NHS Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) Salary 2026/27

Operating department practitioners (ODPs) work in operating theatres and related areas, supporting patients through anaesthesia, surgery and recovery. They are registered with the HCPC and paid on the Agenda for Change scale. Theatre work involves a lot of on-call and out-of-hours cover, which makes a real difference to ODP pay.

ODP pay by band for 2026/27

Theatre support workers are usually on Band 2 or 3.

Take-home pay for ODPs

These are for full-time hours with the NHS Pension and tax code 1257L, with no student loan. On Plan 2, take away about £20 to £80 a month across these points.

On-call and emergency theatres

Most hospitals with emergency surgery need theatre teams available overnight and at weekends. ODPs usually cover this through a mix of:

• Shift work, where nights and weekends attract the standard unsocial hours rates: plus 30% for weekday nights (8pm to 6am) and Saturdays, plus 60% for Sundays and public holidays.
• On-call, where you are available from home and come in if needed. Under Agenda for Change, on-call payments are agreed locally. You normally receive an availability payment for each on-call period plus pay for the time you actually work when called in.

At Band 5 entry, a night hour in theatre is worth £21.32 and a Sunday hour £26.24. The shift pay calculator works out a full shift, including ones that cross midnight into a weekend or public holiday.

Anaesthetics, scrub and recovery

ODPs train in all three areas of perioperative care:

• Anaesthetics: preparing equipment and drugs, and supporting the anaesthetist and patient
• Scrub: working in the sterile field during surgery
• Recovery: caring for patients as they come round after an operation

Band 6 roles often focus on one area, or include coordinating a theatre or team.

Career paths beyond Band 6

ODPs have several options for progressing:

• Theatre management at Band 7 and above
• Practice education, supporting students and new staff
• Surgical first assistant, an extended role after further training, often at Band 6 or 7
• Anaesthesia associate, a postgraduate role with its own training route and banding

Student ODPs

ODP courses in England are eligible for the NHS Learning Support Fund, which pays at least £5,000 a year towards living costs. Many trusts also run ODP degree apprenticeships, often recruiting existing theatre support workers.

Professional costs

Your HCPC registration fee is on HMRC's approved list, and so is membership of the College of Operating Department Practitioners. Theatre staff who launder their own uniform can usually claim the flat rate as well. See our tax rebate guide.

Common questions

Are ODPs paid more than theatre nurses? No. ODPs and theatre nurses on the same band are paid the same.

Is the on-call payment pensionable? On-call availability payments are normally pensionable under the NHS Pension Scheme. Check your payslip.

Is overtime available? Yes. Bands 5 to 7 are paid time and a half for overtime, or double time on public holidays.

A month on an emergency theatre rota

Here is a worked example for a full-time Band 5 ODP at the entry point (£16.40 an hour). In one month they work three night shifts with 10 unsocial hours each, and one 12-hour Sunday:

• Nights: 30 hours × £16.40 × 30% = £147.60
• Sunday: 12 hours × £16.40 × 60% = £118.08

That is £265.68 on top of basic pay before deductions, or about £3,200 over a year if the pattern is typical. Add on-call availability payments and call-outs, and theatre staff can earn well above basic salary. Remember that unsocial hours are usually paid a month in arrears.

Work out your own pay

Use the take-home pay calculator for your basic pay, and the unsocial hours calculator for your rota.