Sterile Services Assistant

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking bank staff for Sterile Services, a decontamination unit ensuring sterile equipment within a Quality Management System, with varied hours between 06:00 and 02:00.

You will maintain instrument quality, follow procedures, track equipment in the Scantrack IT system, keep stock levels, and support safe handling across washroom, clean room and autoclave areas.

Qualifications

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Good manual dexterity and careful handling of instruments.
• Strong interpersonal skills and teamwork ability.
• Flexible in approach to daily tasks and workload.
• Ability to follow set policies and procedures.
• Professional attitude and reliable time management.
• Experience with computers and scanning systems is useful.

Responsibilities

• Work to deadlines, ensuring quality and safe use of instruments prior to sterilisation.
• Ensure compliance with required standards and documented procedures.
• Support the Vision and Values of the Trust.
• Maintain stock rotation and minimum stock levels in the clean room.
• Track equipment through the Scantrack IT system and report non-conformances.
• Follow entry/exit procedures for washroom, clean room, and autoclave areas.
• Deliver a safe, efficient decontamination process across all zones.
• Assist in training new sterile services staff.

Skills

Good communication

Manual dexterity

Interpersonal skills

Flexibility

Policy compliance

Professional attitude

Time management

Teamwork

Computer literacy

Punctuality

Attention to detail

Job description

Sterile Services require bank staff. Sterile Services is a decontamination unit which prepares and supplies sterile equipment working within a Quality Management System. The functions of the department are undertaken with adherence to the Consumer Protection Act, UK MDR 2002, Health and Safety at Work Act, the Quality Management System EN ISO 13485,the relevant Hospital Technical Memorandum's and compliance with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust policies and procedures. Various hours to be worked between 06.00am - 02.00am To prepare and supply adequate sterile supplies to the departments/customers.

Main duties of the job

• Work to deadlines, assuring the quality and safe use of all instruments and of all equipment that is prepared, prior to sterilisation for all user groups.
• Ensure compliance with required standards, documented procedures and work instructions.
• Support the Vision and Values of the Trust.

Stock Control

• Ensure that stock rotation is carried out.
• Check that the minimum stock levels are maintained as specified on the written stock lists.
• Top up raw materials on a daily basis into the clean room.

Decontamination Process (Washroom)

• Ensure correct Personal Protective Equipment is worn at all times.
• Follow the correct entry and exit procedure for the washroom
• Follow all work instructions for the safe handling and cleaning of all instrumentation and the safe use of all machinery
• Track and trace all equipment through the I.T. System (Scantrack)
• Carry out in house cleaning tasks as directed
• Report all non - conformances to a Supervisor
• Handle all equipment with care, 1. Ensure that stock rotation is carried out.
• 2. Check that the minimum stock levels are maintained as specified on the written stock lists.
• 3. Top up raw materials on a daily basis into the clean room
• 4. Ensure correct Personal Protective Equipment is worn at all times.
• 5. Follow the correct entry and exit procedure for the washroom
• 6. Follow all work instructions for the safe handling and cleaning of all instrumentation and the safe use of all machinery
• 7. Track and trace all equipment through the I.T. System (Scantrack)
• 8. Carry out in house cleaning tasks as directed
• 9. Report all non - conformances to a Supervisor
• 10. Handle all equipment with care

Decontamination Process (Clean room)

• 13. Follow the correct entry and exit procedure for the cleanroom.
• 14. Ensure the correct footwear and clothing is worn at all times
• 15. Carry out in house cleaning tasks as directed
• 16. Follow hand hygiene code.
• 17. Follow work instructions for the safe use of machinery
• 18. Follow all work instructions for the safe handling checking and packing of instrument trays and supplementaries.
• 19. Adhere to the uniform policy
• 20. Track and trace all equipment through the I.T. System (Scantrack)
• 21. Report all non - conformances to a Supervisor
• 22. Handle all equipment with care

Decontamination Process (Autoclave Area)

• 23. Follow the correct entry and exit procedure for the autoclave area.
• 24. Ensure the correct footwear and clothing is worn at all times
• 25. Carry out in house cleaning tasks as directed
• 26. Follow hand hygiene code.
• 27. Follow work instructions for the safe use of machinery
• 28. Follow all work instructions for the safe handling of instrument trays and supplementaries.
• 29. Adhere to the uniform policy
• 30. Track and trace all equipment through the I.T. System (Scantrack)
• 31. Report all non - conformances to a Supervisor
• 32. Handle all equipment with care

Delivery and Collection

• 33. Ensure the correct footwear and clothing is worn at all times
• 34. Be responsible for maintaining segregation of sterile and contaminated instruments and equipment whilst delivering and collecting, to and from customers.
• 35. Select correct delivery trolley for a specific theatre
• 36. Track and trace all equipment through the I.T. System (Scantrack)
• 37. Follow all work instructions for the safe handling of instrument trays and supplementaries.
• 38. Follow all work instructions for the delivery and collection of equipment
• 39. Handle all equipment with care

Miscellaneous

• 40. All personal protective equipment which is provided must be used in the correct manner
• 41. Assist in the training of new sterile services staff.
• 42. Ensure all products are tracked from the point of receipt, throughout production, final release and despatch using the Scantrack IMS tracking system and/or paper-based system as appropriate.
• 43. Ensure Quality Management System records are completed accurately and legibly and that uncontrolled changes are not made to documents or records.

Governance

• 44. Ensure compliance of associated service risks across the Trust, with particular reference to health and safety legislation.
• 45. Ensure compliance with all policies and procedures within the service and Trust

Essential Requirements

• Good communication skills - both written and verbal
• Good manual dexterity
• Good interpersonal skills
• Flexible in approach to daily tasks and adaptable to changing circumstances and workload.
• Ability to follow set policies and procedures.
• Professional attitude
• Good time management & punctuality
• Potential to carry out full duties of the Job Description
• Committed to providing a quality service, Experience of using computers
• Working as part of a defined team
• Working in a busy environment

Desirable Criteria

• Previous experience in this role an advantage but not essential as full training will be given, Good general education, Prepared to undertake further training as required

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work., Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is ideally situated just a forty five minute drive from Manchester. The Trust provides services to the 440,000 residents of Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre and North Lancashire, as well as specialist tertiary care for Cardiac and Haematology patients.

As one of the United Kingdom's largest coastal resort, Blackpool has plenty to offer its residents - it's not just a good place to work; it's a great place to live. In addition to its bustling centre and historic seafront, the town is world famous for its many attractions, including the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool also offers a number of scenic cycling routes round our local parks and across the surrounding countryside, as well as boasting panoramic views of the coast on its picturesque Promenade. Further afield, Blackpool also benefits from less than three-hour connections via rail to Edinburgh in the north and London in the south.

The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background. We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS) If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained. The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed. The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £55.38 and for a Standard Disclosure will be £27.38.