODP), praised their journey:
“We’re incredibly proud of Dan, Abs and Pete, who have demonstrated outstanding resilience and dedication throughout their training.
As valued members of the team, they consistently show exemplary clinical practice and work autonomously as evidence-based practitioners. Their success reflects the high standards of perioperative care within our trust.
We were among the first in the region to launch this degree apprenticeship, and it has been incredibly rewarding to see such positive outcomes. All made possible by a true team effort across our placements and theatres to create a supportive learning environment.”
The trio will now progress into their preceptorship phase and explore further study opportunities, including surgical first assistant training. They’re also playing a key role in mentoring the next generation of ODP apprentices already in training.
To find out more about joining the next intake of ODP apprentices, email the Apprenticeship Team at
[email protected]
