Sterile Services Technician

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Greater London is seeking an experienced Sterile Services Operative to work in a dynamic team responsible for cleaning, decontaminating, and sterilizing surgical instruments. The ideal candidate will have NVQ Level 3 and experience within the NHS, demonstrating the ability to work independently and in a team. This position offers a salary range of £24,937 to £26,598 annually, along with opportunities for professional development and engagement in a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive team environment

Engagement in diversity initiatives

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate teamwork skills and communicate effectively in stressful situations.
• Experience in sterile services or theatre department is essential.
• Technical competence in operating relevant sterilisation equipment required.

Responsibilities

• Work with management to meet production needs of the department.
• Ensure compliance with all local policies and procedures.
• Wash and decontaminate surgical instruments according to policies.
• Repack and prepare instrument sets for theatres as per work instructions.
• Sterilize instrument packs using steam autoclaves.

Skills

Teamwork

Effective communication

Initiative

Computer literacy

Quality Management System awareness

Education

5 GCSE's / O Levels or equivalent

Decontamination NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent

Full or part member of IDSc/CSC

Tools

Sterilisers

Washer/disinfectors

Job description

We are a large friendly team with a commitment to high standards and meeting the needs of our customers in this critical area. Involves the cleaning, decontamination and sterilising of re-usable surgical instruments and equipment to support the Trust in the provision of surgical care for our patients. We work closely with our operating theatres and wards to provide safe, sterile surgical instruments and equipment within the timeframes that it is required.

Without the safe reprocessing of re-usable sterile instruments and equipment patients would not be able to have their operations and outpatient procedures. We are accredited to the ISO13485 and constantly seek to maintain and improve our quality standards.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Main duties of the job

To ensure that all products manufactured in the Sterile Services department within the Trust are fit for purpose and produced in a timely and efficient manner in accordance with the Quality Management System (QMS) relevant to the area.

About us

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

Job responsibilities

• To work with the management & supervisors to meet the production needs of the department & its customers
• To comply with all local policies and procedures
• To check that all equipment is present and correct
• To check that all equipment is present and correct
• Report any discrepancies to the customer and the department manager/supervisor immediately.
• Complete the relevant documents for any non-conformances
• To wash and decontaminate instruments according to the departments policies and procedures, particularly Health and Safety and Control of Infection.
• To be able to identify different pieces of equipment, speciality and the customer they belong
• To repack and prepare instrument sets and packs for theatres and other departments in accordance with the work instructions and standard operating procedures and the relevant kardex (preference) lists.
• To ensure that packs are clearly identified using the bar coded traceability system.
• To sterilize instrument packs by use of dual temperature steam autoclaves and other sterilizing equipment as necessary. To identify the different types of equipment for high temp sterilization and low temp sterilization.

Qualifications and Training

• 5 GCSE's /O Levels or ability to demonstrate equivalent
• Decontamination NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent
• Full or part member of IDSc/CSC

Experience

• Experience of producing quality products within a defined performance criteria
• Experience in a theatre or sterile services department
• Experience of working with the NHS

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrate awareness of importance of working as part of a team
• Able to communicate effectively in difficult or stressful situations
• Ability to work under own initiative
• Ensure all work processed is recorded using the IT tracking systems in accordance with the relevant work instruction
• Competent in the operation of sterilisers and washer/disinfectors Computer literate with knowledge of tracking systems
• Knowledge of working with a QMS

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.

£24,937 to £26,598 a yearper annum plus HCAS