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East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

About

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust:

We provide high quality services for the local population of over half a million people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area.

We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.
We treat nearly three quarters of a million patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures.
We offer care across Three hospital sites, and various community sites, using state-of-the-art facilities.

In this section you’ll find information about our hospitals, the goals the Trust is working hard to achieve, the annual plan and reports on how we are performing.

We are always try to deliver the highest quality care to our patients and have ambitious plans to continue to improve the services we offer in response to the changing needs of our patients.

Background.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is an NHS Organisation, which was formed on the 1st April 2003, following the merger of Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust and Burnley Health Care NHS Trust.

In addition to a full range of acute hospital services the trust is a growing centre for emergency hospital services, Hepato Biliary, Head and Neck and Urological Cancer services, a growing centre for Cardiology services and a network provider of Level III Neonatal Intensive Care.

The Trust has a total of over 950 inpatient beds at Burnley General Teaching Hospital and Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital. Inpatient rehabilitation services are also provided at Pendle Community Hospital and at the Rakehead Unit at Burnley General

Contact

Address: Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital; Haslingden Road; Blackburn; Lancashire; BB2 3HH
Contact Number: 01254732075

Find out more

Jobs Website

Open

Ref: 435-1LSC-LTH28-26 Vacancy ID: 8239692

Sterile Service Trust Decontamination Lead

Accepting applications until: 02-Sep-2026 23:59

Vacancy status: Open

Accepting applications until: 02-Sep-2026 23:59

Location

Site: Chorley and South Ribble Hospital
Address: Preston Road
Town: Chorley
Postcode: PR7 1PP
Major / Minor Region: Lancashire

Contract type & working pattern

Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Salary

Salary: £66,582 - £77,368 Per annum, Pro Rata
Salary period: Yearly
Grade: (Band 8b)

Specialty

Main area: Sterile Services

One LSC is a new collaborative partnership shared service formed by the five NHS Trusts serving the Lancashire and South Cumbria population of 1.8 million people. We are a shared service run by the NHS, for the NHS and are hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust on behalf of the partner Trusts of the Lancashire and South Cumbria system.

One LSC stands for ‘One Lancashire and South Cumbria’ and reflects the Lancashire and South Cumbria System ambition to have one team serving Lancashire and South Cumbria in a joined-up way. It is jointly run by the five Trusts as a collaborative partnership.

The Trusts that make up One LSC are:

· Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

· East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

· Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

· Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

· University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

One LSC brings together the Digital, Data and Technology, Estates and Facilities, Finance, People Services and Procurement and Logistics services from each of the provider Trusts to create one central community of professionals. Under one leadership team, they will provide services for and on behalf of all Trusts.

The aim is to bring services more closely together so that we can deliver the best service possible to each of our partner organisations. At the core of One LSC delivery is eliminating duplication, removing unwarranted variation, realisation of the benefits of sharing common systems and processes and ensuring we deliver value for money for our partners, our system and, ultimately, for the communities we serve.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Strategic & Professional Leadership

• Act as the Trust Decontamination Lead (appointed by the Chief Executive via the DIPC, although line manged through the divisional structure of Estates and Facilities).

• Provide expert advice on decontamination to the Board, Infection Prevention and Control Committee, and clinical/operational services.

• Ensure Trust compliance with Department of Health, MHRA, Care Quality Commission, ISO and HTM requirements for decontamination.

• Develop, implement and monitor Trust-wide policies and procedures for decontamination.

• Maintain professional knowledge of evolving standards, legislation, and best practice in decontamination.

• Prepare and present an annual report on decontamination compliance to the DIPC/Trust Board.

• Ensuring that the department is compliant with accrediting and regulating agencies, that formal agreements are in place as required and monitored

Operational Management – HSDU

• Provide line management for all staff within the HSDU, including workforce planning, recruitment, appraisal, training, and professional development.

• Ensure effective operational delivery of sterile services, meeting turnaround, safety and quality requirements for clinical users.

• Maintain compliance with ISO 13485, ISO 9001, MHRA regulations, and other external accreditation/audit requirements.

• Ensure all HSDU staff receive ongoing competency-based training in line with national requirements.

• Monitor and manage HSDU budgets, resources, and equipment replacement programmes within delegated authority.

Endoscopy Decontamination Governance

• Provide professional assurance and governance oversight of endoscope decontamination facilities within the Trust, even where direct line management sits with clinical divisions.

• Ensure compliance with HTM 01-06, JAG standards, and the Joint Advisory Group audit (JAQ).

• Lead or contribute to audits, policies, and risk assessments for endoscope decontamination.

Estates / Engineering Collaboration

• Work closely with Estates and Authorised Persons (Decontamination) to ensure validation, water quality, ventilation, and engineering support for decontamination services meet national requirements.

• Attend and contribute to relevant governance meetings with Estates, Authorising Engineers, and external auditors.

Quality, Safety & Governance

• Ensure robust quality management systems are in place across HSDU and decontamination processes, including audit, incident reporting, and corrective action.

• Lead investigations into incidents, complaints or failures in sterile services, ensuring lessons learned are embedded.

• Work closely with the Trust’s Infection Prevention and Control Team, Estates, and relevant clinical services to manage risks related to decontamination.

• Ensure all decontamination practices meet statutory, regulatory, and professional standards. Business Continuity & Emergency Planning

• Lead the development and implementation of business continuity and major incident plans for decontamination services.

• Ensure contingency arrangements are in place for equipment failure, capacity shortages, or emergencies (e.g. pandemic surge).

• Participate in Trust emergency planning exercises where decontamination services are involved. Service development

• Lead continuous improvement of decontamination and sterile service processes to enhance safety, quality, and efficiency.

• Contribute to business cases for service development and capital investment in decontamination equipment or facilities.

• Engage with regional and national networks to benchmark practice and introduce innovation.

Dear Potential Applicant,

It is important you are made aware of the following as regards your application to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Please note that the salary advertised is for full time hours. If this post is less than 37.5 hours per week, the salary will be pro-rata. For posts on Agenda for Change pay-scales, new entrants to the NHS will normally commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.
This vacancy may close before the closing date if the recruiting manager deems sufficient applications have been received. Therefore it is advised to complete your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
Please note that shortlisting is completed anonymously with candidates being assessed against the essential criteria for the post. Therefore only applicants, who can clearly demonstrate how they meet our person specification criteria in their application, will be short-listed.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)

If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained.

The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £55.38 and for a Standard Disclosure will be £27.38.

This cost is not applicable for a Volunteer post

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The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.

We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible. By telephone 01254 732075 or email [email protected] or write to Employment Services, Parkview Offices, Haslingden Road, Blackburn, BB2 3HH

Thanks for taking the time to view this advert; we look forward to receiving your application.

Please be aware that this vacancy may close earlier than the published date if sufficient applications are received. It is, therefore, recommended that you apply as soon as you can.

We will contact you by e-mail to update you on the progress of your application, so please check the e-mail account that you applied from regularly (including spam/junk).

The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, is committed to improving the working lives of its colleagues and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy on aggression, violence, bullying and harassment.

As a recruitment service, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service in recruiting people into positions of trust.

It is important to us that we employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone - irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that as an employer we are under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

We recognise that the recruitment process may present barriers for some and you may need personal adjustments to enable you to participate in our recruitment process. Please make contact with the recruitment team at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable you to apply for this post.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information.

AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and could negatively impact on your chances of success in the application process.

We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Supporting Information

The supporting information section is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person specification.

Recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. They will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, please provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Share work-related successes and challenges you have navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.

Consider structuring your supporting information section with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.

Young People

Please note: a young person must be in part-time education or training until they’re 18. If you are under 18 we are unable to employ you on a full time basis, unless it is in an apprenticeship role.

Disclosure and Barring Service checks

If the role you’ve applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £26.40, Standard DBS check £26.40, Enhanced DBS check £54.40 and Enhanced DBS check with Barred List(s) £54.40. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here.

In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working.

NO UNSOLICITED ADVERTISING COMPANY APPROACHES

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Degree or equivalent in a relevant scientific/technical discipline.
Formal decontamination qualification (e.g. Institute of Decontamination Sciences) or equivalent knowledge/experience.

Desirable criteria

Certificate in NHS Management
Leadership/Management course attendance
Finance management course/workshop attendance

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

Senior management experience within sterile services or decontamination.
Demonstrable track record of delivering compliance with HTM 01-01, HTM 01-06 and other standards.
Experience of leading and developing teams.
Experience of quality management systems and external audit (ISO, UKAS, MHRA).
Experience of business continuity and risk management in a healthcare setting.
Expert technical knowledge of decontamination processes, standards, and regulatory requirements.
Experience of participation in regular clinical audit
Financial and resource management skills.
Ability to analyse complex technical information and translate into clear operational policy