Go back East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
Sterile Services Trainee Technician
The closing date is 09 June 2026
We are recruiting for a SSD/EDD Trainee Technicianwho shares 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,andImprove. 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
About us
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.
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed informationregardingthis 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
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 name
East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
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