BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice (with Foundation Year option)

Become an instrumentally vital part of the operating department team. Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are responsible for delivering safe, high-quality care to surgical patients during anaesthesia, surgery and post anaesthesia (recovery).

UCAS Code:
B991
Institution:
B50
Delivery:
Full time according to Funding Council definitions

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With foundation year: B992

This course is now full for September 2021 entry. You may still apply, but your application may be held on a waiting list (either prior to or following an interview). If your application is on a waiting list, we will inform you if a space becomes available by the end of June. Please note: there is still space on the Foundation Year option for this course and applications are still being processed for this entry route.

Why study Operating Department Practice at BU?

ODPs work with surgeons, anaesthetists and other healthcare professions to ensure every operation is as safe and effective as possible, to save or improve patients’ lives
Preparing you for placement and beyond, our newly built facilities include a operating theatre simulation suite with highly accurate and life-like manikins
Get hands-on experience working in surgical theatres with multiple and varied practical work placements that make up approximately 60% of your time on the course
You will be taught by actively practicing lecturers or those with perioperative experience
Placements are diverse and career options are too: you could work in pre-assessment, intensive care, A&E, patient transfer teams and other more specialised areas of care.

Find out more about the content of this course.

Funding support: ODP students may be eligible for a non-repayable government training grant of at least £5,000 a year. Find out more information about the funding. Please note that this funding is not eligible for students on the Foundation Year, however you will be able to access it once you complete the foundation year and move onto the degree.

Foundation Year: We have a Foundation Year option for UK students who do not meet the entry requirements for the degree course. This additional year of study will give you a grounding in the scientific skills needed to prepare you for the ODP degree, building your confidence, knowledge and skills for further study. The Foundation Year is based at our Talbot Campus. After successful completion of the Foundation Year, you will progress to the full degree and begin your ODP study.

Approved by:

This three-year course is approved by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) meaning that, upon successful completion of the programme, you will be eligible to apply to the Health & Care Professions Council for registration as an Operating Department Practitioner.

See more of our facilities and the course

Next start date:

September 2021, September 2022

Location:

Bournemouth University, Lansdowne Campus. Foundation Year: Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus.

Duration:

3 years, including mandatory placements. Foundation Year: 4 years, including mandatory placements

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2021 and September 2022 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent. Foundation Year: 48-72 UCAS tariff points. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

For September 2021 and September 2022 entry: If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 7.0 with minimum 6.5 in each component, or equivalent. For more information check out our international entry requirements.

Course details

Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are an instrumentally vital part of the perioperative team and are responsible for delivering safe, high-quality care to surgical patients during anaesthesia, surgery and post anaesthesia (recovery).

Taught by actively practising lecturers, in state-of-the-art facilities – including a simulated operating theatre – you’ll have plenty of opportunities to put your learning into practice – working in clinical settings supervised by registered healthcare professionals during multiple work placements that make up approximately 60% of your time on the course.

As well as the expert knowledge and skillset you’ll acquire, you’ll also gain numerous transferable skills, such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork and communication – all essential for a career in an NHS or private sector operating department.

Contact hours and assessment

Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification.

Foundation year

Core units

Academic Study Skills: You will gain the fundamental academic and research skills required for degree level study. The unit will introduce you to a broad grounding in literature searching, literature review, data collection, methodological approach, data analysis and interpretation and ethical practice. It will also support you to begin to develop a critical and analytical approach to your work and identify areas for personal development.
Applied Sciences: You'll gain a basic understanding of some fundamental aspects of science underpinning more specific disciplines, and an appreciation of how various scientific disciplines impact human life. You'll understand the differences between pure and applied science, as well as the roles of different ways applied science can be funded, and implications of these funding mechanisms.
Introduction to Biology: Biology is the study of life and hence knowledge of plant and animal cell biology is fundamental to understanding wider concepts in biology. This unit also introduces key themes in human, environmental and ecological sciences to provide a sound underpinning in knowledge for future studies.
Introduction to Psychology: This unit is designed to prepare you for advanced coursework in psychology. You will complete the unit with a good understanding of the various areas of psychology and how they seek to explain behaviour.
Mathematics in Science: You will build your confidence in mathematics, in order to perform calculations on a range of scientific data from biology, chemistry and psychology and to be able to represent the findings in an appropriate format, including graphs. In order to carry this out, it is essential to be able to convert the data between systems of units and to understand how to present very large and very small numbers in standard form. Basic statistical analysis of tabulated data will be carried out to introduce the concept of confidence limits and familiarisation of statistical testing.
Foundation Year Project: You will carry out a research task on scientific topics chosen by the unit leader which you will be able to conduct a scientific investigation on. You will devise your own investigation and produce a literature review as a final scientific report.

Year 1

Core units

Foundations for Professional Practice and Research: this unit is an interprofessional unit that seeks to prepare students for placement by exploring law, ethics, values and looking at the priorities of modern practice. It will also provide you with a set of skills for academic writing and research appreciation.
Perioperative Science 1: this unit will support you in your learning of core biological & scientific principles, functional human anatomy and physiology.
Anaesthesia 1: you will be introduced to foundation knowledge and skills relating to anaesthetic care and understand the role of the anaesthetic practitioner.
Anaesthetic Placement: this unit provides opportunities to acquire and develop practice skills in anaesthetic care underpinned by the principles of evidence-based practice.
Surgery 1: you will discover the basics of circulating and scrubbing for surgical cases as well as gloving & gowning, surgical instrumentation, patient positioning and other basic concepts of surgical care.
Surgical Placement: this unit provides opportunities to acquire and develop practice skills in surgical care underpinned by the principles of evidence-based practice.

Year 2

Core units

Research for Professional Practice: this unit will build on the foundation studies undertaken in the first year of the programme in order to advance your research and problem-solving skills, enabling you to engage critically with evidence-based practice.
Perioperative Science 2: this unit will support you in building on your knowledge and clinical experience to develop a deeper understanding of human anatomy and physiology, continuing to explore the physical and biomechanical science of the clinical placement
Postanaesthesia: this unit will provide you with a framework to explore the multi-dimensional nature of the practice of postanaesthetic care.
Postanaesthesia Placement: you will be introduced to professional practice in the postanaesthetic care unit (PACU), and to the skills, knowledge and professional expectations that underpin and provide the foundation to such practice.
Surgery 2: this unit will provide you with a framework to explore the multi-dimensional nature of the practice of intra-operative care and gain insight and understanding of your individual responsibility in the co-ordination of safe and competent care.
Anaesthesia 2: this unit will build on the foundation studies undertaken in the first year of the programme to provide you with a framework to explore the multi-dimensional nature of the practice of intra-operative care and gain insight and understanding of your individual responsibility in the co-ordination of safe and competent care

Year 3

Core units

Team Working for Service Improvement: this unit will enable you to develop the skills of working in small inter-professional teams to design and develop a service improvement or product to enhance the experience of service users and carers.
Researching for Professional Practice 3: you will have an opportunity to choose and area of interest and undertake an in-depth, independent study of an aspect of clinical practice, building on your understanding of literature searching, critical appraisal and academic writing skills.
Perioperative Science 3: this unit will deepen your knowledge of cardio-respiratory physiology and biochemistry to support the principles and practice of pre-operative assessment.
Surgery 3: you will develop a critical understanding of current and emerging evidence related to advanced surgical practice to enhance your clinical skills and knowledge, empowering you to become autonomous and accountable practitioner.
Developing Perioperative Care: this unit will develop your skills and knowledge to obtain patient history and perform physical assessment of relevant body systems to inform your anaesthetic practice.
Enhancing Perioperative Care: this unit enables you to develop care of the perianaesthetic patient with a particular focus on Postanaesthesia and perianesthesia challenges. Development of a knowledge base, critical thinking, clinical reasoning and set of skills enables an enhanced provision of care including when complications arise

How you will be assessed

Programme specification

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the university's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

Download the programme specification (pdf 507KB)

Download the foundation year programme specification (pdf 338kb)

Facilities

With practical learning being integral to your degree, we provide practice simulation facilities, including an operating theatre simulation suite, to mirror clinical workplace settings and provide a safe environment.

We’re continuing to enhance our state-of-the-art facilities too – with a brand new, £48 million building currently under development, that will house our Health & Social Care courses.

Visit our facilities page to find out more – you can also take a 360° tour to get a feel for where you’ll be studying while you're based on our Lansdowne Campus.

See our facilities

Placements

An important feature of the programme is the hospital that you will be based at and practical work placements will make up approximately 60% of your time on the course. Your placements will include a range of acute settings that give students a good opportunity to develop their skills.

Find out more about Health & Social Care placements

Placement content

All of our linked hospitals provide a high standard of care and are committed to the teaching and assessment of the future workforce. Your placements will include a range of acute settings that give students a good opportunity to develop their skills, you will also undertake some surgical ward experience within the first two weeks of placement in your first year of study. There are a number of additional expectations that must be accepted when starting the course.

During your clinical placement you will experience the full 24 hour shift pattern so there may be times when you are expected to work during the evening or at weekends, so that you are working with your Mentor. Advance notice will be given.

What hours do you work?

When on placement, you will experience the full 24-hour shift pattern to include 12-13 hour shifts, weekends and night shifts, but advance notice will be given. You will follow the shift pattern of your allocated placement mentor, which means you cannot chose which days you work.

Most of your clinical experience will be based in one hospital. In order to achieve the minimum number of required clinical experiences expected for the course, there may be some placements based in other hospitals. Again advanced notice will be given.

ODP is a very practical role and thus the majority of learning is undertaken at ‘base’ hospitals.

Placement localities

If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be asked what location you would consider. Some placement areas are more popular than others due to geographical location, and as placement numbers are limited, you may be offered a place at a different location to your preference. All of our linked hospitals provide a high standard of care and are committed to the teaching and assessment of the future workforce. Most of your clinical experience will be based in one hospital, however, in order to achieve the minimum number of required clinical experiences expected for the course, there may be some placements based in other hospitals, but advanced notice will be given.

Bournemouth University is affiliated with the following hospitals:

Dorset

Hampshire

Southampton NHS Hospital.

Somerset

South Wiltshire

Salisbury NHS Hospital.

Around 60% of your time over the three years, is spent at your 'base' hospital.

Placements and travel costs

Your learning will be based at our Lansdowne Campus, while clinical placements will be in a variety of places within Dorset and Somerset, in order to provide the necessary breadth of experience. This will involve some travel, and may require you to find short-term accommodation in order to participate in block placements. You may also want to consider living at hospital accomodations and travel to Lansdowne Campus for your taught sessions.

Although your term-time address and method of transport are taken into consideration when allocating your placements, there is an expectation that all students will have to travel up to 40 miles to reach their placements. Due to the more rural nature of some of the placements you may be required to travel further, and some travel will be outside normal working hours due to the nature of shift work. You must ensure that you have means to travel to your placement location at unsociable hours and this may require you to use short-term accommodation options in order to participate in your placement. To help you with this, the NHS learning support fund may be able to support you with placement travel expenses and dual accommodation costs if required.

Find out about the NHS Learning Support Fund

Your application

For Operating Department Practice, we are looking for applicants who:

Have an interest in the compassionate care of surgical patients to improve their lives as well as the motivation and commitment to undertake the course
Show respect and give dignity to people recognising that everyone counts
Have undertaken care experience, preferably within an operating department
Have an awareness of the technical as well as the caring aspects of the profession
Can demonstrate commitment to the quality of care and the importance of personal skills and qualities to work together for patients.

How to apply

Background and experience

We want dedicated, eager and enthusiastic students who are going to make a real difference to the course they are studying. Our students learn from each other as well as their academic staff, so it is really important that you can show us how much you care about the course you are interested in. Your UCAS personal statement is a great place to do this. Tell us about your personal achievements or any relevant work experience you have done, and show us how they make you the ideal candidate for a place on the course.

It is recommended that you have some care experience and that you have insight into working in an operating department. If you do not have any, you are strongly recommended to be able to demonstrate that you have a clear insight into the nature of this profession.

To assist in gaining an insight, we encourage you to access experience within an operating department. Applicants without suitable experience should contact us as we may be able to provide a contact from a hospital for you to arrange an informal visit.

Our courses are built around the NHS Constitution's values, and when assessing your application we will take these values into consideration:

Working together for patients
Respect and dignity
Commitment to quality of care
Compassion
Improving lives
Everyone counts.

Find out more about the NHS Constitution principles.

IT skills

In the healthcare sector, IT is now a vital tool for accessing and maintaining patient records, accessing literature to client care and conducting clinically-related research. As a student, you will receive an introduction to IT near the beginning of your course and you will be provided with computer access and your own email address.

During the course, you will be expected to use your developing IT skills to produce assignments, to conduct literature searches, and to use client-related record systems in the clinical setting.

Following instruction, some of your study will be undertaken through web-based learning tools, for example by participating in online discussions.

Selection methods

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. We may ask you to provide a portfolio and/or take part in an online interview. You can find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages.

Because we need you to have practical and applicable skills in this particular subject, we’ll then invite the very best students for an interview. You must be able to demonstrate at interview that you show the necessary insight into operating department practice, as well as the motivation and commitment to become a practitioner.

What to expect at interview

Your interview will take place online, on a free video communication platform.

A member of the Admissions Team will email you with joining instructions and information about what to expect at interview.

Your individual interview is where you will have the opportunity to tell us a little more about yourself and why you would be a great candidate for the course. You will be scored using a common template and offers will be made based on these scores.

If you are invited to interview, you will also be able to access online on-demand information presentations, course talks, virtual campus tours and more which you can watch before your interview. On the day of your interview you may also be able to join a live chat-room where you can ask questions to our current student ambassadors and other members of staff.

Additional reference

In addition to the reference on your UCAS form, once we’ve received your application we will contact you to ask for a second reference; depending on the course you’ve applied for, this may be an academic reference, or from an employer or person who knows you in a professional capacity.

Find out more about interviews with the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

Our offer making process

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

How we assess your application

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

AccessBU gives you the chance to tell us more about you and your life experiences if you haven’t had the same educational opportunities as other applicants. If you are eligible for AccessBU, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS Tariff Points below the published tariff.

Find out more about interviews with the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

Applying for direct entry to the 2nd year

Unfortunately we cannot currently accept applications for direct entry into the second year of this course in September 2021, due to the course being full at this point of entry. However, during the Clearing period from 1 July 2021 this position may change so please contact our Clearing line which will be advertised during this time. You can register your interest for Clearing 2021 here.

Entry requirements

Our main entry requirements for the degree are outlined below. If you do not meet these you may want to consider our foundation year, a one-year course that will prepare you for degree-level study.

We use the UCAS Tariff in our entry requirements and will accept a combination of grades and qualifications to meet the overall tariff requirement. You can use the UCAS calculator to see how your qualifications equate to UCAS tariff points.

We have outlined our entry requirements below using the most common qualifications that we consider for this course. If your qualification is not on the UCAS tariff or listed below, please contact our Future Students Enquiry Team who can advise accordingly. You can also find out more about how we consider your application in our offer-making process section.

For September 2021 and September 2022 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.

Numeracy and Literacy requirement: GCSE English Language or English Literature and Mathematics grade 4 (or grade C in the old grading system). We also accept iGCSEs, Key Skills and Functional Skills and other qualifications at Level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework. See all the equivalencies.

A-level and AS levels: 104 – 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two A-levels or equivalent.

Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate – Skills Challenge Certificate: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

Access to HE Diploma: 102 - 118 tariff points with any combination of Distinction, Merit, Pass grades.

BTEC National:

Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points)
Diploma: Distinction*, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points).
Foundation Diploma/ 90-credit Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff
Extended Certificate/ Subsidiary Diploma: Accepted as part of the overall tariff

Cambridge International Pre-U Diploma: 104 – 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two principal subjects.

Cambridge Technical:

Extended Diploma: Distinction, Merit, Merit (112 UCAS tariff points).
Diploma: Distinction*, Distinction (104 UCAS tariff points).
Subsidiary Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff
Introductory Diploma: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by an A-level sized qualification to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

Extended Project Qualification: We accept this qualification, but it must be accompanied by two A-level sized qualifications to meet the overall UCAS tariff.

International Baccalaureate Certificates: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Higher Level certificates.

International Baccalaureate (Diploma): An overall score of 28 - 31 points.

Scottish Highers: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from Scottish Highers.

Scottish Advanced Highers: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of two Scottish Advanced Highers.

T Levels: We will recognise T Level qualifications at a suitable level (and in a suitable subject, if applicable).

Other useful information

AccessBU: AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships: We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferred entry: We are happy to consider eligible applicants for deferred entry. If you have already submitted your application, please submit your deferral request through our website.

Direct entry: We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants: We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

Foundation year entry requirements

For September 2021 and September 2022 entry: 48 - 72 UCAS tariff points.

Numeracy and Literacy requirement: There are no GCSE requirements. The foundation year will cover these skills in preparation for degree study.

Please note: in order to progress from the foundation year onto the degree course you will need to pass an Occupational Health (OH) check and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (full details in the tab below). These checks will be undertaken during your foundation year.

Non-academic requirements

Occupational Health (OH) Checks

This is a physically and mentally demanding and you will need to be mentally and physically able to undertake your chosen course. Places are offered subject to passing an OH check, and this will be carried out by the Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust. Health conditions need to be dealt with on an individual basis e.g. deafness, blindness, eczema (or other dermatological allergic reactions) on exposed areas, epilepsy, back problems, or mental health conditions, eating disorders and other disabilities. These do not automatically exclude you but please ensure that you fully disclose your condition to OH. The university can then consider the recommendations made by OH and whether reasonable adjustments can be made to support you on your chosen course. If you require more guidance please contact us for more information.

You will be required to provide a record of your immunity status or be vaccinated or have the required blood tests. Please see this table for the required immunisations. You may need to ask your GP or current OH department or find your childhood vaccination record for details of your past immunisation records. You should be aware that there may be charges made (for which you will be liable) relating to your gaining the appropriate immunity required prior to starting your training programme.

Refusing Immunisations

The university has an expectation that all students will comply with the vaccination programme. This ensures that you will be able to undertake the wide range of training placements that your course will require. Occasionally some vaccinations are contraindicated in certain medical conditions. OH will advise the university in these cases. The university will consider students on an individual basis. Refusal to have immunisations will result in the student not being allowed to attend practice placement and being withdrawn from the course. There is no opportunity to appeal against the requirements of the immunisation policy.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (previously known as CRB)

All successful applicants will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barred List check; this will be a condition of offer and will need to be completed prior to commencing the course. Please see the Government website for the most up to date information.

International entry requirements

You can find details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our entry requirements for non-UK students' page.

Please see below some examples of the qualifications for entry onto Year 1 for September 2021 and September 2022 entry:

Chinese Senior High School Graduation Certificate (Huikao) average 80%, or Gaokao 61-71%. Grade depends on the course
Hong Kong HKDSE Diploma (4,4,3 to 4,4,4 from three subjects). Grade depends on the course
All India Senior School Certificate Examination (Standard XII) 60-70%
Italian Esame di Stato with 60-70%. Grade depends on the course
Titulo de Bachillerato with 6 or 7. Grade depends on the course

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:

For September 2021 and September 2022 entry: IELTS (Academic) 7.0 with minimum 6.5 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

If you do not meet the English language requirement for your degree then why not join our Pre-Sessional English course? Successful completion of our Pre-Sessional English course will meet your English language requirement.

Careers

You might think that the name of this course covers all the potential career options, but the skills you'll gain through this degree will make you just as suited to a role in critical care as to operating department practice.

Typical job roles and industries

You will be highly employable nationally. The majority of our graduates take on roles within operating theatres, although a growing number are moving into other areas of critical care, such as anaesthesia, helicopter emergency medical services and trauma teams.

An ODP qualification is therefore incredibly versatile and can lead you into a wide range of careers and healthcare environments, including:

First assistant to the surgeon
Surgical assistant
Accident and emergency
Manager
Anaesthesic practitioner

On graduating successfully, you will be eligible to apply for professional registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).

HCPC registration will not only enable you to work as an ODP in the UK, but in many other countries all over the world.

Industries worked in

Healthcare
Education

Further study

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section, including NHS finance information. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be.

No hidden extras

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

Professional body accreditation of the course.
Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check.
Occupational Health Services and checks, but you will be charged if you do not attend Occupational Health appointments without giving appropriate notice. Where the need for additional vaccinations arises, you may be required to cover the costs of these.
We will provide you with one standard set of uniform. Additional uniform items must be ordered by students, and this will incur an additional cost. Students will need to purchase appropriate footwear.
Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity.
Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and/or fieldwork and non-financial support whilst on placement.
A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme.
Disability and additional learning support.
The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you need to consider

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

Laptops, tablets and mobile devices.
Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses.
Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
Travel costs to and from the University campus for taught sessions (and occupational health referrals if required). An annual bus pass is included in your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation.
Travel costs to and from your placement which could be based at various locations across the southwest region. Students may claim reimbursement towards travel and accommodation costs from the NHS. Please visit the NHS Business Services Authority website for more information.
There may be an additional charge for replacement uniforms.
SportBU membership.

Repeat units

Funding for ODP students

ODP students may be eligible for a government funding of at least £5,000 a year which you will not need to pay back. The funding will be given to all new and continuing degree-level nursing, midwifery and many allied health students.

Students starting in September 2020 received at least £5,000 a year, with further funding available for eligible students, including:

Parental Support allowance of £1,000, on top of the £1,000 already on offer.
Up to £1,000 specialist subject payment for subjects such as mental health nursing.
A regional incentive payment in areas of the country which have seen a decrease in people accepted on some nursing, midwifery and allied health courses.

Students will not need to apply for specialist subject or incentive payments as they will be automatically added to their account, if eligible.

This means that some students could be eligible for up to £8,000 per year, with everyone getting at least £5,000.

Find out more about the funding

Our staff

On this course, you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course.

You can find out more about some of the staff that are currently teaching on the course and their research activities below. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Debora Almeida - Admissions Lead - Fellow HEA - Lecturer in Operating Department Practice

Debbie joined BU as a Lecturer in Operating Department Practice following a clinical, academic and managerial career in General Hospitals, Clinics, Surgical Units and Higher Education in the South of Brazil.

Having trained and performed as a professional ballerina for some years, Debbie developed an interest in the human body and its abilities and limits. This led her to another academic qualification as a surgical technologist and subsequent position as a clinical skills instructor and lecturer for the surgical tech course.

After spending most of her professional life in operating theatres and academic environment, Debbie moved to England and qualified as and ODP, practicing in both private and public sectors before re-embarking on the academic life.

Nowadays, Debbie splits her time between clinical practice working as an ODP; academic life sharing knowledge with ODP students; and research doing her PhD.

“My aim as a lecturer is to facilitate learning experiences to enable my students to progress academically and develop professionally. I believe on the power of sharing knowledge to promote critical thinking and evidence based practice.”

Debora Almeida's staff profile

John Tarrant – Senior Lecturer - Operating Department Practice

John has a clear focus on developing and enhancing the student learning experience on the Operating Department Practice programme. Educated in Medical Sciences, John then undertook his ODP training in 1998 at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

For a number of years, John worked as a Lecturer Practitioner, both as a Senior ODP in clinical practice (perioperative practice) and as the Programme Leader at Bournemouth University.

John Tarrant's staff profile

Jo Taylor - Lecturer in Perioperative Practice

Jo joined BU as a Lecturer in Perioperative Practice for post-registration students in 1998 and in 2004 as a Lecturer with the Operating Department Practice Programme.

Having trained as an adult nurse, midwife and mental health nurse her main passion is operating department practice and the majority of her clinical practice has been in the Operating Department some of which was spent practicing in the Netherlands.

Jo has a degree in Health Care Studies, an MA in Health Care Ethics and is currently studying for her PhD.

In addition to lecturing on the Operating Department Practice Programme she supports students in practice and lectures on the Adult Nursing Programme at the University's UCY Campus in Yeovil.

Jo Taylor's staff profile

Emil Siwadi - Fellow HEA - Lecturer in Operating Department Practice

Emil has been a lecturer in the ODP team at Bournemouth University since 2015. Before formally joining the team, he was seconded for one day per week, from the NHS, to support teaching and clinical skills sessions on the programme. Currently, he is a part-time lecturer and still working in practice on a regular basis at several hospitals in the region.

Before Emil started his career in healthcare, he served in the British Army, which took him on deployments all over the world. As a trained surveillance officer, Emil then spent time working in the security industry before finally taking his first step into healthcare and with the support of his local hospital, he completed the ODP programme at Bournemouth University in 2011 and several years later became Clinical Educator for Surgery at Royal Bournemouth Hospital. During this time he worked at a number of hospitals in the region, supported clinical skills teaching on the ODP programme and completed his degree.

"I am very proud of the ODP programme at Bournemouth University and of the quality of our graduates. I look forward to teaching and working with you, as you begin your journey into the wonderful world of ODP!"

Emil Siwadi's staff profile

Course changes

Changes in 2019

Date	Changes to this course
08/01/2019	Where the change was made: This course has been approved as BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice from previously DipHe Operating Department Practice

Hear from our staff

Lesley Elcock

This course prepares students for a career in a perioperative environment through mixing clinical skills and academic knowledge, with 60% of the course working alongside practitioners in the operating departments of the region's hospitals

Hear from our alumni

James Ackroyd

I really would recommend BU to anyone that wants not only to achieve a great qualification, but also wants to have a great time doing it.

Statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats and BU institutional data unless otherwise stated.

BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice (with Foundation Year option)

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Debora Almeida - Admissions Lead - Fellow HEA - Lecturer in Operating Department Practice

John Tarrant – Senior Lecturer - Operating Department Practice

Jo Taylor - Lecturer in Perioperative Practice

Emil Siwadi - Fellow HEA - Lecturer in Operating Department Practice

Course changes

Changes in 2019

Hear from our staff

Lesley Elcock

Hear from our alumni

James Ackroyd