HSDU Technician

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Frimley; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Part time

Job summary

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking individuals to join the Hospital Sterile Decontamination Unit (HSDU) at Frimley Park Hospital. The role is part-time (30 hours/week) with shifts across Mon, Tue-Thu, and Sun. No prior experience required; full training provided to start a healthcare support career.

You will work in a busy HSDU, reprocessing reusable surgical instruments for theatres and wards, while adhering to safety and quality standards. Cross-site working may occur as needed.

Qualifications

• Good standard of education.
• Good numeracy and literacy.
• Basic computer skills.
• Sterile Services trained (Desirable)

Responsibilities

• Clean, inspect, assemble, package and sterilise surgical equipment.
• Receive contaminated instruments and prepare them for decontamination.
• Operate automated washers and sterilisers per procedures.
• Manually clean and assemble equipment per manufacturer guidance.
• Scan instrument trays using a tracking system.

Skills

Team Player

Follow Instructions

Flexible

Communication Skills

Education

Good education

Numeracy

Literacy

Basic computer skills

Tools

Basic computer skills

Job description

Job Overview

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly and busy Hospital Sterile Decontamination Unit (HSDU) team at Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey.

The HSDU plays a vital role in patient safety by providing a high-quality decontamination service to operating theatres, wards and departments across the Trust, including Main Theatres, Day Surgery, Short Stay Unit, Treatment Centre and Central Delivery Suite. We also support external customers such as GP surgeries.

This is a part-time role (30 hours per week), working Monday 15:30-21:30, Tuesday to Thursday 16:00-21:30 and Sunday 10:00-18:00. Some flexibility is required, as cross-site working may occasionally be needed.

No previous experience is required and full training will be provided, making this an excellent opportunity for someone looking to start or develop a career in healthcare support services.

Visa Sponsorship

This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the contract.

Main duties of the job

Duties

As part of the HSDU team, you will be responsible for the safe and effective reprocessing of reusable surgical instruments, ensuring they are ready for clinical use.

• Cleaning, inspecting, assembling, packaging and sterilising surgical equipment.
• Receiving contaminated instruments and preparing them for decontamination.
• Operating automated washers and sterilisers in line with procedures.
• Manually cleaning and assembling equipment according to manufacturer guidance.
• Scanning instrument trays using a computerised tracking system.
• Maintaining clean and safe workstations and disposing of waste appropriately.
• Reporting equipment defects or discrepancies to team leaders.
• Supporting stock control, audits and investigations into non-conformances.

Working for our organisation

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.

Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are looking for individuals who are

• Motivated and keen to learn
• Able to work well as part of a team, with good communication skills
• Comfortable working independently and following procedures
• Committed to delivering a high-quality, patient-focused service

You will be required to complete all mandatory training, including Health & Safety, Fire Safety and Manual Handling, alongside role-specific HSDU training.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Good standard of education
• Good level of numeracy and literacy
• Basic computer skills

Desirable criteria

• Sterile Services trained

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working in a busy environment
• Experience of working in a customer led environment

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in the NHS
• Experience of working to a Quality System

Skills

Essential criteria

• Team Player
• Able to follow instruction
• Flexible
• Excellent communication skills

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of decontamination

Special requirements

Essential criteria

• Physically fit and able to stand for long periods of time
• Able to work in an enclosed environment

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy - FHFT 2030 - sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values - Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation - we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.