Housekeeper - Alexandra Ward

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Be responsible for ensuring ward has all supplies required for services to function anticipating spikes in usage and ordering sufficient where appropriate.

Discuss and report any concerns about lack of supplies to Ward Manager or Matron, developing solutions where possible.

Be responsible for ensuring all equipment maintained and is fit for use. Bring any lack of equipment to notice of Ward Manager / Matron and order new equipment when authorised.

Lead development and input of information for equipment log including organising all annual servicing liaising with nurse in charge / Matron / medical equipment department / companies who supply equipment.

Assist with the maintenance of the environment, including all equipment used.

Help maintain the cleanliness of the environment.

Establish and maintain effective communication with staff.

Provide accurate and effective written documentation.

To take part in audits around environment on the ward and take actions if required.

Trouble shoot any actions that come up as part of the monthly audits that are undertaken relating to the environment.

To help with lost property on the ward and help reconcile lost items to patients.

Ensure our storage areas are organised and easy to navigate on a daily basis. This includes shelves dedicated to dietary supplies and, for example, cardiac monitoring equipment or moving and handling equipment.

Ensure that all areas of the ward, including corridors, storage areas and clinical rooms such as the IV room and sluices are kept organised, clutter free, clean and tidy at all times.

To work with the domestic team and nursing team to ensure the above.

To regularly audit, escalate and resolve any issues around fixtures or fittings on the ward such as broken chairs or electrical fittings.

To help patients with their enquiries on the ward and assist in tasks such as getting newspapers for patients etc.

To help with patient satisfaction surveys.

To help with administrative tasks such as laminating and visual information on the ward such as ensuring that the ward information boards are up to date and current.

To help with any other activity or task that the ward sisters or matron feels is appropriate to your job role.

Health and Safety

Report and accidents or incidents to the nurse in charge and complete the appropriate paperwork in line with Trust Policy.

Reporting and recording any potential hazards and equipment repairs.

Assist in the cleaning of clinical areas and equipment, ensuring that the area is clear of potential hazards, removing clinical waste and contaminated items to relevant collection areas.

To assist in the maintenance of a safe and clean clinical environment to reduce the risk of infection.

Infection Control

Accept personal responsibility and accountability for your infection prevention and control practice.

Ensure that you are familiar with, and comply with, all relevant policies.

Ensure that you receive mandatory updates in infection control.

The post holder is required to follow Trust policies and procedures which are regularly updated including:

Confidentiality / Data Protection / Freedom of Information

Post holders must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Data Protection Act of 1998. Post holders must not, without prior permission, disclose any information regarding patients or staff. If any member of staff has communicated any such information to an unauthorised person those staff will be liable to dismissal. Moreover, the Data Protection Act 1998 also renders an individual liable for prosecution in the event of unauthorised disclosure of information.

Following the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2005, post holders must apply the Trusts FOI procedure if they receive a written request for information.

Equal Opportunities Post holders must at all times fulfil their responsibilities with regard to the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policy and equality laws.

Health and Safety

All post holders have a responsibility, under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and subsequently published regulations, to ensure that the Trusts health and safety policies and procedures are complied with to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and employees.

Infection Control

All post holders have a personal obligation to act to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). They must attend mandatory training in Infection Control and be compliant with all measures required by the Trust to reduce HCAIs. Post holders must be familiar with the Trusts Infection Control Policies, including those that apply to their duties, such as Hand Decontamination Policy, Personal Protective Equipment Policy, safe procedures for using aseptic techniques and safe disposal of sharps.

Risk Management

All post holders have a responsibility to report risks such as clinical and non-clinical accidents or incidents promptly. They are expected to be familiar with the Trusts use of risk assessments to predict and control risk, as well as the incident reporting system for learning from mistakes and near misses in order to improve services. Post holders must also attend training identified by their manager or stated by the Trust to be mandatory.

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

Post holders have a general responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

Smoking Policy

It is the Trusts policy to promote health. Smoking, therefore, is actively discouraged. It is illegal within Trust buildings and vehicles.

Sustainability

It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the Trusts environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computers monitors and equipment when not in use, minimising water usage and reporting faults promptly.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Basic maths and english

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Excellent skills around ensuring an area is tidy and organised at all times
• Ability to take direction from senior staff and work under own initiative where appropriate
• Flexibility in workload
• Hard working and focused on tasks.
• Works in line with trust values and behaviours
• Good level of Professionalism and customer service
• Basic IT skills

Desirable

• Good trouble shooting skills
• Knowledge of guidelines around infection control in a hospital setting

Experience

Essential

• Appropriate experience relevant to the role

Desirable

• Experience of audit

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Alexandra Ward

St Thomas' Hospital

London

SE1 7EH

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)