NHS Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) Salary 2026/27

Last updated: 28 September 2026 · Figures verified against the NHS Employers 2026/27 pay circular.

By the NHS Bands Pay editorial team

ODP pay bands 2026/27

Operating department practitioners — the registered professionals who work in anaesthetics, surgery and recovery — are typically employed at Band 5 on qualification, with senior and specialist ODPs at Band 6 and theatre team leaders at Band 7. ODP is one of the NHS's less visible registered professions, which means pay queries often start from scratch: the short version is that ODPs are paid on exactly the same Agenda for Change scale as nurses, so a Band 5 ODP and a Band 5 nurse earn identical basic pay.

Band 5 ODP in detail

A qualified ODP starts on £32,073 (£16.38 an hour), rising to £34,592 after two years and £39,043 at the top of the band — the 3.3% 2026/27 uplift added just over £1,000 at entry versus 2025/26 (£31,049). All figures are full-time equivalent for England; see NHS Band 5 pay for the band in full and how Agenda for Change works.

Senior ODP: Band 6

Senior ODPs — taking charge of lists, mentoring students, covering complex anaesthetic cases — earn £39,959–£48,117. The move from Band 5 to 6 requires appointment to a senior post; it is not automatic with service.

Source: NHS Employers 2026/27 pay award; rates also published by Health Careers NHS.

What an ODP actually does (and why it matters for pay)

ODPs train across three areas — anaesthetics (preparing patients and equipment, assisting the anaesthetist), surgery (the scrub role, instruments and sterility) and post-anaesthetic recovery — and are registered with the HCPC. The pay relevance: this triple training makes ODPs flexible across the theatre suite, which is why they are heavily represented on on-call rotas. On-call is one of the largest variable components of ODP take-home pay, and it is covered in detail below.

Take-home pay: worked examples

Approximate monthly take-home for England in 2026/27 (standard 1257L tax code, no student loan, no enhancements or on-call). Pension at the 2025/26 tiers: 8.3% at Band 5 entry, 9.8% at the top of Band 5 and Band 6.

Basic take-home is therefore around £2,040 a month at entry and £2,381 at the top of Band 5 — before on-call and unsocial-hours payments, which for theatre staff can add several hundred pounds a month.

On-call pay: the part of ODP pay everyone asks about

Theatre departments run emergency lists around the clock, so ODPs typically join an on-call rota. AfC handles on-call in two parts: an availability payment for being on call (a flat sum per on-call period, set nationally with local variations for frequency), and call-out payments when you are actually called in — usually paid at overtime rates for the hours worked, with a minimum credit per call-out under most local agreements.

A worked illustration: an ODP at the top of Band 5 (£19.95 an hour) called in for a 4-hour emergency case during an on-call night would earn roughly £119.70 for the call-out alone (4 × £19.95 × 1.5 overtime), on top of the availability payment for the on-call period. Two or three call-outs in a busy on-call week can therefore exceed the value of a whole plain-time shift. Because availability payments and call-out minimums vary by trust, always ask for the local on-call policy when comparing theatre jobs — two Band 5 ODP posts can differ by thousands a year purely on on-call terms. Our unsocial hours and overtime guide sets out the national framework.

Unsocial hours on theatre rotas

Evening and weekend operating lists attract Section 2 enhancements: +30% for Saturday and weekday nights (8pm–6am), +60% for Sundays and public holidays. An ODP at Band 5 entry (£16.38 an hour) earns about £21.29 an hour on a Saturday list and £26.21 on a Sunday list. Combined with on-call, this is why theatre-based roles consistently appear among the better-paid Band 5 posts in practice, whatever the basic scale says.

ODP vs theatre nurse: direct pay comparison

Basic pay is identical at the same band — the pay difference between an ODP and a theatre nurse doing the same rota is zero. The choice between the professions is about the training and the role, not the money. See theatre nurse salary for the nursing-side detail.

Career progression for ODPs

• Band 5 → 6: senior ODP posts — list leadership, complex anaesthetics, mentorship. Typically 2–5 years post-qualification.
• Band 7: theatre team leader, theatre manager, practice educator or university lecturer roles (£49,387–£56,515).
• Beyond: theatre matron, service manager and advanced clinical practice routes into 8a.

Postgraduate study — advanced scrub practice, anaesthetic associate pathways, teaching qualifications — supports the Band 6 and 7 steps. ODPs also move into resuscitation officer, clinical skills and surgical care practitioner roles, each with its own banding.

Student ODP: training routes and money

ODP training is a diploma or degree (usually two to three years) leading to HCPC registration. Students access standard student finance and may be eligible for the NHS Learning Support Fund on approved courses. Some trusts offer apprenticeship routes (often starting as a theatre support worker), which pay a salary while you train — lower than student borrowing in the short term, but with no tuition debt and pensionable NHS service accruing from day one (see NHS pension contributions).

Bank and agency theatre work

Theatre bank shifts — covering sickness and vacancies through the trust's own bank — are typically paid at the AfC hourly rate plus enhancements, making them attractive top-ups for substantive ODPs. Agency theatre rates are higher headline but come without sick pay, annual leave accrual or pension, and most trusts now cap agency use. For most ODPs, substantive plus bank beats agency once total reward is counted.

Frequently asked questions

Is an ODP Band 5?

Yes — a qualified operating department practitioner starts at Band 5 (£32,073 in England in 2026/27). Senior and specialist ODPs are Band 6 (£39,959–£48,117), and theatre team leaders are typically Band 7.

Do ODPs get on-call pay?

Yes. ODPs on theatre on-call rotas receive an availability payment for being on call plus call-out payments (usually at overtime rates) when called in. A 4-hour night call-out at the top of Band 5 is worth roughly £120 before the availability payment. Exact terms vary by trust — check the local policy.

ODP vs nurse salary — who earns more?

Neither. Agenda for Change pays the band, not the profession: a Band 5 ODP and a Band 5 theatre nurse earn exactly the same basic pay (£32,073–£39,043 in 2026/27), the same enhancements and the same on-call terms.

How much does an ODP earn per hour?

£16.38–£19.95 an hour at Band 5 and £20.41–£24.58 at Band 6 in 2026/27 (England, full-time equivalent, before enhancements and on-call).

What is the take-home pay for a Band 5 ODP?

Approximately £2,040 a month at entry (£32,073) and £2,381 at the top of Band 5 (£39,043), before on-call and unsocial-hours payments — which for theatre ODPs can add several hundred pounds a month.

How do I become an ODP and what does training pay?

Via an HCPC-approved ODP diploma or degree (student finance plus possible NHS Learning Support Fund), or a trust apprenticeship route that pays a salary while you train. On qualification and registration you start at Band 5.

Can ODPs reach Band 7?

Yes — theatre team leader, theatre manager, practice educator and advanced practice roles are typically Band 7 (£49,387–£56,515 in 2026/27).

Sources and independence

Source: NHS Employers 2026/27 pay award.

Source: Health Careers NHS: Agenda for Change pay rates.

Source: NHS Employers unsocial hours factsheet (on-call and Section 2).

This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the NHS. Figures are full-time equivalent (37.5 hours/week) for England. Always check your trust's ESR record and your payslip for your actual pay.