About CODP and UNISON

CODP is the recognised professional body for all Operating Department Practitioners.  Our role is to promote our profession, and to develop its future on behalf of all members of the profession.  We define standards of practice, ensure these are backed up through documentation and a professional curriculum delivered by universities, and we engage with the Health Professional Council and other professional bodies to ensure that Operating Department Practitioners will continue to bring appropriate expertise to the perioperative team. 

The College is run by its members.  Our Professional Council and all our committees are made up of ODPs, working in practice or in education.  To become a member of one of our committees you can complete the Expression of Interest form.

CODP is a subsidiary of UNISON which guarantees and demonstrates the autonomy of the Professional Council on all professional matters.  It is through the financial and practical support of UNISON that the College has been able to continue to function and provide services to our members in difficult times.  UNISON has extended certain benefits to CODP members – its professional indemnity scheme, and its UNISONplus benefits; and to CODP itself - “opening doors” for CODP officers with government departments; technical support and a home for the CODP office.

UNISON is the major public services trade union.  It has over 1.4 million members, including many ODP working in the NHS and in private healthcare.  UNISON has the largest NHS membership of any trade union, and has an infrastructure of local branches and regional offices, and a hotline UNISONdirect (0845 355 0845) to help its members who may need individual support.

UNISON has made the decision to provide CODP membership to all its qualifying members as part of their normal subscription.  This provides ODPs who are UNISON members with access to professional advice and guidance that UNISON is otherwise not equipped to provide – and membership of two organisations for the price of one.

CODP provides advice and guidance to members on your professional practice – either through information available on this web site, or through CODP run events, or in response to individual enquiries made through this website or direct to the CODP office.

What we cannot do, however, is provide representation services to you in respect of employment matters; this includes negotiating on your terms and conditions of service, representing individual employment issues with your employer, or at an Employment Tribunal, or with the HPC.  These are the function of a trade union.

The CODP Professional Council encourages all our members to join a relevant trade union, and believes UNISON is the most appropriate and best option for ODPs working in a clinical setting.

You can find out more about UNISON here