Compass Associates
Sterile Services & Decontamination Lead
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Sterile Services & Decontamination Lead – Brand New Private Hospital
£36,000 (Flexible DOE) + Competitive Company Benefits
Oxford - Oxfordshire
Full-Time / Permanent – 40 Hours
Want to take ownership of an on-site sterile services and decontamination department?
Looking for the opportunity to lead and develop a small, dedicated team?
Interested in supporting high-quality surgical and endoscopy services within a modern private hospital?
Compass Associates are proud to be partnering with a growing private healthcare provider in the search for a Sterile Services & Decontamination Lead.
The Opportunity:
- Take day-to-day ownership of the hospital’s on-site sterile services provision
- Lead, support, and develop a team of two to three Decontamination Technicians
- Support two operating theatres delivering surgical and endoscopy procedures
- Work closely with the Theatre Manager, clinical teams, and senior leadership
- Maintain the highest standards of decontamination, traceability, quality, and patient safety
- Have genuine autonomy to improve processes and shape how the service develops
The hospital will provide a range of surgical, diagnostic, and minimally invasive procedures across its operating theatres and endoscopy service.
With sterile services delivered entirely on site, the Decontamination Lead will play an essential role in ensuring that all reusable medical devices and surgical instruments are safely received, cleaned, disinfected, inspected, assembled, sterilised, stored, and distributed.
Why Join?
- Modern private hospital environment
- Small, supportive, and collaborative team
- Opportunity to take ownership of an important hospital service
- Close working relationship with the Theatre Manager and clinical leadership team
- Investment in training, professional development, and progression
- Growing healthcare organisation with a strong focus on quality and patient care
What is in it for you?
- Salary of £36,000, flexible depending on experience
- Competitive company benefits package
- Generous annual leave allowance
- Company pension scheme
- Private medical insurance
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Ongoing training and professional development
- Opportunities for progression as the hospital and service continue to grow
- Additional benefits to be confirmed
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Sterile Services or Decontamination professional to take day-to-day responsibility for the hospital’s on-site decontamination service.
Reporting directly to the Theatre Manager, you will oversee a small team of Decontamination Technicians and ensure that all reusable medical devices are processed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with relevant standards, policies, and manufacturer instructions.
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This will be a hands-on leadership position. Alongside supervising the department, you will support the team with the cleaning, inspection, assembly, packing, sterilisation, and distribution of surgical instruments and endoscopy equipment.
You will work closely with theatre practitioners, endoscopy staff, infection prevention colleagues, engineers, suppliers, and external advisers to ensure the service remains safe, compliant, and responsive to the needs of the hospital.
Responsibilities:
- Take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the sterile services and decontamination department
- Lead, supervise, and support a team of two to three Decontamination Technicians
- Allocate workloads and ensure instruments are processed in line with theatre and endoscopy requirements
- Maintain a visible, hands-on presence within the department
- Ensure reusable medical devices are cleaned, disinfected, inspected, assembled, packaged, sterilised, and stored correctly
- Oversee the safe reprocessing of surgical instruments and endoscopy equipment
- Ensure full traceability of instruments and decontamination cycles
- Monitor stock levels and ensure the timely availability of sterile instruments and consumables
- Ensure equipment is used correctly and maintained in safe working order
- Complete and oversee routine equipment checks, testing, and documentation
- Escalate faults and coordinate repairs, servicing, and maintenance where required
- Maintain accurate records relating to sterilisation cycles, traceability, testing, maintenance, and quality assurance
- Support the development, review, and implementation of departmental policies and standard operating procedures
- Ensure compliance with relevant decontamination guidance, including HTM 01-01 and HTM 01-06
- Ensure manufacturer instructions for use are followed consistently
- Support audit activity, quality monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives
- Assist with regulatory inspections and maintain readiness for CQC review
- Work closely with Infection Prevention and Control colleagues to maintain high standards
- Support investigations into incidents, non-conformances, equipment failures, and process deviations
- Implement corrective and preventative actions where required
- Ensure appropriate infection prevention, health and safety, and manual handling procedures are followed
- Recruit, induct, train, and develop members of the decontamination team
- Maintain staff competency records and ensure ongoing training requirements are met
- Complete performance reviews and provide regular feedback and support
- Promote a positive, professional, and accountable team culture
- Support the Theatre Manager with departmental planning, equipment procurement, and service development
- Build effective working relationships with theatre, endoscopy, clinical, and operational teams
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What can you bring?
- Previous experience within sterile services, decontamination, or endoscopy decontamination
- Experience working with surgical instruments and reusable medical devices
- Previous supervisory, team-lead, or senior technician experience
- Strong understanding of decontamination processes, infection prevention, and traceability
- Knowledge of washer-disinfectors, sterilisers, and associated decontamination equipment
- Experience following technical procedures, quality standards, and manufacturer instructions
- Ability to lead and motivate a small operational team
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to patient safety
- Excellent organisational and workload-management skills
- Ability to respond effectively to changing theatre and endoscopy requirements
- Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills
- Confidence maintaining accurate records and completing audits
- A proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement
Desirable:
- Institute of Decontamination Sciences qualification or recognised sterile services qualification
- Level 3 qualification in decontamination, healthcare science, or a related subject
- Experience within an acute hospital, private hospital, or independent surgical setting
- Experience supporting both surgical and endoscopy decontamination services
- Knowledge of HTM 01-01 and HTM 01-06
- Experience with quality-management systems and audit processes
- Previous involvement in CQC inspections or regulatory compliance
- Experience commissioning or developing a new sterile services department
- Training, assessing, or competency-management experience
Interested?
If you are an experienced Sterile Services or Decontamination professional ready to step into a leadership role – or an established Team Leader looking for greater ownership and responsibility – we would love to hear from you.
Contact Information
Ben Warnes
07908 224 207
bwarnes@compassltd.co.uk
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