Here at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
Our mission is:
Providing high-quality, compassionate care for our communities
Our vision to 2030 is:
To be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service
Our values - We want our staff to believe in, demonstrate and live our values in everything we do. Our values are:
Include
We value the diversity and experience of our community colleagues and partners, creating relationships and climates that provide an opportunity to share, collaborate and grow together.
Respect
We create a safe environment where we are curious of the lived experience of others, seek out best practice and are open to listening and hearing new ideas.
Improve
We are committed to consistently delivering excellent services and continuously looking to improve through a creative workforce that feels empowered to act in service of our shared purpose.
Job overview
We are recruiting for a SSD/EDD Trainee Technician who share s our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
You will undertake a structured training programme within the Sterile Services Department to develop the knowledge and practical skills required for the safe decontamination and sterilisation of reusable medical devices.
Working under supervision, the post holder will support the collection, cleaning, inspection, assembly, sterilisation and dispatch of surgical instruments, ensuring all activities are carried out in accordance with Trust policies, national guidance (HTM 01-01 / HTM 01-06) and quality standards. The role requires a strong commitment to learning, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team in a fast-paced, safety-critical environment.
At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.
Main duties of the job
Participate in a structured training programme to achieve competency in all aspects of decontamination and sterilisation processes
Collect used surgical instruments and medical devices from designated areas within the Trust
Carry out sorting, cleaning and decontamination of reusable equipment in line with departmental procedures
Prepare, load and operate decontamination and sterilisation equipment under supervision Inspect, assemble and package instruments in preparation for sterilisation
Perform routine operational tests on equipment and accurately complete associated records
Maintain clean, safe and organised work areas, ensuring compliance with infection prevention and health & safety requirements
Use tracking and traceability systems to record instrument processing activity
Follow procedures for product release and escalation of faults, defects or non-compliance
Prioritise workload in line with service demands and customer requirements
Work collaboratively with colleagues and communicate effectively within the team
Adhere to Trust policies, quality standards, and regulatory requirements at all times
Working for our organisation
At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
* The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
* New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
* Hertford County, Hertford
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person specification
Previous Experience
* Previous work experience within a decontamination unit or clan room
* Previous work experience within a hospital environment
Skills
* Good literacy and numeracy
* Good organizational skills and time management
* Able to understand and implement manufactures guidelines for the reprocessing of re-usable medical devices
* Ability to meet deadlines, be adaptive, follow procedures, and work & respond well under pressure
* Have good manual dexterity and excellent vision, with or without reading aids
* Able to stand for long periods of time
* Able to work in an area with moderate to heavy physical activity (pushing, pulling, lifting)
* Able to concentrate for long periods of time whilst quality checking complex instrumentation
* Able to work in an environment where there is a high exposure to items contaminated with blood, bone and tissue
Knowledge
* Knowledge of the type of work undertaken in SSD
* Knowledge of health & safety, CoSHH and PPE
Other Requirements
* Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
* Role model our Trust values every day
* Treat all colleagues, including porters, nurses, surgeons and fellow technicians with professionalism and courtesy
* Uphold the importance of own contribution to patient safety by ensuring all instruments are accurately prepared and processed
* Maintain confidentiality and handle equipment and data with discretion and integrity
* Take pride in delivering a behind- the-scenes service that directly impacts the quality of care and patient outcomes
When you apply...
Please note we do not offer visa sponsorship for roles unless clearly stated in our adverts. This means even if you have the right to work currently but will require a new sponsorship to work for our Trust your application will not be considered.
Vacancies may close earlier than the advertised closing date where a high volume of applications are received. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out on the opportunity to join the Trust or develop your career with us.
While we recognise that AI can support in drafting an application, you are encouraged to clearly demonstrate your personal skills, experience and behaviours that align with the role, and this is usually best done in your own words. We reserve the right to review all applications for the use of AI tools and where this is inconsistent with our values and standards of behaviour your application may be rejected
All correspondence relating to vacancies will be via the e-mail address you have provided on your application form. Some servers automatically send e-mails to your junk mail so please check as well as your inbox.
Secondments/Fixed term
Where a vacancy is advertised as a temporary position, the duration will be specified in the advert. If the vacancy becomes permanent towards the end of the specified duration, the successful applicant may not be required to re-apply and can be slotted into the role on a permanent basis if appropriate.
If you are an internal applicant applying for a temporary working arrangement, please see the attached notes on secondments.
Committed to our Community
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion for all job applicants, staff, patients and the wider community. We want to create a workforce which represents the communities we serve. We are on a journey to become a more inclusive organisation and we welcome applications from everyone regardless of their background. In particular we encourage applications from candidates with disabilities, and candidates from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who are currently under-represented in various parts of our workforce .
We understand the importance of balancing work and home life. We are committed to support flexible working for our staff wherever possible and all our employees are given the opportunity to discuss potential for flexible working.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and achieved our status in 2019.
We will remove barriers that prospective candidates might face at any stage of our recruitment process. If you have a disability and would like the advert in an alternative format, or would like to talk about how we can adjust the interview process to best support you, please contact us by emailing resourcing.enh-tr@nhs.net
We are also proud to support our UK armed forces by supporting Reservists, Cadet Instructors, Veterans and military spouses/partners into employment and offering supportive policies that value their contribution to the community and to our Trust.
We are committed to being a carer-friendly environment, addressing the complex needs of families with caring responsibilities. In partnership with Carers in Hertfordshire, all our working carers have access to support from recruitment. We are also a member of Carers UK, providing resources to make balancing work and caring easier. Our approach is inclusive, recognizing diverse challenges and creating a supportive environment where carers feel valued.
King's Trust Support
If you’re aged between 16 and 30 years-old, you can get FREE employability support from The King’s Trust. The King’s Trust will help build your CV and cover letter, offer advice and top tips for future interviews and support you with research about working in the NHS. Please contact Enquiries.H&SC@princes-trust.org.uk for support.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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