Endoscopy Decontamination Health Care Assistant

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Preston; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Preston is seeking a Health Care Assistant to join their decontamination team. This role focuses on the decontamination of endoscopes and requires strong problem-solving skills. Candidates should have basic healthcare certifications and a keen attention to detail. Extensive training will be provided. The position offers a salary ranging from £24,937 to £26,598 per year, pro rata.

Qualifications

• Must be willing to undertake Trust internal INCS course.
• Understanding of health and safety issues within healthcare.
• Understanding of role of Band 3 HCA in Endoscopy Unit.

Responsibilities

• Provide good quality personalised care.
• Assist endoscopist during procedures.
• Undertake decontamination duties.
• Maintain patient safety and standards of care.

Skills

Problem solving skills

Attention to detail

Experience in decontamination

Education

GCSE Maths & English - grade C/4 or above

BNCS or NVQ in Health level 2

Level 3 QCF diploma in Healthcare

Job description

Overview

Go back Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 03 October 2025

Are you an enthusiastic and motivated individual looking for a decontamination role?

If so, we welcome you to join our friendly Endoscopy team!

Our speciality makes us exciting, ambitious and forward-thinking and we are looking for a committed, enthusiastic, motivated and resilient Health Care Assistant to join our decontamination team.

This exciting opportunity will allow you to work as part of our dedicated, hardworking and friendly decontamination team in one of our two JAG accredited Endoscopy units within the Trust. Although you will initially be based at the Royal Preston Hospital, you will be expected to provide cross site cover at Chorley District Hospital Endoscopy unit when needed.

Previous Endoscopy decontamination experience would be desirable; however, this is not essential as support and extensive training will be given to an excellent standard.

This is not a predominantly patient facing role so if you can work well and have attention for detail, this could be the post for you.

Main duties of the job

The Health Care Assistant's main responsibility is the decontamination of endoscopes.

They will demonstrate excellent problem solving skills as the role can be physically demanding as we strive to deliver a service with excellent standards. This is a fast paced environment with a highly skilled team who have a commitment to quality in delivery.

Across both units, we carry out a range of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures to both outpatients and inpatients.

Procedures at Royal Preston Hospital include:

• We work with the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) as part of the team in the north-west.
• GI Emergency Bleed rota.
• Diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy including: Endobronchial Ultrasound/Trans Bronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS/TBNA)/Endobronchial Valves and coils and stents/Thoracoscopy/Indwelling Pleural catheter (IPC) placement/Nasal-endoscopy for Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO).

Procedures at Chorley District Hospital include:

• We work with the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) as part of the team in the north-west.

About us

We have 10,000 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, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you’d never have done. 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 which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.

Job responsibilities

Duties to include but not limited to:

• Provide good quality personalised care in accordance with agreed local and national standards.
• Assist the endoscopist to take specimens during endoscopy procedures.
• Undertake decontamination duties relevant to clinical area following achievement of appropriate competences.
• Undertake clinical duties relevant to clinical area following achievement of competencies.
• Assist to maintain patient safety, conforming to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Assist in maintaining standards of care to improve the patient experience and outcome of care.
• Promote equality in care and practice by recognising, respecting and meeting the needs and choices of individuals.
• Contribute to maintaining safe, clean, and productive care environment, compliant with standards for hygiene and cleanliness.
• Maintain and develop own competence
• Actively try to resolve issues and complaints at local level and then report the outcome to line manager.
• Extended duties include: monitoring patient observations, moving and handling, patient positioning, maintaining a safe and clean environment, observing patients for changes in condition, removal of cannulas, under the guidance and supervision of the nurse in charge.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths & English - grade C/4 or above OR level 2 numeracy skills and level 2 literacy skills
• BNCS or NVQ in Health level 2.
• Must be willing to undertake Trust internal INCS course.
• Level 3 QCF diploma (Qualification Credit Framework) in Healthcare/ NVQ level 3.

Knowledge

• Previous experience of working in an acute health care or related setting.
• Understanding of health and safety issues within healthcare.
• Understanding of concept and application of confidentiality.
• Understanding of the role of a band 3 senior HCA working in both the decontamination room and procedure room within the Endoscopy Unit.

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.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 to £26,598 a year, per annum, pro rata