Sterile Services Technician

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust; Royal Borough of Greenwich; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Experience in sterile services or NHS environments is valued. The role involves adherence to policies, documentation, and traceability, contributing to high standards of patient care and operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• GCSEs /O Levels or ability to demonstrate equivalent.
• Decontamination NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent.
• Full or part member of IDSc/CSC.
• Experience producing quality products within defined performance criteria.
• Experience in a theatre or sterile services department.
• Experience of working with the NHS.

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.
• Report any discrepancies to the customer and the department manager/supervisor immediately.
• Complete relevant documents for any non-conformances.
• To wash and decontaminate instruments according to the department's policies and procedures, Health and Safety and Control of Infection.
• To repack and prepare instrument sets and packs for theatres and other departments per work instructions.
• To ensure that packs are clearly identified using the bar coded traceability system.
• To sterilize instrument packs using dual temperature steam autoclaves and other sterilizing equipment.

Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Initiative

IT tracking systems

Sterilisers operation

QMS knowledge

Education

GCSEs/O Levels or equivalent

Decontamination NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent

IDSc/CSC membership

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.

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship or a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for this post.

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.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• 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.

£25,760 to £27,476 a yearper annum plus HCAS