Annual Conference of the College of Operating Department Practitioners

On Friday, 8th May 2026, in Birmingham, the College of Operating Department Practitioners (CODP) will welcome ODPs, learners, educators, leaders, and allies from around the globe for a day that is as much about belonging as it is about learning. This is our first independent annual conference since re-establishing ourselves as a standalone professional body, a milestone shaped by the voices, resilience, and ambition of our community.

This year’s theme, People, Planet & Progress, reflects what matters most to us as a profession: the people we care for and work alongside, the responsibility we share for a sustainable future, and the progress we are determined to make together.

For Car Park Information please follow the link: Car Park Information - Edgbaston Park Hotel

Info: Mike took up office as President of the College of Operating Department Practitioners in January 2024, previously he served as Chair of the Education and Standards Committee. Mike has academic experience as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire and clinical experience at Blackpool Victoria Hospital where he commenced his ODP (ODA) career in 1983. Mike represents the College on several national groups including the Allied Health Professions Federation Board, the DHSC Allied Health Professions Public Health Strategy Board and the Health and Care Professions Council Professional Body Forum.

Info: Suzanne qualified as an Occupational Therapist from Oxford. Suzanne was the first Allied Health Professional (AHP) to hold a substantive Director of Nursing post in both provider and commissioning organisations. She became the Chief Executive of a Primary Care Trust, where a particular highlight was having leadership responsibility for delivering health resilience and health ‘blue light’ services during the Olympic sailing events held in Dorset in 2012. She subsequently gained authorisation for a large Clinical Commissioning Group, before moving to her current post with NHS England.
She was appointed as Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England in September 2014.

Info: In this session, Mike will report the findings of the recent CODP Operating Department Practitioner Workforce Census which focused on the ratio of Operating Department Practitioners to Registered Nurses within operating departments, the roles Operating Department Practitioners undertake within operating departments and what leadership roles Operating Department Practitioners hold within operating departments. Mike will also report on current HCPC data relating to Operating Department Practitioners.

Info: This session is focusing on quality improvement (QI) in perioperative care, with a spotlight on the role of patient warming. We will explore the science and practice of maintaining normothermia, highlighting evidence‑based strategies that Operating Department Practitioners can apply across the perioperative pathway. From pre‑operative preparation to intra‑operative management, we will examine technologies, protocols, and teamwork approaches that ensure patient safety and improve outcomes. Speaker - Dr Jon Otter is a Consultant Clinical Scientist and is currently the Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, a large multi-site group of hospitals in London. He is also an academic researcher into Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London.

Session sponsored by Solventum

Info: This session will discover how ODPs are pioneering the Sustainability agenda by integrating sustainable practices into the operating theatre without ever compromising on the high standard of patient care. It will showcase the vital role of ODPs in securing a healthier future for both patients and the planet. Speaker: Liz brings 34 years of NHS experience, beginning as a support worker in Podiatry and Radiology before completing her ODP training in 1998.
She built a strong clinical and leadership career at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, progressing through theatre roles to become Theatre Manager for six years and later Clinical Procurement Lead for Theatres. During this time, she completed both her BSc and MSc.
Driven by a growing commitment to tackling climate change and reducing healthcare waste, Liz became the Trust’s Net Zero Clinical Lead in 2023, championing sustainable practice across the organisation. Speaker: Laura May is an anaesthetic consultant at UHCW.

Info: AGENDA
Welcome and introduction
Presidents’ address – Mike Donnellon
To receive the accounts – Bill Kilvington, Treasurer
To receive the officers’ reports (tabled, questions from the floor)
Sustainability and Social Values - Karen Amber
Patient Safety – Bill Kilvington
Governance and Legal – David Lawson
Education and Standards – Alan Mount
Student Liaison - Justyna Styczen-O'Keefe
Advocacy and Innovation - Tom Wicinski
Award of Fellowships of the College of Operating Department Practitioners
AOB
Presidents’ closing remarks

Info: This session will examine the work of the NHS England funded ODP Workforce reform project: Support for Upskilling, Retention, Growth and Education, where we will report on the progress and outputs of the project to date. Speaker Dr Luke Ewart - I qualified as an Operating Department Practitioner (then ODA) in 1988 and continued to gain clinical experience mainly within anaesthetics and post anaesthetic care. I joined Canterbury Christ Church University in 2001 and was the ODP course director from 2003 to 2024. During which time I developed, wrote and validated several iterations of the BSc (Hons) in Operating Department Practice and also the apprenticeship. I was the Allied and Public Health Professions school director for research and scholarship from 2021 – 2024 and am now in the Associate Dean role for Global Engagement and Internationalisation for the school of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied and Public Health. I regularly contribute to the work of the HCPC as a lead education visitor

Info: Theme: Promoting the Naval Service as a career for an ODP

Info: Andrew Ormerod is a co-founder of CPDme, a digital platform designed to make recording and reflecting on continuing professional development straightforward, accessible, and meaningful for healthcare professionals.
With a background rooted in clinical practice and a passion for supporting professional growth, Andrew understands first-hand the pressures that ODPs face in keeping their CPD up to date. He has worked closely with ODP and wider HCPC communities to develop a tool that fit around the realities of busy clinical life.
In this session, Andrew will explore some of the most common barriers practitioners encounter when it comes to recording their CPDL from time pressures and uncertainty about what counts, to the fear of getting it wrong and will share practical strategies for overcoming them.
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
Why recording CPD feels harder than it should
Common barriers faced by ODPs and how to tackle them
How CPDme simplifies the process for perioperative professionals

Info: This session will explore how technology and AI are reshaping simulated learning for healthcare education. Moving beyond traditional manikin‑based practice, we’ll look at new tools and approaches that create more interactive and adaptive training experiences. For Operating Department Practitioners, this means preparing for a future where simulation supports safer practice, sharper skills, and more effective team learning across theatres and clinical settings.Speaker - Dr Rajinder Singh Chaggar is a Consultant Anaesthetist and Lead for Head and Neck/Airway Anaesthesia at Northwick Park Hospital, and founder of NEO, one of the UK’s largest free multidisciplinary airway workshops. He has a strong interest in simulation, technology-enhanced learning, and emerging AI tools, and how they can support inclusive, practical education for multidisciplinary teams in real clinical settings.

Info: This session will explore how we can build a resilient, representative workforce to advocate for equity from first incision to final recovery. Moving from valuing diversity to actively delivering truly inclusive, high quality perioperative care for everyone. Speaker - Lola Okanlami is a newly qualified Operating Department Practitioner, graduated in December 2025 with a first-class honours degree from Edge Hill University. A widow and the sole parent of three children, Lola balanced full-time study, clinical placements, and family life simultaneously throughout her time at the university. She now works at the NHS Foundation Theatre in Manchester. Having begun her post-qualification career in February 2026. She speaks today as a voice for every student who has ever felt invisible in a theatre that should have been their classroom.

Info: Cat qualified as an ODP at Birmingham City University in 2008 and worked across the Midlands in NHS and private settings. She progressed to Senior ODP in 2015 and completed the mentorship course to help support the next generation of ODPs. In 2024 Cat became the first ODP to be elected as Member of Parliament, fuelled in large part by her desire to have real voices heard in Westminster and help make changes to the health service to benefit both patients and the workforce. She has raised ODP issues in the Commons Chamber with the Secretary of State and chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Healthcare Workers.

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