Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are registered healthcare professionals (regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council) working across the anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthetic phases of perioperative care. Pay follows the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale, starting at Band 5 for newly qualified practitioners (around GBP 29,970) and rising to Band 8a for Theatre or Perioperative Services Managers (up to around GBP 60,504). This guide shows estimated take-home after Income Tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension Scheme for 2026/27.
Indicative UK ranges based on advertised and reported salaries. London and the South East typically pay towards the top of each range. Actual pay varies by employer, sector and location.
| Level | Stage | Typical pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newly Qualified ODP | Band 5, point 1 | GBP 29,970 | DipHE/BSc in Operating Department Practice; HCPC registered |
| ODP (experienced) | Band 5, top of band | GBP 32,000-GBP 36,483 | Full scope across anaesthetic, surgical and recovery phases |
| Senior / Specialist ODP | Band 6 | GBP 37,338-GBP 44,962 | Anaesthetic specialist, trauma team or advanced recovery practice |
| Lead ODP / Advanced Practitioner | Band 7 | GBP 46,148-GBP 52,809 | Team leadership, advanced clinical practice, training coordination |
| Theatre / Perioperative Services Manager | Band 8a | GBP 53,755-GBP 60,504 | Multi-theatre operational management |
2026/27 England rates. Personal Allowance GBP 12,570. No pension salary sacrifice or student loan applied. Actual take-home will differ based on tax code, employer pension and any benefits in kind.
| Scenario | Gross | Income tax | NI | Net/year | Net/month | Keep % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly Qualified (Band 5) | GBP 29,970 | GBP 3,480 | GBP 1,392 | GBP 25,098 | GBP 2,092/mo | 84% |
| Experienced (Band 5 top) | GBP 34,500 | GBP 4,386 | GBP 1,754 | GBP 28,360 | GBP 2,363/mo | 82% |
| Senior/Specialist (Band 6) | GBP 41,000 | GBP 5,686 | GBP 2,274 | GBP 33,040 | GBP 2,753/mo | 81% |
| Lead ODP (Band 7) | GBP 49,000 | GBP 7,286 | GBP 2,914 | GBP 38,800 | GBP 3,233/mo | 79% |
| Theatre Manager (Band 8a) | GBP 57,000 | GBP 10,232 | GBP 3,151 | GBP 43,617 | GBP 3,635/mo | 77% |
For your exact figure including pension, bonus and any other deductions, use the take-home pay calculator.
ODPs are automatically enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme 2015 (a Career Average Revalued Earnings scheme), with tiered employee contributions ranging from 5.2% to 14.5% of pensionable pay depending on salary band. At a typical Band 6 salary of around GBP 41,000, the employee contribution rate is 9.8%, deducted before Income Tax relief is applied, meaning the net cost after tax relief is lower than the headline percentage.
Theatre work frequently involves early starts, on-call cover for emergency lists and occasional night working for trauma and obstetric theatres, all of which attract unsocial-hours enhancements under the NHS Agenda for Change terms -- typically an additional 15-25% on the hours worked outside standard daytime shifts. These enhancements are pensionable, adding further value beyond the basic banded salary.
