Bank Senior Housekeeper- Newcastle Under Lyme

The Housekeeping staff provide a clean and safe environment to our patients, visitors and staff ensuring that a high standard of cleanliness in line with National Cleaning Standards, infection control and health and safety are met and maintained. The post holder will be expected to work as part of the wider Housekeeping team, providing an integrated and flexible service, and as such may sometimes be required to undertake duties within other areas of the Hotel Services Department should the needs of the service demand it.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain the required standard of cleaning services following the correct procedure and frequencies.
• Undertake a variety of cleaning duties in line with the ward/area/location cleaning schedules.
• Operate mechanical cleaning equipment.
• Replenish disposables and consumables.
• Safely and correctly store cleaning chemicals and equipment.
• Carry out specialist cleaning and one-off cleaning duties in line with service requirements.
• Assist with laundry duties as and when required.
• Ward based catering duties to ensure in conjunction with nursing staff that service users are provided with appropriate meals.
• Regenerate food, probe, record temperature of food and serve.
• Ensure that meals are served in a presentable and timely manner and appropriate cutlery and condiments are supplied.
• Assist to ensure dining room area is ready for service and cleared afterwards.
• Record waste levels at end of service.
• Clean regeneration trolley.
• Support the supervisor on a day to day basis.
• Support the induction and training of other employees.
• Comment on Housekeeping policies and procedures.
• Work in a team of housekeeping staff as required, assisting with training and guidance.
• Complete own timesheets.
• Respond to tasks that may arise in an emergency and times of staff shortage.
• Flexible working within a team.
• Monitor and maintain stock levels, including keeping appropriate records.
• Take part in cleanliness audits and follow up action as required.
• Take a personal duty of care for all equipment that is used on a day to day basis as part of the role.
• Report any misuse of, or faulty equipment to the appropriate person.
• The post holder may be expected to open and lock buildings and set alarms ensuring our premises are secure at the end of the day.

Systems and equipment (non-exhaustive):

• Floor scrubber
• Rotowash
• Buffer
• Vacuum cleaner
• Steamers

Decisions and judgements:

• The postholder does not have any responsibility for staff.
• The postholder will be responsible for organising their work to ensure that all tasks are completed.
• The postholder will work within established procedures/practices with supervision available for reference.
• The postholder will follow policies in own role and may be required to comment, but has no responsibility for service development.
• The postholder will be required to assess situations that present themselves and determine an appropriate course of action from a choice of options, eg fault finding on equipment such as a vacuum cleaner.

Communication and relationships:

• Assist with induction and training of new starters, apprentices, trainees, work colleagues, managers, contractors (in line with the level of role, training and experience).
• The postholder will provide general non-clinical advice, guidance, or ancillary services directly to patients, clients, relatives or carers.
• Communicate with patients, on a regular basis, some of whom may have communication difficulties.

Physical demands of the job:

• The postholder will be required to use equipment essential to the role, eg floor scrubbing equipment.
• Physical effort required for the role will be moderate for several short periods during a shift.

Most challenging/difficult parts of the job:

• The postholder will encounter some exposure to hazards during the working shift.
• The postholder may occasionally be exposed to emotional or distressing circumstances, eg deaths on wards.