OPDs and registered nurses: collaborative roles

The operating department practitioner (ODP) workforce is uniquely skilled and vital to the delivery of care in the 21st century (Health Education England, 2022). The updated NHS England workforce plan (2024) discusses their evolving role and suggests a strategic focus on enhancing their education to better prepare them for expanded responsibilities and to optimise their contribution to the workforce. The plan emphasises the importance of including theatre first assistant training in ODP education.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (2025) defines the surgical first assistant as a registered health professional who provides ‘continuous competent and dedicated assistance under the direct supervision of the operating surgeon… whilst not performing any form of surgical intervention’. The objective is to prepare ODPs to play a more active role, such as assisting surgeons directly during procedures, which can improve efficiency and effectiveness. By also incorporating critical care training into the pre-registration curriculum, the plan aims to equip ODPs with the ability to manage patients in critical care settings and broadens their scope of practice.