About the role
Salary: £49387.00 to £56515.00
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Theatre Practitioner to join the Maxillofacial Surgery team as a Surgical First Assistant , primarily based at University Hospital Aintree with close links across the wider Maxillofacial service.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and set up specialist Maxillofacial surgical equipment, instruments, implants, and consumables, ensuring readiness for OMFS procedures.
- Support safe patient positioning, maintaining airway protection, pressure area care, and optimal surgical access.
- Assist surgeons during procedures by providing tissue retraction, maintaining haemostasis, cutting sutures and ligatures, and inserting drains as delegated.
- Operate specialised surgical equipment, including powered instruments, diathermy, suction devices, endoscopic equipment, and OMFS-specific instruments.
- Undertake skin closure using sutures or staples within agreed competencies and under appropriate delegation.
- Maintain aseptic technique and comply with all theatre, infection prevention, and safety standards.
- Demonstrate safe patient handling practices throughout the peri-operative pathway.
- Ensure the safe use, care, maintenance, and storage of surgical equipment.
- Perform peri-operative catheterisation when required and within competency and Trust policy.
- Apply correct draping techniques to maintain patient dignity, privacy, and a sterile field.
- Promote a safe, patient-centred theatre environment, demonstrating professionalism, teamwork, and compassionate care.
- Support scrub staff in preparing and setting up specialised Maxillofacial surgical equipment, ensuring all instruments, implants, and devices required for OMFS procedures are available, checked, and ready for use.