Sterile Services Technician

NHS; Oxford; On-site; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS teaching trust in Oxford is seeking a full-time Sterile Services Technician to manage the decontamination and sterilization of surgical instruments. Responsibilities include adhering to quality standards and maintaining accurate records. Essential qualifications include GCSEs in Maths and English, along with a relevant technician certificate or apprenticeship. This permanent position offers competitive pay and a chance to contribute to patient care within a busy healthcare environment.

Qualifications

• Must possess GCSE Maths and English or equivalent.
• IDSc Technician certificate or Level 2 Apprenticeship in Healthcare Sciences is required.

Responsibilities

• Manage the cleaning and sterilization of surgical instruments.
• Ensure adherence to decontamination guidelines and quality standards.
• Enter data to track and trace instruments within the department.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Attention to Detail

Education

GCSE Maths & English or equivalent

IDSc Technician certificate or Level 2 Apprenticeship in Healthcare Sciences

Job description

Job summary

To carry out the receipt, disassembly, cleaning, reassembly, packing and sterilization of reusable medical devices. To undertake medical device decontamination duties (under supervision) and assist Supervisors in providing a specialised medical devices decontamination service contributing to the clinical care of the patient. Work in accordance with the Department's Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Management Systems at all times and throughout all production areas, ensuring safe systems are followed for patient safety.

VBI and technical interview will be held for this post.

Main duties of the job

We are looking to recruit one full time Sterile Services Technician to join our team at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Sterile Services Department. This is a busy unit based adjacent to the Operating Theatres responsible for the decontamination of surgical instruments for use in the main Operating Theatres, plus WW and WC Operating theatres, and some wards and departments. You will be required to undertake tasks associated with the cleaning, disassembly, checking, packing, sterilization and movement of surgical instruments to ensure the safe reprocessing, and distribution of products for use in theatres and other clinical departments. You will follow written instructions, use specialist machinery and electronic tracking systems in the accordance with departmental guidelines. You will comply with the requirements of quality systems, as stated in ISO 13485, Medical device regulations plus all other relevant standards.

About us

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals – the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

Job details

Date posted: 07 November 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: 2

Salary: £24,465 a year per annum pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 321-TP-7441836-B2

Job locations: Sterile Services John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, OX39DU

Job responsibilities

Accurately exchange information with colleagues and customers to enable prioritisation of work and prevention/resolution of problems. Deal courteously and professionally with colleagues to foster good team working relationships. Provide routine data as required by departmental supervisors. Understand a range of work procedures which require on-job training. Maintain and update knowledge of instruments across all specialities. Understand and maintain knowledge of decontamination procedures including safe operation of automated machinery. Maintain educational standards by attending departmental lectures and hospital courses regularly to meet the requirements of Health & Safety.

Organise own day-to-day work tasks or activities ensuring recommended best practice is adhered to at all times. Make judgements involving straightforward job-related facts or situations. Identify routine problems which may prevent adherence to decontamination/quality standards. Specific hand/eye coordination required to gain the speed and accuracy in checking, packing and assembling surgical equipment to the required quality standards. Achieve the department production targets within recommended best practice and mandatory standards. Provide basic clinical technical services following strict decontamination guidelines for cleaning, sterilisation and packing of surgical equipment. Follow departmental documented policies and procedures at all times.

Daily maintenance of theatre instruments, dismantling and re-assembling of surgical instruments and checking optics following the relevant work instructions and comprehensive instrument checklists, identifying any missing components which are reported accordingly. Maintain stock within all production areas, re-order as required and control stock rotation. Demonstrate work activities to untrained staff when qualified. Responsible for data entry onto computer to maintain records of instrumentation within the department (tracking and tracing). Complete own timesheets and other work records as required. Undertake surveys and audits (i.e. cleanliness and work required) where necessary within own work and written guidelines. Test decontamination equipment according to relevant HTMs on a daily basis. Work within well-established procedures following guidelines for good practice with supervision available for reference.

There is a requirement to stand while carrying out duties in all production areas; with a frequent requirement to exert moderate physical effort whilst unloading and loading trolleys into the washer disinfectors and sterilisers. Concentration is required at specific times during the decontamination process to produce correctly laid-up and packaged surgical instruments. Frequent exposure to body fluids and care is required when dealing with contaminated sets due to the presence of sharp instruments when working in the decontamination wash area.

The duties and responsibilities of the post will be undertaken in accordance with the policies, procedures and practice of Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust and which the Trust may amend from time to time. The duties outlined above are not intended as a restrictive list, and may be extended or altered to include other tasks that are commensurate with the grade.

Person specification – qualifications (essential)

• GCSE Maths & English (or equivalent)
• IDSc Technician certificate or Level 2 Apprenticeship in Healthcare Sciences

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.

Employer details

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sterile Services John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, OX39DU