Assistant Technical Officer (ATO)

North Bristol NHS Trust

1mo ago

Job
Full-time
Entry Level
Healthcare
Facilities Management
Bristol

AI generated summary

You must have GCSE-level education, basic hygiene understanding, good communication skills, experience in demanding situations, and the ability to work under pressure in a physically demanding role.
You will decontaminate medical devices, inspect equipment, maintain safety protocols, operate machinery, manage stock, and ensure compliance with quality standards while assisting colleagues and patients.

Requirements

Able to read and write & understand written and verbal instructions in English Language
Good general education to GCSE level or equivalent
Understanding of basic hygiene
Experience of dealing with demanding situations
Ability to work under pressure at a fast pace in a physically demanding environment, requiring manual handling
Possess good communication skills (both verbal and written) with a confident and approachable manner when dealing with colleagues & various service users
Team player with a professional outlook
Health and physical abilities sufficient for the post (if necessary, with reasonable adjustments with respect to the Equality Act/Disability Discrimination Act)

Responsibilities

The Decontamination Technician is responsible for providing effective, safe and efficient collection, decontamination (manual cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation) and distribution of re-usable medical devices including flexible endoscopes for use in direct patient care.
Work in co-operation with the Theatres, wards and departments to provide a flexible and efficient service that is responsive to the needs of the patients’ and the Trust.
At all times and throughout all production areas, ensuring safe systems are followed that will support patient and staff safety.
Onsite training will be carried out within all areas of the Decontamination Facilities.
You will be required to use keyboards, touch screens and scanners.
To experience repeated periods of intense concentration.
To develop a high degree of manual dexterity, accuracy, precision, and speed.
To push/manoeuvre trolleys, manually handle instruments, sets and stock.
To work while standing for prolonged periods of time.
To understand how to operate a PC, scanners, and label printers in order to operate computerised traceability system.
To develop an extensive knowledge of medical devices and their functions.
To use your initiative for routine and non-routine day-to-day tasks.
Maintain and develop good relationships with other staff within the department and with our Service Users such as theatres, wards and various other departments.
Behave in a professional manner at all times.
On rotational basis duties include: receiving, disassembly and cleaning of contaminated equipment including the high-level disinfection of flexible endoscopes.
To inspect, test, assemble, pack, sterilize and distribute instruments, endoscopes and equipment for supply to customers, wards, departments, theatres and external customers.
To assess and approve work of colleagues and others.
To record all the essential stages of the decontamination/sterilisation process.
Operate and test all equipment within the department.
To make a diagnosis of daily test results on machinery used in Decontamination Facilities and inform relevant personnel if results are contrary to the required standards; ISO 13485, HTMs, MDD 93/42/EEC and Health & Safety.
Carry out functionality tests on all re-usable medical devices.
To record and process the test results and demonstrate compliance, so as to enable audits and facilitate analysis.
Participate in Department and Trust wide audits when requested by the Decontamination Manager and support the introduction of any changes in practice shown to improve standards.
Assist with Planned Preventive Maintenance.
Carry out all duties in line with the Trust’s Health and Safety policies.
Carry out all duties in line with the Department’s accredited Quality System.
Receive and document goods and equipment, check delivery notes against goods delivered for accuracy and record non-conformances.
Assist in restocking of supplies and record all information required.
Carry out assigned clerical tasks as required.
Mentoring / training of new colleagues and less experienced members of staff.
Keep areas clean and tidy; maintain a safe and compliant environment.
Deliver the workload within the agreed time and to the required customer service level agreement.
Prioritise, depending on customer requirements to ensure, minimal disruption to patient care e.g., surgical lists and trust waiting list initiatives/targets.
Pushing/manoeuvring trolleys, manual handling of instrument sets and stock.
To have an understanding of how to escalate any problems or emergency relating to decontamination equipment to the Team Leaders/Production Coordinators or Managers.
To contribute to ensuring that quality assurance and production controls systems are maintained in accordance with work instructions.
To report all customer complaints to the Quality Manager or Production Manager.
To attend any training as required.
To participate in performance and development review.
To work alongside organisational colleagues in order to contribute to the NBT’s vision and values “Exceptional healthcare, personally delivered” and to contribute fully towards Facilities objectives, divisional and departmental delivery plans.
Process orders using correct documentation; ensure rotation of stocks, removal of external packaging.
Take part in stock take exercises when required.
Comply with legislation relating to required storage conditions e.g., temperature, humidity, COSHH and manual handling.
Responsible for maintaining levels of stock and the raising of orders for raw materials.
Carry out daily test & maintenance on all Washer/Disinfectors, Trolley Washers, Niagara SI Ultrasonic WDs, Medisafe Ultrasonic Cleaner and Automatic Endoscope Reprocesses (AERs) and record the test results to demonstrate compliance, so as to enable audits and facilitate analysis.
Follow Washroom protocols and standard operating procedures all the time.
To log all incoming set, scopes and instruments into the department via the Fingerprint Tracker computer system and prioritise workload.
To check that all equipment is present and correct.
Report any discrepancies to the customer and the Team Leader/Production Coordinator immediately.
Complete the relevant documents for non-conformances.
To wash and decontaminate medical devices according to the departments policies and procedures, particularly Health and safety and Control of Infection.
To take delivery of and process unique specialist loan medical device for use in complex clinical procedures, following the manufacturers’ instructions.
To be able to recognise single use equipment and dispose of as appropriate.
Deal with customers’ queries and reschedule workload as Fast Track items as received.
Receive and document contaminated equipment, check delivery notes against equipment delivered for accuracy and record non-conformances (NCR) where necessary.
Adhere to specified levels of Personal Protective equipment and universal precaution for Cytotoxic, NICE Guidance & CJD (Creutzfeldt - Jakob Disease) Policies.
Disposal of waste bags to include clinical waste, sharps containers, linen bags, and fluids.
Take readings and record environmental checks on air handling units.
Test and record results of heat sealers and diathermy testers.
Undertake quality checks for cleanliness and functionality before packing to agreed specifications.
Pack sets and instruments using various designs of wrappings/containers in such a way as to ensure an effective sterile field for up to one year after sterilisation.
The packer will sign the tray lists of instruments/apparatus, therefore accepting final responsibility for work undertaken.
Deal with clinical user queries and reschedule workload when Fast track items are received.
Visual checks are carried out on all wash cycles to ensure correct parameters are achieved, if these are not achieved wash load is failed on traceability system and returned for reprocessing.
To include tamper proof security seals, sterilizing indicators and wrapping materials.
Assist in restocking of supplies and record all information required.
Comply with Gowning room procedure.
Deliver the workload within the agreed time and to the required customer service level agreement.
Prioritise depending on customer requirements to ensure minimal disruption to patient care e.g., surgical lists and trust waiting list initiatives/targets.
A technician working in Endoscopy Decontamination Unit (EDU) will scan the endoscopes out of the washers and for their subsequent despatch to the end user, therefore accepting final responsibility for work undertaken.
Test all sterilisers within the department in accordance with the departmental Quality Control Procedures.
To record and process the test results and demonstrate compliance, so as to enable audits and facilitate analysis.
Process instruments using sterilisers, maintaining safe working practice at all times, use correct PPE when necessary.
Deliver the workload within the agreed time and to the required customer service level agreement.
Prioritise workload depending on customer requirements to ensure minimal disruption to patient care e.g., surgical lists and trust waiting list initiatives/targets.
Inspect sets/instruments on a regular basis to ensure integrity of loads i.e., visual indicators.
To raise Non-Conformance Reports (NCR’s) where necessary.
Categorise all sets/instruments into appropriate areas for despatch.

FAQs

What is the role of an Assistant Technical Officer (ATO) at North Bristol NHS Trust?

The ATO, specifically as a Decontamination Technician, is responsible for the safe and efficient collection, decontamination, and distribution of reusable medical devices, including flexible endoscopes, for use in direct patient care.

What are the main duties of the ATO position?

Main duties include cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing medical devices, inspecting and testing equipment, maintaining records, operating machinery, and ensuring compliance with health and safety policies.

Is there training available for this position?

Yes, onsite training will be provided in all areas of the Decontamination Facilities to ensure staff are fully competent in their roles.

What qualifications are required to apply for the ATO position?

Applicants are expected to have a good general education to GCSE level or equivalent, the ability to read and understand English instructions, basic hygiene knowledge, and good communication skills.

What are the working conditions for the ATO role?

The role requires working in a physically demanding environment for prolonged periods, operating machinery, and handling instruments, while also maintaining cleanliness and safety standards.

Do applicants need previous experience in healthcare?

Prior experience in a similar role or a healthcare environment is not explicitly stated but would be beneficial in demonstrating relevant skills and knowledge.

How does North Bristol NHS Trust approach diversity and inclusion?

The Trust is committed to equality of opportunity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, disabled individuals, and LGBTQIA+ people.

What should applicants do if they have not received communication after applying?

If applicants do not receive communication within three weeks of the closing date, they should assume their application has been unsuccessful.

Are there any travel reimbursements for attending interviews?

No, North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses related to interview attendance.

Will there be background checks for successful applicants?

Yes, stringent pre-employment checks will be undertaken on all successful applicants before they commence in the position.

North Bristol NHS Trust

NBT Cares

Science & Healthcare

Industry

10,001+

Employees

1992

Founded Year

Mission & Purpose

North Bristol NHS Trust provides a range of acute and specialist healthcare services across the Bristol area. Their mission is to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care with a focus on innovation and excellence. Their purpose is to improve health outcomes and patient experiences by offering high-quality care through their hospitals and community services.