Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) has decided to discontinue the Operating Department Practice (ODP) degree course, with the last intake of student's being September 2017. 

There are several reasons for the discontinuation of the course which include: 

• The course is not sustainable on a financial level.

• The course does not receive any research grants. 

• The course does not offer post graduate options via GCU.

• The university has a research strategy that is currently focused on chronic, long term conditions and the ODP profession is directed mainly in an acute setting. 

Unfortunately the current supply does not meet demand; GCU provides roughly 20 graduates each year, nowhere near the amount required to meet the demand and needs of peri-operative environments across NHS Scotland. 

We, the students, qualified ODPS,  anaesthetists, staff nurses, theatre coordinators, surgeons and other members of the multi-disiplinary team want to the see the course continue. 

ODPs are valued members of the operating department and provide skilled support as anaesthetic assistants, scrub, circulating and recovery practitoners. Theatre departments across the country are constantly in need of ODPs to fill a large gap in resources. 

We believe that the discontinuation the BSc ODP course only adds to this problem. The course should be expanded, not withdrawn. We ask the Scottish Government to support the profession and help expand it to support the needs of NHS Scotland and it's patients by assisting the university to help keep the course running, with a view to expanding the course to universities across the country. 

Thank you