Sterile Services Supervisor

Job overview

The Supervisor will be responsible for all aspects of production management within a designated shift within the Sterile Services Department and Endoscope reprocessing. This will include; managing production inputs/outputs and quality (including prioritising/re-organising work as appropriate), responding to ad hoc questions and concerns from technicians and generally ensuring efficient and effective service delivery.

Main duties of the job

Experience of effectively communicating technical information regarding sterile services to colleagues within a shift and ‘lay’ audiences (clinical users).

Ability to build strong and effective relationships with key stakeholders, promoting open and honest dialogue.

Ability to supervise staff and build effective supervisor/subordinate relationships.

• Listening, generating and providing suggestions made by staff on work organisation or service improvement to the Production Manager.

• Assisting with the review and development of departmental quality assurance initiatives in conjunction with the Production Manager.

• Assisting the Production Manager with operational aspects of service expansion, redesign, and development plans. Providing regular updates to the Production Manager on NCR’s, customer complaints and other key performance indicators.
• Providing regular updates to the Production Manager on NCR’s, customer complaints and other key performance indicators.
• Promoting good employee relations and morale within the shift.  This will include actively co-operating with staff engagement plans, having a zero tolerance policy on discrimination, understanding and engaging with the principles of dignity at work and leading by example.     The Supervisor will, where possible, be a working member of the shift and will be required to regularly work on the production floor.
• Promoting good employee relations and morale within the shift.  This will include actively co-operating with staff engagement plans, having a zero tolerance policy on discrimination, understanding and engaging with the principles of dignity at work and leading by example.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Supervisor will be responsible for:

• Managing production inputs and outputs.  This will include; organising work for daily production, re-prioritising work where appropriate, and, re-organising technicians to meet necessary demand.

• Ensuring that departmental working instructions and standard operating procedures are maintained, including challenging, correcting and escalating non-conformances as appropriate. Providing supervisory advice for ad-hoc production queries on a daily basis. This will include providing technical information regarding the processing of medical devices, in accordance with the Medical Devices Regulations and the Sterile Service’s accreditation in accordance with International Standards (ISO 13485). Undertaking ‘quality checks’ on production outputs before distribution.
• Providing supervisory advice for ad-hoc production queries on a daily basis. This will include providing technical information regarding the processing of medical devices, in accordance with the Medical Devices Regulations and the Sterile Service’s accreditation in accordance with International Standards (ISO 13485).
• Undertaking ‘quality checks’ on production outputs before distribution.
• Implementing ‘tray changes’ including co-ordinating and authorising all associated documentation.   Implementing staff rotas and on-call schedules and assisting in their development.       Providing general supervision of technicians including addressing ad hoc performance issue and tardiness and providing induction and orientation training.     Reviewing and counter signing ‘Non-Conformance Reports’ (NCR’s) raised by technicians. This will include; observing the NCR at the time it arises (wherever possible), confirming that the error is appropriate to be raised as an NCR  and/or providing advice on how it should be reported instead, determining the processes and circumstances that lead to the NCR and, developing action plans for improvement.  The Supervisor will be expected to regularly review NCR’s with the Production Manager to ensure that constant improvements to service are made.   Organising replacements for damaged instruments.  This includes resolving and/or escalating any issues experienced when co-ordinating this.   Checking clinical user stock supplies in advance of production and ensuring that adequate supplies are distributed and maintained.   Assisting with arrangements for planned department closures for essential maintenance. This includes assisting with the organisation of transport, staffing, transfer of materials and medical devices prior to the closure.   Managing any other ad hoc issues that arise during the course of a shift.  This will include escalating issues to the Production Manager as appropriate.   Undertake Fire Warden duties when on shift.
• Implementing ‘tray changes’ including co-ordinating and authorising all associated documentation.
• Implementing staff rotas and on-call schedules and assisting in their development.
• Providing general supervision of technicians including addressing ad hoc performance issue and tardiness and providing induction and orientation training.
• Reviewing and counter signing ‘Non-Conformance Reports’ (NCR’s) raised by technicians. This will include; observing the NCR at the time it arises (wherever possible), confirming that the error is appropriate to be raised as an NCR  and/or providing advice on how it should be reported instead, determining the processes and circumstances that lead to the NCR and, developing action plans for improvement.  The Supervisor will be expected to regularly review NCR’s with the Production Manager to ensure that constant improvements to service are made.
• Organising replacements for damaged instruments.  This includes resolving and/or escalating any issues experienced when co-ordinating this.
• Checking clinical user stock supplies in advance of production and ensuring that adequate supplies are distributed and maintained.
• Assisting with arrangements for planned department closures for essential maintenance. This includes assisting with the organisation of transport, staffing, transfer of materials and medical devices prior to the closure.
• Managing any other ad hoc issues that arise during the course of a shift.  This will include escalating issues to the Production Manager as appropriate.
• Undertake Fire Warden duties when on shift.