Developing a career pathway for SSDs

Increased training and the retention of experienced staff are key issues that must be addressed in sterile services. Last year, speakers at the Institute of Decontamination Sciences’ annual conference highlighted the need for trained and dedicated staff. Moreover, a high turnover of staff is resulting in lost opportunities to build valuable knowledge in key aspects of decontamination. Skills such as instrument recognition, for example, are developed through years of experience, yet the turnover of staff in some units is reported to be two to three years. Decontamination training provider, Eastwood Park, is currently lobbying for a national career framework and believes this will have an important contribution towards the retention of experienced sterile services professionals, ensuring their work is valued and that high standards are maintained within the sector.

Achieving recognition

In the UK, there are currently gaps in the provision of training which may be attributed to cost issues or a lack of awareness of the qualifications available. However, it is hoped that by encouraging the attainment of recognised professional qualifications, sterile services will be put on a similar footing to other professions in the health service – providing a level playing field and recognition for the type of work undertaken in sterile services departments (SSDs). “Decontamination technicians do not always see themselves as having a career path in this sector. Some staff, who enter the profession at a relatively unskilled level, are unaware of the opportunities for career progression in this area of science – probably due to a lack of career structure,” Eastwood Park’s CEO, John Thatcher, commented. “There needs to be appropriate        training in place to support career progression, which is currently lacking. At present, employers decide on the framework for development of staff competencies, but I believe there needs to be a mandatory staff development programme on a national scale. This is not just an issue in decontamination, but across healthcare support services. There is far more structure and regulation in clinical areas and greater provision of opportunities for progression and development.” John Thatcher pointed out that sterile services staff work in departments that, in many cases, operate 24-hours per day, in an environment where one mistake has the potential to cost lives. “This puts a lot of pressure on people, particularly if they are not appropriately supported, inducted and trained,” he continued. “There is an opportunity for training providers, professional bodies, organisations such as Skills for Health and the Learning and Skills Council, as well as Trusts, to come together to establish appropriate competencies that can be accredited, along with apprenticeships, achieving endorsement from the Department of Health. “Training is somewhat fragmented across the UK, with some areas working to different standards, so there needs to be a more coherent approach,” added Sue Peckham, Eastwood Park’s training manager (decontamination). “In dental decontamination, variations in practices are particularly apparent and this is a key area which could be improved with appropriate training for staff and managers.”