Decontamination Manager | Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	11 July 2025
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£53,755 - £60,504 Per Annum, pro rata
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	10 August 2025
Location:	Chorley, PR7 1PP
Company:	Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7268932/438-PB3212

Summary

Working behind the scenes of the hospital, there is a team of driven and meticulous individuals ensuring that all reusable surgical instrumentation is processed in line with current legislation ready to use in the next procedure.

In this environment safety is paramount, and the role demands a high level of competence and assured accountability. The team work following the ethos ‘It might be my relative on that operating table’, and so understandably strive to give their best all the time. The service follows a stringent structure through the process, from delivery, through cleaning, to the controlled clean room packing, sterilisation and to storage. The successful candidate will lead and manage all aspects of the Decontamination Service.

You will manage a team of 43 staff, including a Deputy Manager, two Assistant Managers, and six Team Leaders, overseeing a 24/7 service split into three shifts: 6am–2pm, 12pm–8pm, and 8pm–6am. Your team will provide sterile services for both Preston and Chorley Theatres, supported by dedicated drivers operating Trust-owned logistics vehicles between the sites. A major aspect of your role involves ensuring continuous testing, maintenance, and documentation of all equipment and tools to uphold the highest standards of quality and compliance.



In this role, you will provide strategic advice to the Trust Decontamination Lead on all aspects of decontaminating reusable surgical instrumentation while also serving as the operational management lead for the Sterile Services Department. You will be responsible for managing a budget in line with defined audit and statutory regulations and for offering professional leadership, project management, and specialist technical and clinical expertise on decontamination matters to Trust managers and clinical staff. A key part of your role will be leading the development and coordination of Trust-wide strategies, policies, standards, and practices, ensuring the organisation remains compliant and current with all areas of disinfection and sterilisation of reusable medical devices, including endoscopes. You will also promote collaborative, team-centred working relationships within the department, across the Trust, and throughout the wider Integrated Care System.











Try as we might, we just cannot cram everything into one advert, so we really encourage you to get in touch to fid out more. Lee Taylor, Assistant Director of Estates really welcomes you to contact him to arrange to come and visit or have an informal chat lee.taylor@lthtr.nhs.uk

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 work with external auditors to ensure ISO accreditation is maintained and that all current legislation and best practice recommendation are implemented.
• To build upon and maintain good relationships with Estates to ensure all Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and fault rectification work is undertaken in a timely, compliant manner.
• To liaise with the Infection Prevention and Control Team to ensure critical standards of hygiene are maintained. In particular to ensure that the requirements of the Health Act 2006 are fully met.
• Be an active member of the Trust Decontamination Equipment Assurance Group
• Lead the Trust JAG users group for AER users.
• Provide expert advice on the tendering process and procurement of Decontamination equipment, compatible detergents and disinfectants.
• To provide specialist knowledge to clinical and non-clinical staff on decontamination procedures for the care and management of patients with known or suspected communicable infections including TSE.
• Produce and present written/verbal reports (i.e. annual, quarterly, audits and business planning) to the Infection Prevention and Control Steering Committee, Clinical Governance, Risk Management Committees and Trust Board on areas needing improvement for decontamination facilities, equipment and management within the Trust.
• Responsible for ensuring information both verbal and written is communicated to other specialties / agencies both internal and external to the organization as appropriate in line with the Data protection Act.
• Maintain and develop new links with internal/external agencies on decontamination best practice and national strategies.
• To motivate and support others to achieve and improve infection prevention and control practice and achieve targets.
• Management of the department - lead on staff development, recruitment and retention and sickness. Ensure safe systems of work are adopted and a safe environment is maintained.
• To take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve professional knowledge and competence through logged CPD activities.
• To participate in personal objective setting and review, identification and review of staff training needs via an annual appraisal programme.
• Establish effective working relationships across the Trust with multi-disciplinary staff to facilitate understanding and best practice through education and training on the decontamination of medical devices.
• To develop a training plan to ensure all staff meet legislative and good practice requirements and perform their duties effectively in accordance with service
• To co-operate with the Trust in ensuring that statutory regulations, codes of practice, local policies and departmental health and safety rules are adhered to.
• Undertake appropriate Risk Assessments in the safe handling and use of equipment.
• In conjunction with the Infection Prevention and Control Service undertake look back exercises and contact tracing for medical devices used on patients with an infection risk as appropriate.
• Adopt an integrated approach by working with and guiding Senior Managers (clinical and non-clinical) to include Senior Nurses, Directorate managers, Medical Engineering, Facilities etc, to ensure that adequate Trust –wide management arrangements are in place to oversee the process of decontamination.
• To work with external auditors to ensure accreditation is maintained and that all current legislation and best practice recommendation are implemented.
• Responsible for auditing, implementing, co ordinating and monitoring the Trusts Decontamination Strategy to meet the
• recommendations of all current local and National Guidelines.
• Identify and develop key performance (KPI) to monitor Decontamination processes and compliance across the Trust, liaising with other related disciplines on decontamination to ensure a co-ordinate and integrated approach is adopted. (Key departments will include Microbiology, Infection Prevention and Control, Physical Risk (Health and Safety), Medical Engineering, Supplies/Purchasing; Clinical Risk, Facilities and External Bodies.
• Develop and implement a decontamination audit Programme to meet the requirements of statutory bodies.
• To evaluate and update decontamination practices to facilitate ongoing improvement and change.
• Lead in the review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to decontamination.
• Ensure a proactive approach is taken in dealing with complaints.
• Using identified KPIs to ensure that the Directorate of Anaesthetics are performing to the agreed standards.
• To be the designated User in relation to HTM01-01
• Assist and contribute to the Monitoring and review the logistics schedule for the delivery of Sterile Services ensuring best value for the Trust.
• Update and implement new research evidence based practice in accordance with legislation and Government guidance.
• Responsible for compiling formal and accurate documentation on decontamination advice and information to the Trust and to external agencies (where appropriate) and ensure robust system of documentation relating to decontamination procedures in place throughout the Trust.
• Responsible for recording and maintaining accurate documentation in compliance with all decontamination issues
• Lead in expansion, implementation and monitoring of a tracking system for reprocessing of all invasive equipment in conjunction with relevant managers.
• Apply specialist decontamination knowledge to assess the risks associated with infection and give appropriate advice.
• Keep updated with all relevant legislation appropriate to the post and to advise the Trust of any implications of such legislation.
• To provide specialist knowledge to clinical and non-clinical staff on decontamination procedures for the care and management of patients with known or suspected communicable infections to include Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease. To include the quarantine and incineration of medical devices as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Trust Physical Risk department and Medical devices Management group on all aspects of medical device management.
• Lead service developments within the directorate pertinent to the role e.g. improved electronic tracking of instruments and equipment.
• Management responsibility for the budget contained within the Sterile Services Department.
• Develop options for cost improvements as required by the Directorate and implement.
• Identify resource implications for changes to service provision.
• Input and advice on all other Business plans, raised in the Trust , with regards to decontamination.


This advert closes on Sunday 20 Jul 2025