Junior Sterile Services Technician

Transformation Unit; Leigh on Sea; Remote; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking staff for the Sterile Services department. The role covers washing, inspecting, packing and sterilising surgical instruments to deliver a reliable decontamination service for theatre and other areas.

Progression includes externally accredited training and benefits associated with NHS employment. The post involves rotating days, nights, weekends and bank holidays with opportunities for development within the Trust.

Qualifications

• Good level of literacy as shown on the application form.

Responsibilities

• Learn to work in the disinfection area, work in progress, sterilization room and distribution section with training and support.
• Operate all capital equipment safely following work instructions. Washer disinfectors and steam sterilisers operated per parameters.
• Work as requested by STOs, seniors and intermediates, support senior staff to ensure users' requirements are met.
• Ensure reusable invasive medical devices are clean, fit for purpose and reprocessed to HTM 01 standards.
• Follow planned reprocessing actions to be delivered safely and timely.

Skills

Good level of literacy

Job description

Main area Sterile Services Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Internal rotation - Day, Nights. Weekends, Bank holidays and Long day shifts) Job ref 390-NR-EFM-SO-4942

Employer Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Southend Town Westcliff on Sea Salary £25,272 Per Annum (Pro Rata for Part Time) Salary period Yearly Closing 21/10/2026 23:59

Band 2

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the onlyacute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population.

Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust. There are also three main community and mental health service providers who work together through a community collaborative.

We collaborate with other valuable partners, including three Healthwatch organisations, nine voluntary and community sector organisations and three top tier local authorities, with seven district, borough and city councils, as well as our local universities.

Job overview

Mid Essex Sterile Supplies Department is a friendly and fast paced Unit supplying the Trust Theatre complex and other areas with sterile packs and instruments.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for highly motivated and proactive individuals to join the team who are methodical and meticulous to detail, to wash, inspect, pack and sterilise surgical instruments ensuring the best decontamination service for our customers and patients.

In return you can expect to receive career development including externally accredited training, and the generous reward and benefit schemes associate with NHS employment.

Main duties of the job

If successful, you will:

• Learn how to work in the disinfection area, work in progress, sterilization room and distribution section with training and support in order to fully understand the process and function of each area.
• Operate all capital equipment safely following work instructions. 28 Cubic foot sterilisers operating parameters of 137° c, manually operated using trolleys: Washer disinfectors operating parameters of 90°c manual loading, unloading, pushing and pulling required.
• Work as requested by STO’s, seniors and intermediates, support all senior staff to ensure that user’s requirements are met.
• Ensure all reusable invasive medical devices are fit for purpose, clean, present, and reprocessed to the HTM 01 series, and departmental processes (follow manufacturer’s instructions).
• Follow the planned reprocessing actions, ensuring they are delivered safely and effectively in a timely manner and understand them.
• Report to a senior colleague any failure with capital equipment as soon as it is identified in order that it is repaired as soon as possible.
• Work as part of the team to ensure that all work is delivered in a timely manner.
• Assist the Senior staff in final checks on internally manufactured reusable medical devices out of hours prior to sterilization if requested to do so.

Working for our organisation

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Full details of this interesting role can be found in the attached job description, but responsibilities include:

Assisting the manager, deputy manager, senior technical officers, seniors and intermediates to provide a professional cost-effective service to all wards and departments within the Trust. You'll also provide such technical advice as these services require.

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a suitable number of applications.

Unfortunately, there is no Visa Sponsorship available for this role. Whilst we are able to employ candidates on a graduate Visa, we are unable to offer sponsorship once the graduate visa expires.

Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application.

Person specification

Skills

• Good level of literacy, demonstrated through minimal mistakes on application form.

Experience

• Previous experience in role that involved physical effort e.g. standing for long periods, lifting over 10kg, pulling/pushing trolleys

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.