Assistant Technical Officer (A.T.O) - Decontamination
Based within the NHS\-based at Southmead Hospital
Full Time – 37\.5 Hours Per Week
Working 5 Days Over 7 Including Weekends \& Bank Holidays
Various Shift Patterns Including Afternoons, Evenings \& Nights
Are you looking for a rewarding career within the NHS?
Do you have a good eye for detail and enjoy working as part of a busy team?
We are looking for motivated and reliable individuals to join our CSSD (Central Sterile Services Department) Decontamination Team. No previous experience is required as full training will be provided.
This is an important role helping to ensure medical equipment and surgical instruments are cleaned, disinfected and sterilised to the highest standards, supporting safe patient care across the hospital.
About you:
Good attention to detail
Able to work well within a team
Reliable and motivated
Physically able to undertake a demanding role involving standing, bending and lifting
Willingness to learn new skills
What we offer:
Full training provided – no experience necessary
NHS Band 2 pay scale
Excellent NHS benefits package
Apprenticeship opportunities available
Great career progression opportunities within Decontamination Services
Supportive team environment
Opportunity to develop specialist skills and qualifications
This is a fantastic opportunity to start a long\-term career within the NHS and develop within an essential healthcare service.
Apply now and become part of a team dedicated to patient safety and high\-quality care
The Cleaning, Checking /Packing and Sterilising of medical equipment.
Use of a tracking computerised system.
What the role involves:
- You will be required to use keyboards, touch screens and scanners.
Inspecting instruments with a high level of attention to detail
Working in a fast\-paced clinical environment
Following strict infection prevention and safety procedures
Standing for long periods, bending and lifting throughout shifts
Working flexibly across a variety of shift patterns
Initially there will be 3 weeks of induction training during day time shifts, you will then complete all other training on the allocated shift patterns
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award\-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti\-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Job Description
Decontamination Technician / Endoscopy Decontamination Technician
Job Purpose
To provide a high\-quality decontamination and sterilisation service for reusable medical devices, flexible endoscopes, surgical instruments, and associated equipment in accordance with Trust policies, ISO standards, Health Technical Memoranda (HTMs), infection prevention standards, and Health \& Safety regulations.
The post holder will support the safe and effective delivery of patient care by ensuring medical devices are cleaned, disinfected, inspected, assembled, sterilised, tracked, and distributed to required standards and within agreed service levels.
Key Responsibilities
General Duties
Maintain and develop professional working relationships with colleagues, theatres, wards, departments, and external customers.
Behave professionally and courteously at all times.
Participate in a rotational working system across all areas of the department.
Receive, disassemble, clean, inspect, disinfect, assemble, sterilise, pack, and distribute reusable medical devices and flexible endoscopes.
Carry out functionality testing on reusable medical devices and equipment.
Operate departmental equipment safely and effectively in accordance with departmental procedures and manufacturer instructions.
Record all stages of the decontamination and sterilisation process using electronic traceability systems and manual documentation where required.
Assess and approve work completed by colleagues where appropriate.
Identify, diagnose, and report failures or abnormalities in equipment test results in accordance with ISO 13485, HTMs, Medical Devices Directive (MDD 93/42/EEC), and Health \& Safety requirements.
Escalate equipment failures, process deviations, and emergencies to Team Leaders, Production Coordinators, or Managers.
Participate in departmental and Trust\-wide audits and support implementation of service improvements.
Assist with Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) activities.
Maintain compliance with departmental Quality Management Systems and Health \& Safety policies.
Report customer complaints, incidents, and non\-conformances to the appropriate manager.
Mentor, train, and support new or less experienced staff members.
Attend mandatory and role\-specific training as required.
Participate in appraisal, performance reviews, and continuous professional development.
Contribute to the Trust’s vision, values, and operational objectives.
Raw Material Store \& Endoscopy Storerooms
Process stock orders and deliveries using correct documentation and inventory systems.
Maintain stock rotation and ensure removal of external packaging where required.
Monitor and maintain agreed stock levels and raise replenishment requests/orders.
Participate in stock takes and inventory audits.
Ensure compliance with storage requirements relating to temperature, humidity, COSHH, and manual handling regulations.
Safely manoeuvre trolleys and undertake manual handling of instrument sets and supplies.
Washrooms / Decontamination Areas
Perform daily testing and maintenance checks on Washer Disinfectors, Ultrasonic Cleaners, Trolley Washers, Automatic Endoscope Reprocessors (AERs), and associated equipment.
Record and review test results to demonstrate compliance and support audit requirements.
Follow washroom protocols, standard operating procedures, infection prevention, and Health \& Safety requirements at all times.
Log incoming instruments, sets, and endoscopes into the traceability system and prioritise workloads appropriately.
Verify equipment completeness and report discrepancies immediately.
Complete non\-conformance documentation where required.
Process specialist loan instrumentation in accordance with manufacturer instructions.
Recognise and appropriately dispose of single\-use devices.
Respond to customer queries and prioritise urgent/Fast Track requests.
Handle contaminated devices safely using appropriate PPE and universal precautions, including compliance with Cytotoxic, NICE, and CJD policies.
Safely dispose of clinical waste, sharps, linen, and fluids in accordance with policy.
Inspection, Assembly \& Packing (IAP) / Endoscopy Clean Room
Conduct environmental monitoring and record air handling unit checks.
Perform testing and recording of heat sealers and diathermy testers.
Inspect instruments and devices for cleanliness, functionality, and damage prior to packing.
Assemble and pack surgical trays and instruments to agreed specifications ensuring sterility maintenance.
Apply tamper\-evident seals, sterilisation indicators, and approved wrapping systems.
Sign tray lists and traceability documentation, accepting accountability for work completed.
Perform visual checks on wash cycle parameters and reprocess failed loads as required.
Comply with gowning procedures and clean room standards.
Prioritise workloads to minimise disruption to patient care and theatre schedules.
Process and dispatch endoscopes in line with departmental traceability and accountability procedures.
Sterilisation Services
Test sterilisers in accordance with departmental quality control procedures.
Record and analyse steriliser test results to demonstrate compliance.
Operate sterilisers safely and effectively using correct PPE and safe systems of work.
Inspect sterilised loads to confirm integrity and sterility indicators have achieved required parameters.
Raise non\-conformance reports (NCRs) where necessary.
Categorise and prepare instruments and sets for dispatch.
Produce decontamination certificates for loan sets and repaired instruments.
Process urgent/Fast Track items to meet clinical demand.
Use low\-temperature sterilisation systems, including Sterrad gas plasma sterilisation equipment, where trained and competent.
High Level Disinfection / Endoscopy Decontamination
Decontaminate flexible endoscopes in accordance with manufacturer instructions, HTMs, JAG guidance, and departmental standard operating procedures.
Undertake all stages of the endoscope decontamination cycle including:
Visual inspection
Manual cleaning
Leak testing
High\-level disinfection
Drying
Storage
Tracking and tracing
Transportation and dispatch
Safely operate Endoscope Washer Disinfectors (EWDs), drying cabinets, and associated equipment.
Carry out routine testing and quality assurance checks on endoscopes and decontamination equipment.
Maintain accurate electronic and paper tracking documentation.
Identify and report equipment faults, process failures, and non\-conformities promptly.
Work safely with chemicals and disinfectants in a
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