NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.
The Role
The operating theatre department provides a safe, efficient, and highly skilled perioperative service for patients undergoing elective and emergency surgery across a wide range of specialties. The team delivers comprehensive care from a patient's arrival in theatre through anaesthesia, surgery, and postanaesthetic recovery, including support for critically ill patients and those requiring procedures in areas such as radiology, endoscopy, ICU, and A&E. Staff work across multiple specialties with dual training in scrub, anaesthetics, and recovery, and may work across sites within NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde as service needs require.
The department supports continuous professional development through structured education programmes and competency frameworks. With an expanding service covering 13 theatres and numerous surgical specialties, the team plays a key role in assessing, planning, delivering, and evaluating highquality perioperative care, requiring flexibility, initiative, and strong teamwork within a service that operates across a fiveday week with outofhours commitments.
Duration, Location, and Working Pattern:
Permanent, Full time
Base location - Gartnavel General Hospital
Key Responsibilities
Clinical
- Assess, plan, implement and evaluate evidencebased, personcentred care that reflects each patient's lifestyle, culture and preferences, involving families and carers where appropriate.
- Maintain accurate, professional patient records in line with NMC/HPC standards.
Professional
- Work within NMC/HPC codes of conduct and all relevant legal and ethical frameworks to protect patient wellbeing.
- Adhere to NHS, NHS GGC and Health & Safety Executive policies, legislation and procedures.
- Support patients to make informed decisions about their health through open, transparent communication.
- Maintain confidentiality at all times, disclosing information only with consent or when legally required.
Education, Research and Audit
- Contribute to a highquality learning environment in line with NES standards.
- Support and appraise preregistration nurses and healthcare support staff.
- Participate in performance appraisal and ongoing learning to maintain and develop competence.
- Demonstrate commitment to personal professional development.
- Support research, audit activity and the development of colleagues.
Organisational/Managerial
- Manage own workload and support junior staff and learners through effective leadership.
- Oversee daytoday management of resources, including equipment, supplies and pharmacy items.
- Lead teams of nurses and operating department practitioners and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team.
- Work with senior charge nurses to ensure efficient staffing, rota management and sickness/absence processes.
- Contribute to recruitment and selection activities.
Knowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required to do the job:
Essential
- First Level Registered Nurse on NMC register (Part 1, 7 and 12)
- OR Registered Operating Department Practitioner on HPC register
- Ability to work shifts required to provide the service including night duty and public holidays.
- Ability to work on any site within GG&C when required.
DESIRABLE
- Recent experience within an operating theatre or immediate postoperative recovery room environment (HDU experience and experience during training may be relevant)
- Post registration qualification relevant to perioperative care
What We Offer
We offer a wide range of supportive policies designed to enhance your employee journey, including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and extensive learning and development opportunities.
As an NHS Scotland employee, you will be entitled to:
- A minimum of 27 days annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus public holidays
- Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme, including life insurance benefits
- Salary Sacrifice Car Benefit Scheme
- Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom-based courses
- Enhanced pay for working public holidays
- NHS discounts on a wide range of goods and services
- Confidential employee support and assistance, including counselling and psychological therapies
Interested
If you would like to find out more, we would love to hear from you.
For An Informal Discussion, Please Contact
Monica long, SCN, On 0141 211 3348 or email [Confidential Information]
Details on how to contact the Recruitment Service and the Recruitment Process:
Information for candidates
This post may close early due to the volume of response. Please submit your application form as soon as possible. Due to the volume of applications that we receive, we will not be able to provide shortlisting feedback.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application, but your answers must be your own.
- Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
- Use AI wisely: It's fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don't let it write your answers.
- Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.
Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you, not an AI tool.
From 1 April 2026, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will reduce from 37 hours to 36 hours. Part-time working hours will be reduced on a pro-rata basis. A corresponding increase in the hourly rate will apply, ensuring that overall pay remains unchanged.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recognises the importance of
work-life balance and is committed to offering a range of flexible working options where service needs allow. For roles where less than full-time hours can be accommodated, and where the tenure is listed as
various, we encourage applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements. Flexible working will be included as a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde encourages applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and are proud of the diverse workforce we employ.
By signing the
Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from across the Armed Forces Community and recognise military skills, experience and qualifications throughout the recruitment and selection process.
For application portal or log-in issues, please contact the Jobtrain Support Hub in the first instance.
