Operating Department Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship | Operating Department Practice BSc (Hons)

his programme has been endorsed by the College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP) and approved by the sector Regulatory Body, The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).Our Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) Degree Apprenticeship equips apprentices with the skills and knowledge required to provide care to patients during the three phases of perioperative practice whilst in full-time paid employment. Areas include:

• Anaesthetics
• Surgery
• Post-Anaesthetic Care

At Northumbria we offer this apprenticeship as a three year course as standard, however, we also offer a two year study programme for those apprentices who already have prior experience. See our Entry Requirements for further details. The apprenticeship equips apprentices with the skills required to become a practising ODP, in addition to addressing complex patient groups, such as older persons and those with multiple health problems. The programme ensures apprentices are able to demonstrate compassionate, safe, evidence-based patient care and focuses on the use of new technologies within the operating theatre and the new ways of working within the profession.

Standard Entry

Admission onto a higher or degree apprenticeship can only take place if applicants are currently employed and their employer has a training agreement in place with Northumbria University.

Applicants must be employed within an operating department, with the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts directly to their personal and professional work experience.

Potential apprentices will need:

120 UCAS Tariff points

From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-levels, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas or the International Baccalaureate.

We may also consider applicants who have successfully completed a related Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, or those with non-standard qualifications, or a significant amount of relevant work-based or professional experience.

Find out how many points your qualifications are worth using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator 

You may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and join the programme in year two. To meet the requirements for RPL, you must demonstrate from previous academic study and experiential learning that you have gained some of the knowledge and skills required of a student ODP. This is achieved through a recognition process, which consists of a combination of accreditation of previous academic learning and a minimum of 544 hours of Perioperative experience. This process is undertaken to establish the equivalence of learning which has already taken place with Northumbria’s provision and equates to 12 months of pre-registration ODP study and prior study at Level 4 of 120 credits. Successful candidates are granted advanced entry to year two of study, thereby completing their pre-registration programme in a shorter period.

Additional Requirements:

Applicants will be required to attend an interview. Admission is subject to a suitable DBS Enhanced Certificate and a satisfactory health check. Applicants must meet the Health and Care Professions Council's suitability for registration requirements.

English Language Requirements:

International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with 6.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).

The programme will include a minimum of 20% time away from the workplace developing theory to relate to practice. Apprentices will be allocated blocks of placements, which will include allocated study time, either experiencing face-to-face teaching or undertaking self-directed study working on online learning materials.

In the workplace, apprentices will be supported by a Practice Supervisor and colleagues. Both apprentice and their line manager will be supported by Northumbria University throughout the programme, including access to online support materials for line managers. Apprentices will also meet with their manager/mentor and individual professional development coach in the workplace at least four times each year.

During the programme, many assessments are work-based and aligned to the context and activity of the organisation, leading to increased organisational understanding and performance by the apprentice whilst ensuring they develop new skills and enhance productivity and performance.