John Biddle

I spent ten years in the British Army before qualifying as an Operating Department Practitioner in 2005. Since then, my work has taken me across the South and Southwest of England, including London, in a range of specialties that have shaped how I understand theatre life. I’ve always kept my practice broad, because staying close to the work keeps you honest. It reminds you of the pace, the pressure and the quiet moments that hold everything together.

I trained with UK-Med and served on their on-call rota, preparing for deployment into challenging environments. Their training is world class and demands clarity, adaptability and a deep respect for safe practice. That experience changed the way I think about teamwork and the importance of holding standards steady, even when the surroundings are far from ideal.

My path with AfPP began in 2008 when I became the Student Lead, a role I held for five years. It gave me a front-row view of how much guidance and encouragement shape a practitioner’s early confidence. Teaching has stayed with me ever since. I’ve lectured postgraduates, mentored colleagues and tried to build learning spaces that feel open, fair and grounded in real practice.

Alongside my work as an ODP, I’m a Surgical First Assistant and the Infection Prevention and Control lead for theatres. Both roles keep me close to the detail that protects patients and supports teams. I also work as an expert witness in perioperative cases, which sharpens my understanding of professional standards and the impact of the decisions we make.

What continues to strike me about theatre is the people who choose to work in it. Practitioners are a breed apart. The things we see, the things we do and the responsibility we carry each day set us slightly outside ordinary experience. It takes a particular blend of skill, humour, resilience and compassion to do this job well. I’ve always felt a deep respect for the people who make theatre work, and that respect guides how I try to show up for them.

Outside work, I write. I’m a published fiction author and I’m working on a non-fiction book about medicine. Writing gives me a different way to look at our profession and the people who keep it moving.

I’m proud to have been elected as an AfPP Trustee. It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. The members placed their trust in me, and I intend to honour that by supporting high standards, strengthening our profession and helping practitioners feel valued, confident and heard. AfPP has always stood for safer, stronger perioperative care, and I’m committed to contributing to that work.