Varicose vein surgery performed by a surgical care practitioner.

A surgical care practitioner (SCP) completed a structured training programme to perform all aspects of varicose vein surgery including sapheno-femoral disconnection and long saphenous vein stripping. Over a four-year period, she performed 152 groin procedures, closed 191 groin wounds and undertook phlebectomies on 91 legs with excellent results. A SCP can be used to improve theatre utilization and efficiency with no obvious drawbacks.