I am a registered Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) who has been qualified since 2001. The ODP oversees the 'perioperative journey', which is the time period of a patient's surgical procedure or medical intervention. The role covers three main areas – anaesthetics, surgical and post anaesthetic care – but can involve all areas within the hospital requiring airway management and stabilising of a patient.

I trained and worked at my local hospital (Bedford) for over 16 years and then embarked on my current ODP lecturers post with the University of Bedfordshire where I’ve been for 5 years. 

Once the pandemic hit and the NHS was in need of extra help, I applied directly to Bedford NHS hospital and was fast tracked through to become a ‘bank worker’.

I volunteered as an ODP in my spare time when I had days off from my university work. I completed a 12 hour shift (8am – 8pm) with a few breaks included. I was familiar with staff and my environment having worked there previously, although the 45 minute Covid19 training I received to care for an ITU patient was a little daunting to be honest.

The reward I received for volunteering – both personally and from colleagues – was well worth the negativity I received from my family.  They were not too pleased about me returning to practice and were unhappy I might put myself at risk, but they understood why I chose to do it. I felt satisfaction whilst volunteering and being able to give my NHS colleagues a rest by covering their shifts made me happy, as they were working for over 80 hours per week at the start of the pandemic.

I will continue to volunteer with Bedford Hospital in my spare time and be available for them when I needed.  Things have thankfully quietened down now, so I have not been needed for a while but if a second wave hits that may change.

I recently wrote a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to highlight this vital hospital role as I feel ODP staff and volunteers deserve public recognition for the services they have provided during the pandemic.

I joined the University of Bedfordshire in June 2015 and I live in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

When the pandemic was becoming wider spread and the NHS Trusts started to get very busy, I was certain that I wanted to help out. I’d worked in clinical practice for 15 years before taking up my lecturing role and I missed the teamwork and patient contact. I knew that there were risks involved and I was worried about bringing it home to my own family members, but I’m glad that I was able to give some support to the clinical teams.

I applied to volunteer through the fast-track ‘bank’ service which recruits staff on a temporary basis to cover shifts as and when they are available. I was placed at Bedford Hospital most of the time but I also did a shift at Lister Hospital and one at Luton & Dunstable University Hospital.

At the start I was quite anxious to be honest – I was mainly based in the Intensive Care Unit with critically ill patients who had confirmed or suspected Covid19. I had a short induction to the area and although I was able to use a lot of the skills from my own role as an ODP, I was daunted by the amount of equipment needed to support one patient. The staff I volunteered with were amazing though and really helped me to settle in. I was much more comfortable after my first shift and felt I could contribute more to help my colleagues.

My time spent volunteering has reminded me how much I miss the ‘hands on’ care that I used to give daily and it also made me incredibly proud of our NHS and all the staff who work tirelessly to look after so many patients.

I am still keen to volunteer my time by covering some shifts as and when I can at these local Trusts.