Job overview
Please note that this post is Part of One LSC – a corporate collaboration hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and providing Estates and Facilities Services to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Step into a vital leadership role at the heart of patient care!
As the Sterile Services Team Leader, you'll be at the forefront of ensuring surgical teams are equipped with impeccably sterilised instruments—every time, without fail. This is more than a job; it's a mission-critical position where your attention to detail and leadership skills directly impact patient safety and clinical success.
You’ll lead and inspire a dedicated team of Sterile Services Technicians, championing excellence in every process. From mentoring new staff and delivering training, to conducting appraisals and managing performance, you’ll help your team thrive while maintaining the highest standards in hygiene and compliance.
Flexibility is key in this dynamic environment.
Main duties of the job
You will be expected to plan your own workload and work independently with minimal supervision. A strong understanding of decontamination procedures is essential, along with the ability to operate decontamination equipment safely and effectively. In this role, you'll liaise closely with service users, Theatre staff, and administrative teams to help ensure the smooth and efficient running of the department. You’ll also be responsible for identifying and reporting any non-conformances to the Assistant Managers, and taking appropriate action to resolve issues promptly.
Working for our organisation
We have nearly 10,000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever your role, you help look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Working with us gives you the knowledge and sense of pride that every activity you do genuinely does make a difference to support our patients & staff, ensuring we keep thriving & delivering outstanding healthcare right across our local towns.
You'll have access to varied development opportunities, learn new skills, meet fab people & do things you'd never have done. You'll learn about working in a hospital, interacting with people from all different roles to build skills & enhance your career path.
You'll make an impact, be challenged to think differently, be bold & help innovate to keep improving things. Everything we do centres around patient care and enhancing their experience which means your role is pivotal and something really to be proud of.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* Manage the SSD Technicians to encourage high standards and excellent performance
* Work closely with the Assistant Managers to manage all aspects of production
* Participate in the department’s Training programme
* Participate in the Department’s Quality Management System
* Undertake appraisals of SSD Technicians
* Manage staff performance and provide support to the team
* Play an active role in the Department’s Health and Safety programme including the completion of Datix Reports
* Liaise closely with the theatre teams to ensure ‘fit for purpose’ instrumentation is available for use
* Report decontamination equipment faults to managers on duty
* Monitor the production level and escalate the issues to the decontamination manager
Person specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential criteria
* Educated to GCSE Standard or equivalent
* Willingness to undertake any relevant training
Desirable criteria
* Membership of the IDSc
* Completed the Decontamination E Learning course
* Leadership and management qualification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
* Excellent understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice
* Full understanding of all processes within Decontamination
* Relevant experience in a Sterile Services establishment
* Awareness of Health and Safety at Work
* Knowledge of all procedures carried out by the Sterile Services Department
* Awareness of Quality Management Systems
* Knowledge of the Trust Moving and Handling Policy
* Excellent knowledge of Surgical Instrumentation