Decontamination Assistant (Sterile services) | Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the United Kingdom is seeking a Decontamination Assistant to ensure the safe sterilisation of medical devices. This full-time role involves working as part of a dedicated team and maintaining compliance with ISO-accredited processes. The position requires flexibility in working hours, including weekends, and a commitment to ongoing training. Ideal candidates should be detail-oriented and able to effectively follow procedures to guarantee patient safety. If you are motivated to make a difference in patient care, apply now!

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Inclusive work environment

Supportive team culture

Qualifications

• Commitment to providing a safe and compliant decontamination service.
• Ability to follow ISO-accredited policies and procedures.
• Willingness to undertake required training for the role.

Responsibilities

• Carry out decontamination and sterilisation of reusable medical devices.
• Inspect and prepare medical devices for disinfection.
• Conduct independent checks of prepared instrument trays.

Skills

Attention to detail

Flexibility in working hours

Knowledge of sterilisation processes

Education

Relevant training in decontamination

Job description

As a Decontamination Assistant, you will work as part of a dedicated team to carry out the decontamination and sterilisation of reusable medical devices, including endoscopes, in accordance with ISO‑accredited policies, procedures and departmental work instructions.

You will play a key role in delivering all decontamination‑related duties within the Sterile Services Department and the Endoscope Decontamination Unit at Bedford Hospital. The post holder will be expected to follow departmental work instructions and adhere to ISO‑accredited policies and procedures across all areas of Sterile Services and the Endoscope Decontamination Unit.

The successful candidate will be committed to providing a safe and compliant decontamination service to all customers and stakeholders. You will be highly motivated, flexible with working hours and shift patterns (including weekends), and willing to undertake all required training for the role.

At Bedford Hospital, our priority is to deliver safe, high‑quality care to our patients — the standard of care we would want for our loved ones and ourselves. We strive to be the best place to work, with the right staff in the right roles to ensure exceptional patient care and experience.

This is a full‑time position, working Tuesday to Friday from 14:00 to 22:00, and Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00.

The Decontamination Service at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust comprises the Sterile Services Department and the Endoscopy Decontamination Unit. Both areas are responsible for supplying sterile and disinfected reusable medical devices to wards, departments and theatres across the Trust. This work includes the collection, decontamination, preparation, packing, sterilisation or disinfection, and distribution of reusable medical devices.

Key duties include:

• Receiving, sorting and preparing reusable medical devices, including endoscopes, for cleaning and disinfection.
• Inspecting, re‑assembling, function‑testing, packaging, sealing and labelling devices that have been successfully washed, disinfected and dried.
• Conducting independent checks of instrument trays prepared by others, ensuring all contents are correct and reporting any discrepancies.
• Maintaining an understanding of the basic types and categories of instruments and flexible scopes, recognising their functions and identifying key inspection and testing points.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics‑led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

The Job Description and Person Specification are attached to this vacancy; please review them for full details and responsibilities.

Key duties include:

• Inspecting instruments and equipment on receipt into the decontamination area and at various stages of production, storage and distribution, and immediately reporting any damaged or missing items or components.
• Dismantling and assembling instrumentation in line with manufacturers’ recommendations following the cleaning and disinfection process.
• Ensuring all packaging, wrapping and labelling of instrument sets and supplementary items is completed in accordance with legislation, guidance and service requirements.
• Maintaining an understanding of the different sterilisation and disinfection methods used, and recognising the importance of product liability in relation to the re‑use of medical devices.
• Carrying out quality checks to confirm that devices have been correctly decontaminated and are safe for patient use.
• Taking appropriate action if there is any doubt about the effectiveness of the decontamination process, and reporting or documenting any failures to the Decontamination Services Manager.
• Verifying process and cycle data before accepting and releasing products.
• Using the correct wrapping materials and packing methods to minimise damage.
• Following the correct procedures for managing non‑conforming devices and sundries in the event of a failed washer, disinfector or steriliser cycle, ensuring such items are not used in any surgical procedure.

This advert closes on Friday 2 Jan 2026