Sterile Services Manager (Horton)

Job description

Job responsibilities

TheSterile Services Manager is responsible for managing a specific sterile services department within Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), ensuring the highest quality of service through optimal use of resources, and delivering against agreed targets and within budget. The post holder acts as the line manager for all supervisory and technical sterile services staff, working within Good Manufacturing Practice Guidelines. They provide specialist knowledge and information regarding sterile services across the Trust, ensuring all resources, including staff and equipment, are effectively organised.

The manager deputises for and assists the Head of Sterile Services, ensuring continuity of service provision in their absence. A key aspect of the role is ensuring that the Sterile Services Department (SSD) complies with all relevant legislation and quality management systems, such as ISO 13485 and the Medical Device Regulations. The manager is also responsible for monitoring service standards and ensuring technical requirements are met in line with strategic objectives.

Main Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational management of service delivery.
• Line manage sterile services staff, including absence management, disciplinary actions, performance appraisals, and recruitment.
• Plan and prioritise work to ensure timely decontamination of reusable medical devices, meeting organisational targets.
• Manage, train, and assess the competence of Medical Device Decontamination Science Practitioners.
• Offer guidance to all departmental staff and develop key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Act as budget holder, ensuring departmental operations remain within financial constraints.
• Deputise for the Head of Sterile Services as required.
• Contribute to the development, monitoring, and evaluation of service performance against objectives and KPIs.
• Liaise with internal and external customers to ensure needs are met according to service level agreements.
• Maintain and promote high standards of departmental safety and manage risk assessments.
• Implement Trust, Directorate, and specialist policies, demonstrating effective project and change management skills.

• Oversee day-to-day management and maintenance of all departmental systems.
• Work unsupervised across all areas of the speciality.
• Plan and prioritise departmental workflow, ensuring optimal use of staff and equipment.
• Take technical responsibility for the department, including security of buildings, equipment, and chemicals.
• Ensure routine maintenance and operation of specialist decontamination equipment.
• Undertake specialist equipment testing, research, and development.
• Develop and review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and monitor consumables.
• Attend specialist meetings and conventions, contributing to service development.
• Manage staff CPD, conduct literature reviews, and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Record, interpret, and authorise equipment and environmental test results.

• Oversee and evaluate new equipment, materials, and methodologies.
• Lead research and development projects under the Head of Sterile Services.
• Organise and participate in validation of new equipment and processes.
• Develop new protocols and procedures, including those impacting other disciplines.
• Collate and present technical data for review and analysis.

• Manage the departments Quality Policy, Technical File, and Quality Manual, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and standards.
• Lead service development and improvement to ensure safe, effective, and cost-efficient delivery.
• Manage internal and external audit programmes, liaising with regulatory and accreditation bodies (e.g., MHRA, CQC).
• Ensure ongoing compliance with accreditation standards and manage departmental processes for quality assurance.
• Maintain and manage departmental information systems, including electronic tracking, rosters, procurement, and incident reporting.
• Audit data held on departmental systems and assist in preparing records for the quality management system.

• Conduct risk assessments and address departmental risks to internal and external environments.
• Monitor and audit work areas for safety, ensuring compliance with legislation and Trust policies.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate training and supervision for equipment operation.
• Complete and ensure statutory and mandatory training for all staff.

• Develop and improve expertise through meetings, CPD, and maintaining a professional portfolio.
• Facilitate and participate in staff training and development planning.
• Maintain staff training and competence records.
• Act as a point of contact for education and training providers and professional bodies (e.g., IDSc).
• Develop and manage departmental training programmes, promoting a positive training culture.

• Maintain effective communication within the team to ensure efficient service running.
• Respond to customer and service user enquiries, providing complex technical guidance.
• Participate in and lead team meetings, ensuring regular communication with the Head of Sterile Services and junior staff.
• Coordinate and minute departmental meetings as required, and attend external meetings as appropriate.

• Work with service users to ensure the service meets stakeholder expectations and gather feedback.
• Collaborate with the Head of Sterile Services and other managers to develop and implement evidence-based protocols and policies.
• Participate in Trust committees and working groups to ensure compliance with decontamination standards.

Key Relationships

• Head of Sterile Services: Direct line manager; provides guidance, support, and escalation for complex issues.
• Operational Services Manager Pharmacy: Accountable to this role for overall service delivery.
• Supervisory and Technical Staff: Direct reports; includes Deputy Managers, Supervisors, Technicians, and Assistants.
• Internal Customers/Service Users: Clinical teams and departments relying on decontamination services.
• External Customers/Service Users: External organisations or partners as per service level agreements.
• Regulatory and Accreditation Bodies: Includes MHRA, CQC, and Notified Bodies for compliance and accreditation.
• Education and Training Providers: For staff development and CPD, including the Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc).
• Trust Committees and Working Groups: For policy development, service improvement, and compliance.
• Other Key Professionals: Infection Control, Estates Services, and other Trust departments involved in decontamination policy and practice.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Postgraduate Degree or equivalent level of knowledge of Decontamination Sciences
• Professional management qualification at Postgraduate level or equivalent level of knowledge
• Decontamination users course

Desirable

• Quality Systems Management qualification
• QMS auditing qualification
• Member of the Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc)

Experience

Essential

• 5 years minimum experience within a medical device decontamination environment or similar.
• Significant experience of management of staff
• Experienced and efficient at managing a budget

Desirable

• Experience of managing quality management systems and external auditing process to ISO 13485 / Medical Device Regulations.
• Experience of working with HTMs, Health Building Note, and related regulatory requirements.

Personal Skills

Essential

• Highly specialised decontamination knowledge acquired through ongoing specialist training or experience
• Knowledge of relevant ISO standards and their implementation
• Knowledge of relevant medical devices used within the department
• Evidence of ongoing CPD
• Be able to understand, provide and receive data of a complex technical nature
• Able to organise and manage their responsibilities with referral to senior management when required in a timely and efficient manner
• Self -motivated and a positive outlook
• Able to deal with related pressures of overseeing staff and department procedures
• Ability to interpret and make decisions under pressure in a reasoned and correct manner according to department operational procedures the outcome of which may have major clinical consequences

Behavioural Skills

Essential

• Aligned to the Trust values.
• Excellent communication skills combined with the ability to communicate potentially highly complex, sensitive issues with colleagues in an effective and positive manner
• Proven ability to manage and train less qualified staff
• Professional manner at all times
• Positive attitude to all tasks and stakeholders.
• To work in a manner that is both safe to themselves and others within the department's environment

Technical Skills

Essential

• Computer literate with experience of working with the Microsoft Office package
• Advanced keyboard skills
• Can work to strict standards of quality and Safety
• Able to work on own initiative
• Ability to undertake and interpret reports on highly complex decontamination investigations analysing the outcome of equipment testing or procedures and their clinical significance to patients where a range of options may be involved
• Ability to recognise and monitor parameters of quality, accuracy and imprecision according to department standard operational procedures
• Able to lead or participate in the production and interpretation of audit data
• Able to analyse and subsequently manage organisational and staffing issues

Desirable

• Computer/keyboard skills qualification/training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Horton General Hospital Sterile Services Department

Oxford Road

Banbury

OX19 9AL

Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)