Internal Reference Number: FOI_9567
Date Request Received: 23/07/2026 00:00:00
Date Request Replied To: 14/08/2026 00:00:00
This response was sent via: By Email
Request Summary: Supernumerary Training for Theatre Nurses and Operating Department Practitioners
Request Category: Students (Educational)
| Question Number 1: I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information: Please note: Several questions below ask about both qualified nurses (registered with the NMC) and Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) (registered with the HCPC). Where a question refers to "perioperative staff," please provide a separate, clearly labelled answer for each professional group (theatre nurses and ODPs) rather than a combined response. Where policies, hours, or training differ between the two groups, please specify the difference explicitly rather than answering only for one group. Definitions: "Newly qualified" means an ODP or nurse who is undertaking their first period of employment in an operating theatre department, in any of the three perioperative allocations (anaesthetic, scrub, or recovery). For nurses this will also mean those new to theatre practice. "Supernumerary practice" means a defined period following commencement of employment during which the registrant is not counted in the clinical staffing establishment. 1. Your Trust's policy on supernumerary training for perioperative staff 鈥� Please provide a copy of any written policy, procedure, or guidance document governing supernumerary status for newly qualified perioperative staff in your operating theatre department. 飩� Please state minimum required supernumerary hours (or weeks, if hours are not specified) allocated to each rotation (anaesthetic, scrub and recovery) for each professional group. 飩� Please confirm whether completion of supernumerary status is subject to formal assessment (e.g. a competency framework or sign-off document) for each professional group and provide a copy of the assessment tool(s) used. 鈥� Please identify the process or source document(s) underpinning this end-point assessment. 飩� Provide publisher details, dates of publication and version numbers. 飩� Outline your Trust鈥檚 process of adopting this evidence. | |
| Answer To Question 1: 鈥� Please provide a copy of any written policy, procedure, or guidance document governing supernumerary status for newly qualified perioperative staff in your operating theatre department. - please find attached https://app.eolasmedical.com/organisation/Salisbury%20NHS%20Foundation%20Trust/search?query=preceptorship%20policy - Please state minimum required supernumerary hours (or weeks, if hours are not specified) allocated to each rotation (anaesthetic, scrub and recovery) for each professional group. - Min 4 weeks, depending on area and previous experience as a student and if they are dual rolling once they qualified. They may go into the numbers for certain list after 4 weeks but may require more supernumerary hours for example outside areas in anaesthetics (Obs, MRI). Also, if people change speciality they may need supernumerary time as a new area. These are reviewed based on individuals either through preceptorship meeting or 1:1 discussion with Line managers. - Please confirm whether completion of supernumerary status is subject to formal assessment (e.g. a competency framework or sign-off document) for each professional group and provide a copy of the assessment tool(s) used. We have competencies for all scrub (being updated), Anaesthetics and recovery which they are working on through supernumerary period and maybe after 鈥� Please identify the process or source document(s) underpinning this end-point assessment. - Sign off supervisors and assessors, provided either to line managers or education team. - Provide publisher details, dates of publication and version numbers. - please see attached - Outline your Trust鈥檚 process of adopting this evidence. - please see attached To accompany this answer to question 1 please also see the documents listed below:  Scrub Practitioner.pptx | |
| Question Number 2: The duration or recorded supernumerary practice For each of the last three full financial years (2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26): 鈥� Please provide the total headcount and WTE of newly qualified perioperative staff who commenced employment in your operating theatre department, broken down by professional group and by financial year. 鈥� Please provide the number/WTE of staff in each group allocated to anaesthetics, scrub and recovery practice. 鈥� Please provide the average and range (minimum鈥搈aximum) of supernumerary hours recorded/completed per person, broken down by professional group and rotation. | |
| Answer To Question 2: The duration or recorded supernumerary practice For each of the last three full financial years (2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26): 3 months supernumery for ODP/ AP / SP with a review of competency before the end of the supernumery period. 鈥� Please provide the total headcount and WTE of newly qualified perioperative staff who commenced employment in your operating theatre department, broken down by professional group and by financial year. - please see attached 鈥� Please provide the number/WTE of staff in each group allocated to anaesthetics, scrub and recovery practice. - Please find the PowerPoint with addition of numbers of recruited staff in the 3 financial years and the policies requested , unfortunately do not have the data for recovery/PACU. Also attached the policy regarding supernumerary time, which is also mentioned in the Power Point 鈥� Please provide the average and range (minimum鈥搈aximum) of supernumerary hours recorded/completed per person, broken down by professional group and rotation. - 3 months supernumery for ODP/ AP / SP with a review of competency before the end of the supernumery period. Staff worked 37.5 hours per week. To accompany this answer to question 2 please also see the documents listed below: Scrub Practitioner.pptx Standard-preceptorship-policy-v16.FINAL_ (1) (1).pdf | |
| Question Number 3: Details of additional training 鈥� Please confirm whether any non-clinical activities (e.g. taught sessions, study days, classroom-based learning) form part of the supernumerary period, for each professional group. 鈥� provide details of content and duration. | |
| Answer To Question 3: etails of additional training 鈥� Please confirm whether any non-clinical activities (e.g. taught sessions, study days, classroom-based learning) form part of the supernumerary period, for each professional group. - They will have study days which are linked to the trust preceptorship. As an education we provided an induction for theatres, for anaesthetic and scrub. We will identify other course we are related to these areas. 鈥� provide details of content and duration. - Are induction training is 12 topics variety length of time. Other course for Airway Day TIVA Course MAST Course Simulation Training Scrub Course if required (Bournemouth University) Paediatric for recovery course | |
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