Taster Day for a Career in Health

Over 100 people signed up to don surgical scrubs and experience working in a simulated operating theatre last week, when Edge Hill College of Higher Education held at an Operating Department Practitioners (ODP) taster day at St Thomas?s Hospital, Stockport.

The taster was aimed at sixth form students or anyone thinking about returning to study to provide an insight into the role of ODPs, the health professionals who care for patients whenever anesthesia or surgery is required. Visitors got to grips with working with a range of clinical equipment, with the emphasis on practical learning in groups led by a team of clinical representatives. Groups learned the basics of health care relating to anaesthetics, theatre and recovery.

Paul Wicker is Programme Leader for ODP Education at Edge Hill:

"This taster day proved to be very popular, with more visitors than ever signing up to find out about a very interesting but little known area of health care. People discovered that ODPs are specially trained to carry out a range of theatre related tasks, alongside nurses and surgeons, both in theatre and on the wards in patient aftercare. From work in Accident and Emergency to resuscitation as part of a crash team, or in theatre, the role is extremely varied. Some visitors are seriously considering taking up a career as an ODP and we had lots of requests for application packs."

The Diploma in ODP is held at St Thomas? Hospital and at Edge Hill?s Aintree Campus with intakes in April and September.

To find out more about the Diploma in ODP contact Lisa Cullen, ODP Administrator, Stockport site, 0161 355 5522, or Suzanne Farrell, ODP Administrator, Aintree Campus, 0151 529 6243.

EDITOR?S NOTES: For further press information please contact: Roisin Rowley-Smith PR Manager Tel: 01695 584509 Fax: 01695 584355 E mail: rowlesr@edgehill.ac.uk or pressoffice@edgehill.ac.uk