TWO healthcare support workers are paving the way on a new trainee programme inside Airedale Hospital’s operating theatres.

Katie Scargill and Jade Callaway are preparing to start as operating department practitioner (ODP) trainees with the health trust, as they launch on the next step of their careers.

Their advancement is part of a hugely-successful apprenticeship scheme, which will see a new cohort of workers taken on next year.

In their new role, Katie and Jade will provide patient care during each stage of the theatre process ­– anaesthetic, surgical and recovery.

They will also manage preparation of the equipment and act as a link between the surgical team and other sections of the hospital.

Their work will be combined with studies for a degree at Bolton University.

Katie said: “I worked on maternity first as a healthcare support worker but was in theatre a lot, because I did night-shifts so handled a number of the emergencies.

“Talking to the ODPs I really fancied seeing some more operations, so I attended an interview – and was successful.”

Jade has been a healthcare support worker for five years and before that worked at Steeton Court Nursing Home.

“Every day is a learning day,” she said.

“You’re working with different teams day in, day out, so there’s always something new.”

Dean Harness, practice development lead at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said the apprenticeship scheme provided the opportunity for the organisation to invest in its experienced employees.

He added: “Katie and Jade will be working with mentors, the anaesthetist and in recovery – with patients as they are waking-up – and handling much more complex cases in theatre.

“The good thing about the apprenticeship scheme is that they will come out of it with a band-five post and as ready-made OPDs, so will be able to cover all the areas in theatre.”

Karen Taylor, the trust’s theatres clinical governance manager, said: “If we can invest in our staff it is a win-win situation for us because we know that they have already shown a massive commitment to the organisation before they’ve got to this point – and our hope is that once they’ve qualified they can go on to be our future managers, which is great for us.”