Job summary
Working behind the scenes of the hospital, there is a team of driven and meticulous individuals ensuring that all reusable surgical instrumentation is processed in line with current legislation ready to use in the next procedure.
In this environment safety is paramount, and the role demands a high level of competence and assured accountability. The team work followingthe ethos 'It might be my relative on that operating table', and so understandably strive to give their best all the time. The service follows astringent structure through the process, from delivery, through cleaning, to the controlled clean room packing, sterilisation and to storage. The successful candidate will lead and manage all aspects of the Decontamination Service.
You will manage a team of 43 staff, including a Deputy Manager, two Assistant Managers, and six Team Leaders, overseeing a 24/7 service split into three shifts: 6am-2pm, 12pm-8pm, and 8pm-6am. Your team will provide sterile services for both Preston and Chorley Theatres, supported by dedicated drivers operating Trust-owned logistics vehicles between the sites. A major aspect of your role involves ensuring continuous testing, maintenance, and documentation of all equipment and tools to uphold the highest standards of quality and compliance.
Main duties of the job
In this role, you will provide strategic advice to the Trust Decontamination Lead on all aspects of decontaminating reusable surgical instrumentation while also serving as the operational management lead for the Sterile Services Department. You will be responsible for managing a budget in line with defined audit and statutory regulations and for offering professional leadership, project management, and specialist technical and clinical expertise on decontamination matters to Trust managers and clinical staff. A key part of your role will be leading the development and coordination of Trust-wide strategies, policies, standards, and practices, ensuring the organisation remains compliant and current with all areas of disinfection and sterilisation of reusable medical devices, including endoscopes. You will also promote collaborative, team-centred working relationships within the department, across the Trust, and throughout the wider Integrated Care System.
About us
Try as we might, we just cannot cram everything into one advert, so we really encourage you to get in touch to fid out more. Lee Taylor, Assistant Director of Estates really welcomes you to contact him to arrange to come and visit or have an informal chatlee.taylor@lthtr.nhs.uk
We have 10000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You'll have access to varied development opportunities to learn new skills. You'll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You'll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care and enhancing their experience which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work with external auditors to ensure ISO accreditation is maintained and that all current legislation and best practicerecommendation are implemented.
- To build upon and maintain good relationships with Estates to ensure all Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and faultrectification work is undertaken in a timely, compliant manner.
- To liaise with the Infection Prevention and Control Team to ensure critical standards of hygiene are maintained. In particular to ensurethat the requirements of the Health Act 2006 are fully met.
- Be an active member of the Trust Decontamination Equipment Assurance Group
- Lead the Trust JAG users group for AER users.
- Provide expert advice on the tendering process and procurement of Decontamination equipment, compatible detergents anddisinfectants.
- To provide specialist knowledge to clinical and non-clinical staff on decontamination procedures for the care and management ofpatients with known or suspected communicable infections including TSE.
- Produce and present written/verbal reports (i.e. annual, quarterly, audits and business planning) to the Infection Prevention and ControlSteering Committee, Clinical Governance, Risk Management Committees and Trust Board on areas needing improvement fordecontamination facilities, equipment and management within the Trust.
- Responsible for ensuring information both verbal and written is communicated to other specialties / agencies both internal and externalto the organization as appropriate in line with the Data protection Act.
- Maintain and develop new links with internal/external agencies on decontamination best practice and national strategies.
- To motivate and support others to achieve and improve infection prevention and control practice and achieve targets.
- Management of the department - lead on staff development, recruitment and retention and sickness. Ensure safe systems of work areadopted and a safe environment is maintained.
- To take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve professional knowledge and competence through logged CPD activities.
- To participate in personal objective setting and review, identification and review of staff training needs via an annual appraisalprogramme.
- Establish effective working relationships across the Trust with multi-disciplinary staff to facilitate understanding and best practicethrough education and training on the decontamination of medical devices.
- To develop a training plan to ensure all staff meet legislative and good practice requirements and perform their duties effectively inaccordance with service
- To co-operate with the Trust in ensuring that statutory regulations, codes of practice, local policies and departmental health and safetyrules are adhered to.
- Undertake appropriate Risk Assessments in the safe handling and use of equipment.
- In conjunction with the Infection Prevention and Control Service undertake look back exercises and contact tracing for medical devicesused on patients with an infection risk as appropriate.
- Adopt an integrated approach by working with and guiding Senior Managers (clinical and non-clinical) to include Senior Nurses,Directorate managers, Medical Engineering, Facilities etc, to ensure that adequate Trust wide management arrangements are in placeto oversee the process of decontamination.
- To work with external auditors to ensure accreditation is maintained and that all current legislation and best practice recommendationare implemented.
- Responsible for auditing, implementing, co ordinating and monitoring the Trusts Decontamination Strategy to meet the
- recommendations of all current local and National Guidelines.
- Identify and develop key performance (KPI) to monitor Decontamination processes and compliance across the Trust, liaising with otherrelated disciplines on decontamination to ensure a co-ordinate and integrated approach is adopted. (Key departments will includeMicrobiology, Infection Prevention and Control, Physical Risk (Health and Safety), Medical Engineering, Supplies/Purchasing; ClinicalRisk, Facilities and External Bodies.
- Develop and implement a decontamination audit Programme to meet the requirements of statutory bodies.
- To evaluate and update decontamination practices to facilitate ongoing improvement and change.
- Lead in the review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to decontamination.
- Ensure a proactive approach is taken in dealing with complaints.
- Using identified KPIs to ensure that the Directorate of Anaesthetics are performing to the agreed standards.
- To be the designated User in relation to HTM01-01
- Assist and contribute to the Monitoring and review the logistics schedule for the delivery of Sterile Services ensuring best value for theTrust.
- Update and implement new research evidence based practice in accordance with legislation and Government guidance.
- Responsible for compiling formal and accurate documentation on decontamination advice and information to the Trust and to externalagencies (where appropriate) and ensure robust system of documentation relating to decontamination procedures in place throughoutthe Trust.
- Responsible for recording and maintaining accurate documentation in compliance with all decontamination issues
- Lead in expansion, implementation and monitoring of a tracking system for reprocessing of all invasive equipment in conjunction withrelevant managers.
- Apply specialist decontamination knowledge to assess the risks associated with infection and give appropriate advice.
- Keep updated with all relevant legislation appropriate to the post and to advise the Trust of any implications of such legislation.
- To provide specialist knowledge to clinical and non-clinical staff on decontamination procedures for the care and management ofpatients with known or suspected communicable infections to include Creutzfeldt Jakob disease. To include the quarantine andincineration of medical devices as appropriate.
- Work closely with the Trust Physical Risk department and Medical devices Management group on all aspects of medical devicemanagement.
- Lead service developments within the directorate pertinent to the role e.g. improved electronic tracking of instruments and equipment.
- Management responsibility for the budget contained within the Sterile Services Department.
- Develop options for cost improvements as required by the Directorate and implement.
- Identify resource implications for changes to service provision.
- Input and advice on all other Business plans, raised in the Trust , with regards to decontamination.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To work with external auditors to ensure ISO accreditation is maintained and that all current legislation and best practicerecommendation are implemented.
- To build upon and maintain good relationships with Estates to ensure all Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and faultrectification work is undertaken in a timely, compliant manner.
- To liaise with the Infection Prevention and Control Team to ensure critical standards of hygiene are maintained. In particular to ensurethat the requirements of the Health Act 2006 are fully met.
- Be an active member of the Trust Decontamination Equipment Assurance Group
- Lead the Trust JAG users group for AER users.
- Provide expert advice on the tendering process and procurement of Decontamination equipment, compatible detergents anddisinfectants.
- To provide specialist knowledge to clinical and non-clinical staff on decontamination procedures for the care and management ofpatients with known or suspected communicable infections including TSE.
- Produce and present written/verbal reports (i.e. annual, quarterly, audits and business planning) to the Infection Prevention and ControlSteering Committee, Clinical Governance, Risk Management Committees and Trust Board on areas needing improvement fordecontamination facilities, equipment and management within the Trust.
- Responsible for ensuring information both verbal and written is communicated to other specialties / agencies both internal and externalto the organization as appropriate in line with the Data protection Act.
- Maintain and develop new links with internal/external agencies on decontamination best practice and national strategies.
- To motivate and support others to achieve and improve infection prevention and control practice and achieve targets.
- Management of the department - lead on staff development, recruitment and retention and sickness. Ensure safe systems of work areadopted and a safe environment is maintained.
- To take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve professional knowledge and competence through logged CPD activities.
- To participate in personal objective setting and review, identification and review of staff training needs via an annual appraisalprogramme.
- Establish effective working relationships across the Trust with multi-disciplinary staff to facilitate understanding and best practicethrough education and training on the decontamination of medical devices.
- To develop a training plan to ensure all staff meet legislative and good practice requirements and perform their duties effectively inaccordance with service
- To co-operate with the Trust in ensuring that statutory regulations, codes of practice, local policies and departmental health and safetyrules are adhered to.
- Undertake appropriate Risk Assessments in the safe handling and use of equipment.
- In conjunction with the Infection Prevention and Control Service undertake look back exercises and contact tracing for medical devicesused on patients with an infection risk as appropriate.
- Adopt an integrated approach by working with and guiding Senior Managers (clinical and non-clinical) to include Senior Nurses,Directorate managers, Medical Engineering, Facilities etc, to ensure that adequate Trust wide management arrangements are in placeto oversee the process of decontamination.
- To work with external auditors to ensure accreditation is maintained and that all current legislation and best practice recommendationare implemented.
- Responsible for auditing, implementing, co ordinating and monitoring the Trusts Decontamination Strategy to meet the
- recommendations of all current local and National Guidelines.
- Identify and develop key performance (KPI) to monitor Decontamination processes and compliance across the Trust, liaising with otherrelated disciplines on decontamination to ensure a co-ordinate and integrated approach is adopted. (Key departments will includeMicrobiology, Infection Prevention and Control, Physical Risk (Health and Safety), Medical Engineering, Supplies/Purchasing; ClinicalRisk, Facilities and External Bodies.
- Develop and implement a decontamination audit Programme to meet the requirements of statutory bodies.
- To evaluate and update decontamination practices to facilitate ongoing improvement and change.
- Lead in the review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to decontamination.
- Ensure a proactive approach is taken in dealing with complaints.
- Using identified KPIs to ensure that the Directorate of Anaesthetics are performing to the agreed standards.
- To be the designated User in relation to HTM01-01
- Assist and contribute to the Monitoring and review the logistics schedule for the delivery of Sterile Services ensuring best value for theTrust.
- Update and implement new research evidence based practice in accordance with legislation and Government guidance.
- Responsible for compiling formal and accurate documentation on decontamination advice and information to the Trust and to externalagencies (where appropriate) and ensure robust system of documentation relating to decontamination procedures in place throughoutthe Trust.
- Responsible for recording and maintaining accurate documentation in compliance with all decontamination issues
- Lead in expansion, implementation and monitoring of a tracking system for reprocessing of all invasive equipment in conjunction withrelevant managers.
- Apply specialist decontamination knowledge to assess the risks associated with infection and give appropriate advice.
- Keep updated with all relevant legislation appropriate to the post and to advise the Trust of any implications of such legislation.
- To provide specialist knowledge to clinical and non-clinical staff on decontamination procedures for the care and management ofpatients with known or suspected communicable infections to include Creutzfeldt Jakob disease. To include the quarantine andincineration of medical devices as appropriate.
- Work closely with the Trust Physical Risk department and Medical devices Management group on all aspects of medical devicemanagement.
- Lead service developments within the directorate pertinent to the role e.g. improved electronic tracking of instruments and equipment.
- Management responsibility for the budget contained within the Sterile Services Department.
- Develop options for cost improvements as required by the Directorate and implement.
- Identify resource implications for changes to service provision.
- Input and advice on all other Business plans, raised in the Trust , with regards to decontamination.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential
- Master Degree in relevant field, and/or Charter Status or equivalent or Knowledge and experience equivalent to the above
- Membership of appropriate Professional organisation
Desirable
- Certificate in NHS Management
- Membership of the IDSc
- Completed the NHS National Decontamination E Leaming Programme
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a similar role within Sterile Services.
- Demonstrable experience of having managed teams, operational budgets
- Able to demonstrate an expert technical understanding of compliant decontamination processes and equipment used to disinfect a range of highly specialist medical devices within the Trust.
- Experience of auditing, compliance standards and advising clinical departments on the reprocessing of both rigid and flexible endoscopic devices.
- Experience of successful negotiation and contract management.
- Working knowledge of equipment testing & verification
- Demonstrate significant experience at a senior position in the management of decontamination services in a large health care environment
- Management of technical staff in a clinical environment
- Experience of finance management.
- Able to demonstrate active participation in gaining I maintaining 1809001 /ISO 13485 accreditation
Desirable
- Experience within a NHS healthcare environment.
- Experience of developing joint and collaborative working with local health and commercial partners.
- Experience of public sector procurement and tendering procedures.
- Knowledge of NHS procedures for the management of Medical Devices and Health & Safety legislation.
- To have a detailed knowledge of the Trust's business structure and how the Facilities/Estate/Services can contribute to the local and national healthcare agenda
- Experience of implementing NHS policies
Person Specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential
- Master Degree in relevant field, and/or Charter Status or equivalent or Knowledge and experience equivalent to the above
- Membership of appropriate Professional organisation
Desirable
- Certificate in NHS Management
- Membership of the IDSc
- Completed the NHS National Decontamination E Leaming Programme
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a similar role within Sterile Services.
- Demonstrable experience of having managed teams, operational budgets
- Able to demonstrate an expert technical understanding of compliant decontamination processes and equipment used to disinfect a range of highly specialist medical devices within the Trust.
- Experience of auditing, compliance standards and advising clinical departments on the reprocessing of both rigid and flexible endoscopic devices.
- Experience of successful negotiation and contract management.
- Working knowledge of equipment testing & verification
- Demonstrate significant experience at a senior position in the management of decontamination services in a large health care environment
- Management of technical staff in a clinical environment
- Experience of finance management.
- Able to demonstrate active participation in gaining I maintaining 1809001 /ISO 13485 accreditation
Desirable
- Experience within a NHS healthcare environment.
- Experience of developing joint and collaborative working with local health and commercial partners.
- Experience of public sector procurement and tendering procedures.
- Knowledge of NHS procedures for the management of Medical Devices and Health & Safety legislation.
- To have a detailed knowledge of the Trust's business structure and how the Facilities/Estate/Services can contribute to the local and national healthcare agenda
- Experience of implementing NHS policies
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
