The Royal Navy Operating Department Practitioner: Perioperative care on land and sea

Abstract

Royal Navy Operating Department Practitioners are employed in a number of different roles, during peacetime, humanitarian aid operations and periods of war. In recent times, Royal Navy Operating Department Practitioners have deployed on active operations in addition to working in NHS hospitals at home in the United Kingdom. This article will explore the different avenues and experiences of Operating Department Practitioners who are currently serving in the Royal Navy. The reader will then also gain an insight into the different echelons of care provided by the Defence Medical Services to the United Kingdom Armed Forces and Allied Nations. The article will then consider the unique experiences available to Royal Navy Operating Department Practitioners in this multi-faceted role which offers the opportunity to explore work patterns in different environments.