Position overview

Infrastructure and Health Support Services (IHSS) is responsible for facilities and asset management, delivery of capital and minor projects, and infrastructure services, support, and operations. Food & Sterilising Services is a branch of IHSS which is responsible for Sterilising services and Food Services for Canberra Health Services.

Under limited direction the Sterilising Services Training and Development Manager is responsible for the orientation, training, and development of new and existing staff, ensuring training is monitored, developed and delivered in accordance with national standards and CHS policies, and ensuring a patient focused quality product and service are delivered to each customer. This position is a combination of developing training and education programs and competencies, practical training delivery, and administrative duties. This position will, on some occasions require some shift work to ensure training and education is available to staff across all shifts (early, late and night shifts).

Sterilising Services provides reprocessing services to Canberra Hospital (CH), North Canberra Hospital in Bruce (NCH) and some private clinics within the ACT and surrounding areas of NSW by cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilising reusable medical devices (RMDs). Services provided by Sterilising Services include RMD reprocessing and managing the purchasing, repairs, and maintenance of new and existing RMDs.

Sterilising Services is organised into the following functional areas:

• Sterilising Services Unit at Canberra Hospital (CH).
• Sterilising services Unit at NCH.
• Central Reprocessing Unit (CRU) located within the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit at CH.

Key Responsibilities

Under limited direction of the Assistant Director, Quality, you will be responsible for ensuring the training and development needs of new and existing staff are consistently met, including orientation of new staff, developing training and education programs and competencies in accordance with national standards and CHS policies, practical training delivery, competency assessments, ensuring all staff complete essential learning packages, and administrative duties.

You will:

1. Develop, implement, deliver and maintain theoretical and face to face orientation programs and ongoing training for reprocessing of reusable medical devices in accordance with AS/NZS 5369:2023 and the normative references, Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy 2025guidelines (GENCA/GESA), Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare, National Safety and Quality in Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, and Canberra Health Services policies and procedures, including planning, coordinating and delivery of training sessions focused on improving and reviewing technical reprocessing skills.
2. Provide initial and ongoing training and education to new & existing staff, including performing competency assessments, when required; facilitate employee completion of Canberra Health Services mandatory training, ensuring accurate training records are maintained.
3. Develop, review and update Sterilising Services work instructions, procedures and training manuals within the Quality Management System in accordance with the requirements stated in AS/NZS 5369 and the normative references, Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy 2025 guidelines, NSQHS Standards, Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare, Manufacturer’s Instructions for Use (IFU) and the CHS policy on Reprocessing of Reusable Medical Devices.
4. Regularly monitor, evaluate and maintain the Training Register, ensuring that training completion percentages are up to date and consistently maintained at or above the acceptable benchmark. Assist with Training and education during implementation of projects and quality improvement activities.
5. Ensure the training material that is delivered aligns with the requirements of AS/NZS5369:2023 and the normative references, Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy 2025 guidelines, ISO 13485 Medical devices — Quality management systems — Requirements for regulatory purposes, NSQHS Standards. Assist with accreditation and audit processes, as required.
6. Check and sort, decontaminate, inspect, pack, sterilise or high-level disinfect RMDs and capture all the above processes and the reprocessing equipment utilising the instrument tracking system, TDOC. Perform routine quality assurance tests, when required, in accordance with the requirements in AS/NZS 5369:2023, GENCA, NSQHS Standards, and Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare.
7. Provide leadership and mentoring to staff to ensure compliance with relevant standards and guidelines, and CHS policies, procedures, and Code of Conduct.
8. Undertaking other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the business with the delivery of person and family centred, safe and high-quality patient care.

Competencies

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following.

• Clear leadership and organisational skills with ability to manage competing priorities.
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet customer’ needs whilst upholding a high level of customer service.
• Extension knowledge of sterilising services operations, decontamination processes and reprocessing standards.
• Knowledge of infection prevention and control principles and other relevant standards and guidelines.
• Monitor training compliance with policies, procedures and standards.

Qualifications

Specific qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following.

Essential

• Certificate III in Sterilisation Services (HLT37015).

Desirable

• Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or relevant education or management qualifications.
• Advanced sterilising services or infection prevention and control education.

(The successful applicant must complete the course and obtain qualification within 2 years of commencement of this role).

Experience

Specific experience includes but is not limited to the following.

Essential

• Sound knowledge of 5369:2023.
• A minimum of two years’ experience in Sterilising Services practices, or infection control practices, or relevant health sector experience.
• Use of electronic tracking system.
• Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare.
• Current class C Driver’s License.

Desirable

• Proficient in using Microsoft office tools such as word, excel, PowerPoint, outlook and Teams.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Be available to rotate through a weekend/public holiday on-call roster. This position is primarily Monday to Friday daytime hours; however, there is a requirement to rotate through the emergency on-call roster with other managers.

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.

Be available for weekend and/or after-hours work. CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required, which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Proven ability to develop, evaluate, implement and effectively deliver theoretical and face to face training programs to Sterilising Services personnel, including competency assessments in accordance with the requirements of AS/NZS 5369 Standard and other relevant standards and guidelines.
2. Proven experience in reusable medical devices (RMD) reprocessing practices and processes, Infection Control guidelines, AS/NZS 5369 Standard, NSQHS Standards, and the Infection Prevention and Control in Endoscopy 2025 guidelines; keep abreast of the revising standards and best practice processes.
3. Demonstrated ability to plan, organise, and prioritise tasks as part of a team with limited supervision, displaying sound judgment, decision making and problem-solving skills.
4. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write high level training content and work instructions, and a proven ability to liaise professionally and effectively with staff and a wide range of stakeholders.
5. Demonstrates understanding of and adherence to National Safety and Quality standards, Work Health, and Safety (WHS) and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of Reliable, Progressive, Respectful and Kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.