Mechanical Fitter

Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding Estates role supporting essential NHS services? Synchronicity Care Limited (SCL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, delivering high quality Estates and Facilities services across Trust sites. An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled and motivated Mechanical Fitter to join the Estates team at Darlington Memorial Hospital. This role is critical to maintaining complex mechanical systems that support acute clinical services, including decontamination, steam systems and specialist ventilation.

You will work within a professional, multidisciplinary team, playing a key role in ensuring patient safety, compliance and service continuity.

Main duties of the job

• The post holder will deliver planned and reactive maintenance across a wide range of mechanical systems within the hospital estate. This includes faultfinding, repair and statutory testing of critical plant such as decontamination equipment, steam boilers and ventilation systems.
• You will respond to emergencies, assess risks, ensure safety of patients and staff, and carry out repairs or elevate issues appropriately.
• The role involves participation in shift and on‑call rotas, completion of electronic job records, and close collaboration with Estates colleagues and contractors.
• A flexible approach and strong focus on safety and patient environments are essential.

About us

SCL is a wholly owned subsidiary of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) set up to deliver a range of non‑clinical services. The company is a separate legal body to CDDFT. SCL offers its own Terms and Conditions of employment which differ to the national NHS Terms and Conditions.

As an employee in the company you will benefit from:

• Access to a pension scheme - National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) CDD Services will pay a 3% contribution (this is over and above the minimum contribution rate at the present time)
• Night Shift Working Allowances (where appropriate)
• Bank Holiday Working Allowances (where appropriate)
• Bank work is offered on an 'as and when' basis with no guaranteed hours and will be paid on a pro‑rata hourly rate for hours worked only.

Job responsibilities

The Mechanical Fitter will undertake planned preventive maintenance, breakdown repairs, faultfinding and improvement works across mechanical plant, systems and associated services within Darlington Memorial Hospital and other SCL contracted sites. The role includes responsibility for weekly testing of decontamination equipment, maintenance of steam boiler plant, specialist ventilation systems and a wide range of mechanical services essential to the operation of an acute hospital.

• Duties include inspection, testing and statutory compliance of safety devices, responding to faults and emergencies, and carrying out technical and non‑routine maintenance tasks.
• The post holder will assess situations to ensure immediate safety, undertake repairs where possible, or summon additional support as required.
• The role requires cross‑trade flexibility, with occasional minor electrical or building works undertaken alongside core mechanical duties.
• You will participate in shift patterns and on‑call rotas, use electronic devices to manage work instructions and reports, attend specialist training, act as Authorised Person (AP)/Responsible Person (RP) where appointed and work in restricted spaces and challenging environments while maintaining high standards of health and safety and professionalism in sensitive patient areas.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• City & Guilds Craft Certificate (Mechanical) or equivalent
• Mechanical or Electrical Apprenticeship
• Electrical and/or Mechanical BTEC ONC or equivalent experience
• HNC/HND
• Specialist plant training (e.g. decontamination equipment, medical gases)

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Heating engineering and pipefitting skills
• Strong understanding of health and safety responsibilities
• Ability to faultfind and repair complex mechanical and electromechanical systems
• Ability to communicate technical information to non‑technical staff
• Ability to work sensitively within patient environments

Experience

• Mechanical maintenance experience
• Ability to work independently using own initiative
• Good customer service and communication skills
• Experience working in a hospital or similar complex environment
• Experience of steam plant, plumbing and drainage systems
• Experience undertaking statutory testing of decontamination equipment

Statutory Requirements

• Full UK driving licence
• 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.