The Race To Clear The Backlog - Are Surgical Teams The Country's Most Wanted Workers?

While the government, and of course the NHS, have been concentrating on the Covid-19 crisis for the last 24 months, a second and much bigger issue has been quietly reaching crisis point in the background. But could this provide opportunities for those with a medical biology degree, and could they turn their skills towards becoming an operating department practitioner?

With hospitals needing to divert their resources to the growing numbers of patients hospitalised with Coronavirus in the early days, routine and surgical appointments were cancelled. Only critical operations and emergency surgeries went ahead. While this was an understandable decision, and one that many other countries all over the world made, it has meant that the NHS waiting list has suffered a backlog of historic proportions. To compound matters, this was followed by an intensive drive to roll out the coronavirus vaccine on a countrywide scale, the likes of which had never been seen before, and this also puts a strain on the NHS.

How Big is the Backlog?

The backlog issue isn’t just a Covid-driven one, but this has certainly made things worse. Prior to the pandemic, the average time on the waiting list was 25 weeks in England. This has now risen to 44 weeks. These are people waiting for tests, surgery and routine treatment, and there are over 5.5 million individuals on the list. This number could potentially reach 13 million over the course of the next couple of years.

The Solution?

There is no “instant fix” for the issue. However, those who have studied for a medical biology degree or have a qualification as an operating department practitioner will certainly find themselves in great demand. Those who have the appropriate qualifications will find themselves in a position to help clear some of these backlogs as soon as their studies are finished, and this is certainly a great position for any student to find themselves in.

The NHS is currently struggling with a shortfall of medical staff across the board. This is in part due to the pandemic but also sadly as a result of Brexit, which has made a serious dent in the number of medical staff from other European countries that we might normally have had working in the NHS. This means that there will be plenty of choices of career paths for those with a medical biology degree, whether you have specialised as an operating department practitioner or your interests lie in another direction.

BSc Operating Department Practice at the University of Bolton – A Career in Healthcare

The field of medicine and healthcare is an incredibly diverse one. With the right qualifications, there are plenty of career opportunities available to the right person and even more career progression once you decide exactly what path you would like to take.

At the University of Bolton, we offer a BSc Operating Department Practice course that will offer you all of the skills and qualifications that you will need to start out on your chosen career path. Our state-of-the-art facilities and specialist lecturers offer the perfect setting for the qualifications that you need for a rewarding career in the medical field.

The University of Bolton has been voted 1st in the North West of England for Teaching Quality and Student Experience for the second year running. * We have a diverse, inclusive environment in which you can hone your skills, and plenty of support. We believe this contributes significantly to providing an experience that is #UniAsItShouldBe.

If you would like to learn more about the university or our BSc Operating Department Practice course, we would be delighted to talk to you. Our team of friendly advisors can be contacted at +44 (0)1204 900 600, or you could send a message to enquiries@bolton.ac.uk, and our team will be happy to respond.

*The Guardian University Guide 2022.