Job summary
We are recruiting for a Sterile Services Technician - Sterile Services Department (SSD) who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
The department operates Monday - Friday 7am to 4am and 8am to 4pm weekends and bank holidays. This means shift patterns can range from 7am to 3pm, 12.30 pm to 8.30pm and 8pm to 4am during the week and 8am to 4pm at weekends and bank holidays.
The successful candidate is expected to participate in the full departmental rota of all three shifts and one weekend a month.
At the heart of everything we do are our core values:Include,Respect, andImprove. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.
Main duties of the job
The Sterile Services Technician will provide a high quality decontamination and sterilisation service that supports clinical teams by ensuring all surgical instruments and medical devices are cleaned, inspected, packed, sterilised and delivered in accordance with strict quality and infection control standards.
You will demonstrate and maintain a level of understanding of decontamination terminology and processes as well as taking responsibility to self-educate and increase knowledge by taking advantage of any relevant available training as determined by the line manager.
The post holder will prepare and dress for work (including PPE) in all areas of the trust where required to participate in the collection, preparation, decontamination and sterilization of instruments and devices.
You will also develop and sustain productive working relationships with colleagues.
The successful candidate will need to communicate effectively to perform clear and concise handovers.
About us
At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
- The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
- New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
- Hertford County, Hertford
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- Basic operator training for washer disinfectors, sterilisers and endoscopy
- Evidence of certified in-house training within a sterile services department
- Evidence of continued professional development for SSD/EDD or equivalent experience to vocational level 3
Desirable
- 1 st line supervisory or management training
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience working within a busy SSD/EDD environment
- Experience in mentoring decontamination staff
- Experience with communicating with users of the service
Desirable
- Experience at a supervisory level
Skills
Essential
- Good written & verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills including computer skills
- Good orgainisational skills and time management
- Able to communicate and exchange technical information, both within and outside the trust
- Able to understand and implement manufactures guidelines for the reprocessing of re-usable medical devices
- Ability to meet deadlines, be adaptive, follow procedures, and work & respond well under pressure
- Have good manual dexterity and excellent vision, with or without reading aids
- Able to stand for long periods of time
- Able to work in an area with moderate to heavy physical activity (pushing, pulling, lifting)
- Able to concentrate for long periods of time whilst quality checking complex instrumentation
- Able to work in an environment where there is a high exposure to items contaminated with blood, bone and tissue
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the standards expected in the Quality Assurance Systems and Medical Devices Regulations
- Knowledge of HTM01-01 and HTM01-06 guidance
- Knowledge of QMS and participation in audits
- Knowledge of testing & validation requirements for decontamination machinery
Desirable
- Knowledge of performance management
- Knowledge of appraisal systems
Other Requirements
Essential
- Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
- Role model our Trust values every day
- Treat all colleagues, including porters, nurses, surgeons and fellow technicians with professionalism and courtesy
- Ability to work alongside others and influence change through staff development
- Uphold the importance of own contribution to patient safety by ensuring all instruments are accurately prepared and processed
- Maintain confidentiality and handle equipment and data with discretion and integrity
- Take pride in delivering a behind- the-scenes service that directly impacts the quality of care and patient outcomes
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- Basic operator training for washer disinfectors, sterilisers and endoscopy
- Evidence of certified in-house training within a sterile services department
- Evidence of continued professional development for SSD/EDD or equivalent experience to vocational level 3
Desirable
- 1 st line supervisory or management training
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience working within a busy SSD/EDD environment
- Experience in mentoring decontamination staff
- Experience with communicating with users of the service
Desirable
- Experience at a supervisory level
Skills
Essential
- Good written & verbal communication and excellent interpersonal skills including computer skills
- Good orgainisational skills and time management
- Able to communicate and exchange technical information, both within and outside the trust
- Able to understand and implement manufactures guidelines for the reprocessing of re-usable medical devices
- Ability to meet deadlines, be adaptive, follow procedures, and work & respond well under pressure
- Have good manual dexterity and excellent vision, with or without reading aids
- Able to stand for long periods of time
- Able to work in an area with moderate to heavy physical activity (pushing, pulling, lifting)
- Able to concentrate for long periods of time whilst quality checking complex instrumentation
- Able to work in an environment where there is a high exposure to items contaminated with blood, bone and tissue
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the standards expected in the Quality Assurance Systems and Medical Devices Regulations
- Knowledge of HTM01-01 and HTM01-06 guidance
- Knowledge of QMS and participation in audits
- Knowledge of testing & validation requirements for decontamination machinery
Desirable
- Knowledge of performance management
- Knowledge of appraisal systems
Other Requirements
Essential
- Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
- Role model our Trust values every day
- Treat all colleagues, including porters, nurses, surgeons and fellow technicians with professionalism and courtesy
- Ability to work alongside others and influence change through staff development
- Uphold the importance of own contribution to patient safety by ensuring all instruments are accurately prepared and processed
- Maintain confidentiality and handle equipment and data with discretion and integrity
- Take pride in delivering a behind- the-scenes service that directly impacts the quality of care and patient outcomes
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.
