Job summary
DECONTAMINATION TECHNICIAN
Band 3
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Early: 8am - 16.00pm
Late: 11am - 19.00pm
Saturday: 8am - 16.00pm - Every other week
The Decontamination Unit provides a vital service reprocessing surgical instruments for use in all wards and departments within the trust.
You will be involved in the cleaning, inspecting, assembling, packing, sterilising and distributing surgical equipment for supply to Wards, Departments, Theatres and Endoscopy.
Successful candidates will require attention to detail & an eagerness and ability to learn.
A comprehensive in house training programme is in operation which successful candidates will be expected to take part in and complete.
The role is physically demanding, lifting and handling heavy instrument sets and long periods of standing. It is necessary to transport theatre equipment around the hospital using trolleys.
As a clinical support service the department is operational 6 days a week, supported by an on-call service to meet the demands of the hospital.
Other requirements for this role are:
v Literacy and numeracy skills
v Good organisational skills
v Confident, outgoing, punctual and flexible
v Basic IT skills
v Insight into the care of delicate and expensive equipment
For further information contact Marea Lawford, Head of Decontamination Services on extension 86683.
Interview date: 19th December 2025
Main duties of the job
We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute
'NHS Survey, 2024' 71.3% of staff feel supported by their managers and receive good clear feedback, bettering their work.
To assist in the reprocessing and sterilisation of reusable instrumentation for patient use in theatres, wards and departments these products are classed as medical devices and are subject to regulatory control during manufacture.
Adjust workplan/pattern based on information from main users (theatres) and prioritise tasks and inform colleagues/senior team of changes.
Test and record all daily checks in line with local policy.
Able to prioritise and meet deadlines depending on customer requirements to ensure minimal disruption to patient care.
Required to prioritise their own workload and organise their own work to meet these priorities and reduce risks to quality.
To find out more about the Milton Keynes Hospital Trust objectives visit http://nww2.mkhospital.nhs.uk/objectives
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We reserve the right to close posts early if we receive a sufficient volume of applications.
The unit is compliant to ISO13485 Quality Management System. Previous experience working with a Quality System is desirable but not essential.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
v To communicate with customers at all levels both face to face and by telephone.
v To deal with telephone enquires as necessary in a concise and appropriate manner, recording all relevant information and acting as appropriate
v To ensure that verbal and written communication is maintained within the departments
v Exchange information with work colleagues and service users
v Demonstrate a courteous and helpful approach to visitors and Colleagues
v Support new employees in the department
v Required to deliver the set work on time and to the required standard
v Provide information and demonstrate duties to less experienced staff to assist them in meeting work demands
v Be able to provide anticipated delivery times of equipment and advise on location of equipment using the traceability system to locate individual sets/equipment
v Monitor and record daily checks on decontamination equipment ensuring that any anomalies are escalated to the senior team.
v Isolating faulty equipment for further investigation and recording non-conformances in the approved manner.
v Carry out detailed product release, checking for physical evidence/indication of sterility. Physical properties to be assessed.
v Inspect decontamination equipment (Autoclaves and Washer/Disinfectors) for any change in condition i.e., steam leaks or build-up of scale of the autoclaves.
v Demonstrate a broad knowledge of surgical instruments and be able to identify surgical instruments and advise end users where commonly held instruments/alternatives can be found.
v Monitor decontamination equipment (sterilisers and washer/disinfectors) to ensure that decontamination parameters are met
v Responsible for final product release assessing multiple sets of data and physical characteristics to release equipment for surgery
v Participate and update the training records and have competencies assessed by the senior team to be able to demonstrate competence.
v Be able to explain and define acceptance criteria for decontamination
v Monitor performing daily test on the decontamination equipment
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
v To communicate with customers at all levels both face to face and by telephone.
v To deal with telephone enquires as necessary in a concise and appropriate manner, recording all relevant information and acting as appropriate
v To ensure that verbal and written communication is maintained within the departments
v Exchange information with work colleagues and service users
v Demonstrate a courteous and helpful approach to visitors and Colleagues
v Support new employees in the department
v Required to deliver the set work on time and to the required standard
v Provide information and demonstrate duties to less experienced staff to assist them in meeting work demands
v Be able to provide anticipated delivery times of equipment and advise on location of equipment using the traceability system to locate individual sets/equipment
v Monitor and record daily checks on decontamination equipment ensuring that any anomalies are escalated to the senior team.
v Isolating faulty equipment for further investigation and recording non-conformances in the approved manner.
v Carry out detailed product release, checking for physical evidence/indication of sterility. Physical properties to be assessed.
v Inspect decontamination equipment (Autoclaves and Washer/Disinfectors) for any change in condition i.e., steam leaks or build-up of scale of the autoclaves.
v Demonstrate a broad knowledge of surgical instruments and be able to identify surgical instruments and advise end users where commonly held instruments/alternatives can be found.
v Monitor decontamination equipment (sterilisers and washer/disinfectors) to ensure that decontamination parameters are met
v Responsible for final product release assessing multiple sets of data and physical characteristics to release equipment for surgery
v Participate and update the training records and have competencies assessed by the senior team to be able to demonstrate competence.
v Be able to explain and define acceptance criteria for decontamination
v Monitor performing daily test on the decontamination equipment
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Willing to train further in Decontamination sciences
- Understanding of a range of work procedures and practices, some of which are non-routine, which require a base level of theoretical knowledge. This is normally acquired through formal training or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- GCSE grades A-C or equivalent in 3 core subjects
- Decontamination qualification
- Familiar with a process driven environment
Experience
Essential
- Ability to work in a team
- Ability to perform routine tasks in specified standards
- Ability to work accurately
- Ability to achieve strict deadlines
- Ability to problem solve
Desirable
- Previous sterile services experience
- Experience of interpreting results for product release
- Familiar with medical devices / surgical instrumentation
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate with all levels of staff
- Work to standard operational procedures
- Ability to work independently
Desirable
- Knowledge of decontamination protocols
- Knowledge of the requirements of a QM system
- Knowledge of equipment including computerized tracking system
- Knowledge of surgical equipment
Personal and people development
Essential
- Participate in personal development
- Complete training assessments in a timely manner
Communication
Essential
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to absorb and act on instruction
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Willing to train further in Decontamination sciences
- Understanding of a range of work procedures and practices, some of which are non-routine, which require a base level of theoretical knowledge. This is normally acquired through formal training or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- GCSE grades A-C or equivalent in 3 core subjects
- Decontamination qualification
- Familiar with a process driven environment
Experience
Essential
- Ability to work in a team
- Ability to perform routine tasks in specified standards
- Ability to work accurately
- Ability to achieve strict deadlines
- Ability to problem solve
Desirable
- Previous sterile services experience
- Experience of interpreting results for product release
- Familiar with medical devices / surgical instrumentation
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate with all levels of staff
- Work to standard operational procedures
- Ability to work independently
Desirable
- Knowledge of decontamination protocols
- Knowledge of the requirements of a QM system
- Knowledge of equipment including computerized tracking system
- Knowledge of surgical equipment
Personal and people development
Essential
- Participate in personal development
- Complete training assessments in a timely manner
Communication
Essential
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to absorb and act on instruction
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
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.
