The Association for Perioperative Practice

What The Association for Perioperative Practice does

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) is a UK-registered charity and professional membership association founded in 1964 (originally as the National Association of Theatre Nurses) and headquartered in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. It serves perioperative practitioners — theatre nurses, Operating Department Practitioners, healthcare assistants, sterile services staff, and students — across NHS and independent healthcare settings, alongside the healthcare organisations that employ them and the medical device and pharmaceutical companies that supply the operating theatre environment. AfPP has grown to over 6,000 individual members and claims a wider reach to more than 13,000 perioperative professionals through 14 UK regional chapters and 13 Specialist Interest Groups.

The association's product surface is layered. Core revenue is generated by tiered individual subscriptions (Registered £144/yr, Non-Registered £111/yr, Newly Qualified £81/yr, Retired £90/yr, free Student tier) and organisation-paid schemes for hospital employers. On top of this, AfPP sells corporate membership packages (£3,500-£6,500/yr), commercial theatre accreditation and audit services for hospitals, an on-demand Theatre Access Course for medical device and pharmaceutical reps (£95+VAT), the AfPP Academy for whole-team hospital training, a two-day Perioperative Leadership in Practice Course (£675), advertising in the Journal of Perioperative Practice and IPP Magazine, and a publications catalogue led by Standards & Recommendations for Safe Perioperative Practice. A medical professional liability insurance scheme, administered via Marsh Commercial and underwritten through The MPLC at Lloyd's of London, generates admin fees (£40.92 per policy plus IPT) and rounds out the revenue mix.

AfPP is member-governed through a board of trustees, led by CEO Alex Duke (appointed June 2023), President Oliver Tierney, and President Elect Maxine Page, with a wholly owned commercial subsidiary (AfPP Ltd) housing non-charitable activity. Distribution runs primarily through portal.afpp.org.uk for self-serve membership, Eventbrite for regional events, a dedicated conference website, and direct sales for accreditation and corporate packages. Strategic activity in 2026 has concentrated on enhanced corporate membership, an Academy division, expanded events and webinars, and enterprise partnerships with groups including Circle Health Group and Nuffield Health.

Name

The Association for Perioperative Practice

Legal name

The Association for Perioperative Practice

Website

https://afpp.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association for Perioperative Practice is a UK-registered charity and professional membership association serving perioperative practitioners — theatre nurses, ODPs, healthcare assistants, and students — across NHS and independent healthcare settings, generating revenue from subscriptions, corporate membership, theatre accreditation, training courses, publications, and insurance administration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Healthcare Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB)

Keywords

• Perioperative practice education
• Healthcare professional membership
• Clinical standards publishing
• Medical liability insurance
• Theatre accreditation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrogate

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Subscriptions: Annual and monthly subscription fees from individual members. Tiers include Registered (£144/year), Non-Registered (£111/year), Newly Qualified (£81/year), Retired (£90/year), and Student (free). Also available as organization-paid schemes where employers cover membership costs for their staff.
2. Corporate Membership: Annual corporate membership packages for organizations wanting to connect with perioperative professionals. Corporate Partner tier at £6,500/year offers premium exposure and collaboration opportunities. Corporate Member tier at £3,500/year provides foundational access.
3. Medical Professional Liability Insurance: AfPP provides medical professional liability insurance for perioperative practitioners through The MPLC underwritten by Lloyd's of London. Premiums range from £134.88 for £1M cover to £285.36 for £3M private cover (2026-2027). Admin fee of £40.92 plus 12% IPT applies.
4. Theatre Access Course: Online training course for medical device representatives, pharmaceutical representatives, and service engineers to gain competencies required in operating theatres. Priced at £95 + VAT on-demand. Includes certificate, ID pass-card (valid 2 years), and free copy of Theatre Etiquette Guide.
5. Perioperative Leadership in Practice Course: Two-day in-person leadership course for perioperative practitioners stepping into leadership roles. Priced at £675 excluding VAT (November 2026, London).
6. Theatre Accreditation Services: AfPP provides theatre accreditation, audit, peer review, and policy review services to hospitals. These commercial services help hospitals demonstrate commitment to perioperative standards.
7. Advertising: Advertising opportunities in the Journal of Perioperative Practice (JPP), Innovation People and Practice (IPP) magazine, and on the AfPP website (5,000+ monthly visitors). Dedicated recruitment advertising and job listings. Prices start from £225.
8. Publications and Books: Sale of publications including Standards & Recommendations for Safe Perioperative Practice (£120 member/£165 non-member), Surgical First Assistant Competency Toolkit (£100/£145), Perioperative Audit Tool (£95/£145), and other educational books at various price points.
9. Event Sponsorship: Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities at the Annual National Conference (500+ attendees), Regional Conferences (100-150 delegates each), Webinars (24+ per year), and Symposium events. Single-use surgical company Single Use Surgical has utilized these for lead generation and brand visibility.
10. Commercial Endorsement and Accreditation: Endorsement service for educational materials (two-year license with AfPP Endorsed logo) and accreditation for training courses and events. Provides kite-mark credibility for products and programs in the perioperative space.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels16 records

Core offering

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) is a UK professional membership charity that sells tiered individual and corporate memberships to perioperative practitioners (theatre nurses, Operating Department Practitioners, healthcare support workers) and to healthcare organizations and medical device companies. Paid members receive access to peer-reviewed publications, CPD-accredited webinars and courses, networking through 14 UK regional networks and 14 Specialist Interest Groups, member-only professional indemnity insurance, and a confidential Professional Advice Service, while AfPP separately sells theatre accreditation and audit services to hospitals, AfPP Academy training, the Theatre Access Course, publications (books, Journal, IPP Magazine) and endorsed/accredited logo licences to corporate partners.

Product overview

The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) operates as a unified membership organization with multiple interconnected product categories. Core membership tiers (Registered, Non-Registered, Student, Retired, Newly Qualified, Overseas) form the foundation, providing access to education, publications, and support services. Events portfolio includes the flagship Annual National Conference, six Regional Conferences, and specialist Symposiums (Human Factors, Robotics, Emergencies and Trauma). Education offerings span the Academy for whole-team training, Theatre Access Course for industry representatives, Leadership courses, and webinars. Publications include the peer-reviewed Journal of Perioperative Practice (10x/year with Sage Publishing), Innovation People and Practice Magazine (6x/year), EBSCOhost e-book library, and AfPP-authored books. Commercial services provide Theatre Accreditation, Commercial Endorsement/Accreditation, and advertising. Support services include Professional Advice Service helpline, 14 Specialist Interest Groups with forums, and Discussion Forums. Insurance products (Medical Professional Liability via MPLC/Lloyd's) and Corporate Membership packages offer additional revenue streams while supporting the organization's charitable mission of improving perioperative patient safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership (Registered / Non-Registered / Newly Qualified / Retired / Student / Overseas tiers) Tiered annual membership subscriptions for individual perioperative practitioners (registered healthcare practitioners, non-registered practitioners including assistant theatre practitioners and healthcare support workers, students, newly qualified professionals in their first year, retirees, and overseas practitioners). Provides access to digital Standards and Recommendations, live and on-demand webinars with CPD hours, discounted conferences and courses, Journal of Perioperative Practice subscription, Professional Advice Service, Specialist Interest Groups, discussion forums, networking and the option of medical liability insurance.
• Organisation Paid Member Scheme Membership scheme for healthcare organisations (NHS trusts and independent hospitals) to cover AfPP membership costs for their workforce, including free webinars, Professional Advice Service access, digital Standards and Recommendations, discounted study days, journal subscription, optional medical liability insurance and networking opportunities.
• Corporate Membership (Corporate Partner and Corporate Member tiers) Annual corporate membership packages (Corporate Partner at GBP 6,500/year and Corporate Member at GBP 3,500/year) sold to medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, suppliers and healthcare organisations seeking access to over 13,000 perioperative professionals. Includes hours of contact time with AfPP Clinical Team/CEO, awards naming rights, discounted endorsement/accreditation, complimentary Theatre Access Course places, advertising in JPP or IPP, website listing, social media welcome, member email, digital advert and priority sponsorship access for the Partner tier.
• Medical Professional Liability Insurance Member-only professional indemnity insurance underwritten by The Medical Professional Liability Company Limited (The MPLC) backed by Lloyd's of London and brokered by Marsh Commercial for perioperative practitioners providing services in and around operating theatres. Offered at three cover levels (GBP 1M, GBP 3M, and GBP 3M private practice) with annual premium pricing plus admin fee and 12% IPT.
• Annual National Conference AfPP's flagship annual two-day conference for over 500 perioperative professionals featuring keynote sessions, workshops, live demonstrations and networking, with up to 13.5 CPD hours. The 2026 event takes place 7-8 August at Wyboston Lakes Resort. Tickets and sponsorship/exhibition packages are sold through the dedicated conference site.
• Regional Conferences Series of six one-day regional conferences across the UK in 2026 (Bristol, London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Cambridge) for 100-150 delegates each, covering cutting-edge topics such as AI, robotics, sustainability, clinical advancements and mental health. Tickets sold via Eventbrite and AfPP website; sponsorship/exhibition packages available.
• Specialist Symposiums (Human Factors; Emergencies and Trauma; Robotics) Topic-specific single-day symposiums for perioperative professionals: the Human Factors in Practice Symposium (Sheffield, 8 October 2026) on culture, performance and safety; the Emergencies and Trauma Symposium (London, 5 March 2026 at the Royal Society of Medicine); and the Robotics Symposium (11 June 2025 at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital). Includes poster submission, sponsorship and exhibition opportunities.
• Live and On-Demand Webinars Programme of 24+ live perioperative webinars per year (Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings) plus an on-demand library, delivered via GoToWebinar with live Q&A, CPD hours and sponsor opportunities. Topics include Emergency Airway Management, Embedding Sustainability and The Future of The Workforce. Free for paying and student members; small charge for non-members.
• Perioperative Leadership in Practice Course Two-day expert-led in-person course for new or aspiring perioperative leaders (Band 5-7), scheduled for 10-11 November 2026 in London. Covers leadership skills, team management, communication and theatre flow. Priced at GBP 675 excluding VAT.
• AfPP Academy (Whole Team Training Academy) Bespoke whole-team clinical education programme for hospital theatre departments. Curriculum covers accountability, human factors, leadership, patient safety and practical sessions, designed to reduce Never Events and create cohesive theatre teams. Delivered on-site to NHS and private-sector clients (including Blackpool Teaching Hospital).
• Theatre Access Course On-demand online training course priced at GBP 95 + VAT that delivers Level 5/Tier 3 competencies required for medical device representatives, pharmaceutical representatives and service engineers to enter and work in operating theatres. Approximately 38 minutes of training plus 18 minutes of assessment, with a certificate and ID pass-card valid for 2 years plus a free Theatre Etiquette Guide. Recognised by most NHS Trusts, private hospitals and the Medical Industry Accredited (MIA) scheme.
• Journal of Perioperative Practice AfPP's official international peer-reviewed journal published 10 times yearly in partnership with Sage Publishing. Covers all aspects of perioperative care with evidence-based practice articles. Free digital subscription for paying members with access to the full article archive.
• Innovation, People and Practice (IPP) Magazine Careers-focused publication issued six times yearly covering news, special focus pieces, best practice, wellbeing, competitions, education and training in the perioperative field. Free digital version for members; printed version available on subscription. Hospital theatres can order free copies.
• EBSCOhost e-Book Library Collection Curated digital library of 30 e-book publications hosted via EBSCOhost and accessible to AfPP members, covering perioperative practice topics across all career stages. The collection continues to expand on a data-led basis.
• AfPP Publications (Books and Toolkits) AfPP-authored and published books and toolkits with member vs. non-member pricing, including the Standards and Recommendations for Safe Perioperative Practice (5th Edition), Surgical First Assistant Competency Toolkit, Perioperative Audit Tool, Theatre Etiquette Guide, Sharing Knowledge in the Perioperative Environment and Staffing for Patients in the Perioperative Setting.
• Professional Advice Service Confidential helpline provided to members by experienced registered healthcare professionals, offering clinical, ethical and professional advice to perioperative practitioners. Free for all paying members, available Monday-Thursday 9:00-16:30 and Friday 9:00-16:00.
• Specialist Interest Groups (14 member forums) Online member-only community forums covering 14 specialist perioperative areas including Advancing Surgical Roles, Anaesthetic and Recovery, Clinical Management and Leadership, Educators, Human Factors, Military, Non-Registered Perioperative Practitioner, Ophthalmic, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Research and Development, Robotics, Students and Early Careers, Sustainability, and Writers.
• Discussion Forums (General) Online general perioperative discussion forum for members covering surgical techniques, patient safety, teamwork, professional development and operating theatre challenges. Used for peer collaboration, networking and educational exchange.
• Theatre Accreditation, Audit and Services Hospital-facing accreditation, audit and review services benchmarked against AfPP Standards and Recommendations for Safe Perioperative Practice 2022, including initial visits, reaccreditation visits, policy reviews, staffing reviews and peer reviews. Accreditation is valid for two years. Customers include Circle Health Group hospitals (Reading, The Priory, The Duchy, The Harbour, London Independent, Chelsfield Park, The Manor), Ramsay Woodthorpe Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, Bishopswood Hospital and Werndale Hospital.
• Commercial Endorsement and Accreditation Two-year licence programmes licensing the AfPP Endorsed logo for educational materials (brochures, publications, books, apps) and the AfPP Accredited logo for third-party training courses and events (seminars, workshops, webinars) including CPD hour validation.
• Advertising Services (Journal / IPP / Website / Recruitment Emails) Sold advertising placements in the Journal of Perioperative Practice, Innovation People and Practice Magazine, the AfPP website (5,000+ monthly visitors), dedicated recruitment emails to 10,000+ members and dedicated job listings. Prices start from GBP 225. Sales handled by the AfPP sales team via [email protected] or 01423 881 300.

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Nuffield HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Nuffield Health strengthens commitment to outstanding theatre standards through AfPP partnership (announced July 2026). Nuffield Health is a major UK healthcare provider operating hospitals and health clubs.
• Sage PublishingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Journal of Perioperative Practice is published in partnership with Sage Publishing. Sage is an international publisher of academic journals and books. The journal is an international, peer-reviewed publication with multidisciplinary ethos across all aspects of perioperative care.
• Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP works closely with CPOC, a cross-partner body working to improve perioperative care. The AfPP Behaviours Charter is endorsed by CPOC and Civility Saves Lives.
• Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh Faculty of Perioperative Care (FPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP collaborates with RCS Edinburgh Faculty of Perioperative Care on standards and professional development for perioperative practitioners.
• Perioperative Care Collaboration (PCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP works with PCC on collaborative initiatives to advance perioperative care standards and practice.
• SAFE ORminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP collaborates with SAFE OR on patient safety initiatives in the perioperative environment.
• OneTogetherminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP partners with OneTogether on shared goals for perioperative safety and best practice.
• International Federation of Perioperative Nurses (IFPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP connects with international perioperative nursing community through IFPN membership and collaboration.
• Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP works with RCoA on professional standards and guidelines relevant to anaesthetic and perioperative practice.
• The Medical Professional Liability Company Limited (The MPLC)coreOthersAfPP sources Medical Professional Liability Insurance through The MPLC, underwritten by Lloyd's of London. The MPLC is an underwriting intermediary licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission.
• Marsh CommercialcoreOthersMarsh Commercial is the insurance broker for AfPP's professional liability insurance scheme. They are authorized and regulated by the FCA. The Association for Perioperative Practice & AfPP Ltd is a client of Marsh Commercial.
• Medical Industry Accredited (MIA) SchememinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfPP's Theatre Access Course ID pass-card is accepted by most NHS Trusts, private hospitals, and by the Medical Industry Accredited (MIA) scheme. The MIA register is recognized for company representatives working in operating theatres.
• Circle Health Group (Multiple Hospitals)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple Circle Health Group hospitals (Reading, Priory, Duchy, Harbour, London Independent, Chelsfield Park, Manor) have achieved AfPP accreditation, demonstrating commitment to theatre standards. Circle is a leading UK private hospital group.
• Ramsay Health Care UK (Woodthorpe Hospital)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRamsay Health Care Woodthorpe Hospital achieved AfPP accreditation. Ramsay is a major international hospital operator.
• Blackpool Teaching HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlackpool Teaching Hospital received AfPP Academy training on leadership, human factors, and patient safety. Provided positive feedback on course delivery by Max and Olly.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal College of Nursing (RCN): UK nursing membership and trade union organisation with significantly larger scale, offering CPD, publications, and representation that subsumes perioperative nurses. Comparable membership-economics and publication model, but operates across all nursing disciplines rather than specialising in perioperative.
• British Medical Association (BMA): UK doctors' membership association operating at much larger scale with similar subscription, publication, lobbying, and CPD product mix. Useful benchmark for membership-driven professional association economics, even though BMA covers physicians rather than allied perioperative practitioners.

Direct peers

• Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN): US-based membership association for perioperative registered nurses, offering the closest international parallel to AfPP. Operates individual and corporate memberships, a peer-reviewed journal, standards and guidelines, and hospital consulting services — directly comparable on mission, member base, and revenue model.
• College of Operating Department Practitioners: UK professional body specifically representing Operating Department Practitioners, overlapping with AfPP's own ODP membership base. Comparable on representation and CPD focus but narrower in scope (ODP-only) and lacking AfPP's broader commercial services.
• Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada (ORNAC): Canadian national association for OR nurses, publishing standards, hosting conferences, and providing CPD for perioperative practitioners. Closest functional counterpart to AfPP outside the UK/Australia/US axis.
• Australian College of Perioperative Nurses (ACORN): Australia's national perioperative nursing membership body, providing standards, education, conferences, and a peer-reviewed journal. Comparable peer structure (theatre nurses, anaesthetic and recovery practitioners) and overlapping product set (membership, accreditation, CPD).

Others

• International Federation of Perioperative Nurses (IFPN): Global umbrella body of which AfPP is a member; comparable in standards-setting and international networking remit, but does not directly compete for individual members and operates at federation level rather than providing membership services end-users consume.
• OneTogether: UK collaborative partnership focused on surgical site infection prevention that AfPP already partners with; adjacent rather than competing, but a useful reference point for non-membership safety-improvement associations in the same perioperative ecosystem.

Regional players

• New Zealand Nurses Organisation Perioperative Nurses College: Specialist perioperative college within NZNO serving New Zealand theatre nurses with similar standards, CPD, and conference programming. Regionally distinct but directly analogous in scope and member profile to AfPP.

Emerging players

• British Association of Day Surgery (BADS): UK membership organisation focused on day surgery with overlapping perioperative practitioner audience. Smaller and more niche than AfPP, but competes for the same hospital and practitioner attention in adjacent subspecialty.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safersurgeryuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/SaferSurgeryUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safersurgeryuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/safersurgeryuk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Association for Perioperative Practice