Clinical Community Spotlight
About Melissa
Melissa qualified as a registered Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) in 2012. From an early age, she aspired to be a nurse, but her career path shifted after volunteering at her local hospital during college. It was there that she discovered the role of the ODP and after engaging with practitioners and learning more about the scope of the role, she became inspired to pursue it as her profession.
Over the years, Melissa has gained extensive experience across multiple specialities, from the Accident and Emergency (A&E) setting to day case theatres. Her work in A&E theatres included responding to medical emergencies throughout the hospital, including cardiac arrest and trauma calls in the Resuscitation Department. She also played a key role in transferring patients to dedicated treatment centres for specialised treatment. Melissa worked for many years as a team leader, coordinating theatre departments and leading clinical teams during high pressure situations learning strong leadership and decision-making skills.
Melissa later transitioned into a Clinical Procurement Specialist Practitioner role, where she applied her frontline experience to influence procurement decisions that support safe and effective patient care. She led and managed procurement projects across multiple sites, working collaboratively with NHS Supply Chain and the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System (ICS).
In September this year, she joined NHS Supply Chain as a Clinical Specialist for Ophthalmology and Perfusion using her clinical insight and transferable skills to help shape procurement strategies that meet the needs of healthcare professionals and improve outcomes for patients, ensuring that products align with real-world clinical needs and improve patient outcomes.
How the Medical Technologies team supports the Clinical and Quality of Care Strategy
The Ophthalmology and Perfusion team sits within the Commercial Directorate. The role of the Clinical Specialist is to provide expertise and enable credible engagement with end users. Ensuring that product decisions are clinically informed, support standardisation and enhance patient outcomes across the NHS, enabling access to clinically effective, innovative and sustainable medical technology for the NHS.
The team works closely with NHS partners, clinicians and suppliers to design solutions that are clinically assured and operationally efficient. This collaborative approach ensures that procurement decisions are not only cost-effective but also clinically acceptable and build resilience against future health challenges.
Life outside of work
Melissa is a proud mum to two young children. Much of her spare time is spent supporting them in the activities they love which includes dancing, football, swimming and boxing. Weekends are often filled with family outings. Melissa also enjoys travelling with her family, with Disney holidays being a firm favourite.
Being an ODP has given me the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives during some of their most vulnerable moments. Transitioning from frontline patient care to the world of procurement has been a steep learning curve, but I’m embracing the challenge and enjoying the opportunity to grow in a new direction.
Melissa Morton, Clinical Procurement Specialist Practitioner, NHS Supply Chain