All relevant documents produced within the ODP SURGE project that provide supportive resources to the ODP workforce

Overall project report

Final report of the ODP SURGE project 2025-26 - Coming Soon

Workstream 1 - ENABLING ODP supply, sustainability and EDI

Previous research into Operating Department Practice

• Read the report on previous research into Operating Department Practice
• View the presentation on previous research into Operating Department Practice

What is the unique contribution of ODPs in healthcare?

• Paper published The unique contribution of Operating Department Practitioners to healthcare practice: an Appreciative Inquiry approach

Survey of UK qualified and pre-registration ODPs and those aspiring to study ODP 2025-26 - motivation, access and transition into and through ODP

• Access a summary of survey reponses and analysis per group in graphs
• Access a summary of survey EDI analysis in graphs
• Workstream 2 - SUPPORTING routes to ODP and Preceptorship

Review of applications to ODP

• Read a Summary Report of Applications to ODP - 2019-2024

Experience of learners transitions into ODP

• Read the preliminary findings of research on ODP student transitions
• Publication coming soon

Workstream 3 - EMPOWERING Educator workforce 

What is the status of ODP practice educator support in 2025?

• Read a report on the HEI ODP practice educator support - December 2025
• View a poster about ODP practice educator support presented at NAEP conference March 2026

Practice Educator Training - train the trainer webinars

• A series of webinars were held for HEIs responsible for training practice educators.  The webinar aimed to established consistency in practice educator training that align to the CODP standards.  We evaluated the training 
• Read the Evaluation of the Practice Education Training webinars 

Principles for developing a national standardised ODP practice based learning assessment document project 2026

• Read the Principles - September 2026
• Read the Report on how the Principles were developed

Placement capacity in the perioperative environment

• Practice educators often find it difficult determining placement capacity in the perioperative environment.  To help you with calculating this in your local area
•  Read the report on Calculating Perioperative Learning Capacity

A guide for Practice supervisors and educators supporting T Level (16-19 year old) students in the Perioperative Environment

• Read our Guide for Practice Educators and Placement Supervisors 2026
• Read our Summary report of developing the guide 2026

Workstream 4 - ASPIRING ODP careers

Establishing the visibility/ awarness of ODP in the wider public 2026

• A desktop review of ODP visibility across professional websites, NHS careers platforms, university course pages, promotional materials, and AI-powered search tools to was completed to assess how prospective entrants encounter and understand the profession  Read the Foundational Phase Report about ODP visibility 2026 
• Additional Resource developed throughout the project to provide a Quality Assurance Framework for the Endorsment of Promotional and Educational Material Read the Quality Assurance Framework

Developing targeted promotional material for ODP

• Read a summary of developing and running careers webinars 2026
• Patient information leaflets have been developed to 'Meet the theatre team'.  These can printed in A4 format to be used in patient information resources or can be printed in larger format to be posted with the perioperative environment 
  • View and download: Meet the Theatre Team - Patient Information Leaflet 1
  • View and download: Meet the theatre team - Patient Information Leaflet 2

Evaluation of impact of National ODP Day 2026

The following methods were used to evaluate the targeted promotion of ODP for National ODP Day on May 14th 2026 

• Read the analysis of social media reach and new audience engagement
• Read the netnographic analysis of social media visibility during National ODP Day 2026

Evaluation of Workstream activities to raise awareness of ODP 2025-26

• Workstream 4 Aspiring - Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 2026

Workstream 5 - THRIVING Career development frameworks and pathways

• There is often misunderstanding of the role of Operating Department Practitioners in and beyond operating theatres. As part of the project we developed 2 evidence based briefing letters that can be used to build the case about the role of ODPs in and beyond operating theatres
• Read and download the Human resources briefing letter_to_promote_the_role_of_ODPs_in_theatres
• Read and download the Human Resources briefing letter to promote the role of the ODP Beyond Operating Theatres
•  Read the article on the accuracy of ESR coding for ODPs

Workstream 6 - LEADING Professional leadership and influence

Leadership programme Jan - July 2026

The ODP SURGE project team developed and implemented a Leadership Developed Programme for aspiring leaders.

• Find more out about the Leadership training programme
• Read the ODP SURGE Leadership Project Evaluation