Senior Housekeeper in Haslemere

Full time Salary: £24,403 per annum (enhancements for weekend working and bank holidays)

Closing date: 20th July 2025

Interviews week commencing: 21st July 2025 however will close earlier if an applicant is appointed sooner.

This is a full-time role: 37.5 hours, working 5 days out of 7, including every other weekend.

Holy Cross Hospital is a registered Charity and owned by the Daughters of the Cross. Our expertise is in the provision of neuro rehabilitation for our patients. We presently have 42 in patient beds and provide OP Physiotherapy for the local community.

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Housekeeper to lead and coordinate the daily activities of our housekeeping team. You will play a vital role in maintaining high standards of cleanliness, comfort, and infection prevention across the hospital, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for patients, visitors, and staff.

As Senior Housekeeper, you will provide hands-on supervision of the housekeeping team and take day-to-day responsibility for ensuring operational delivery. You will act as a key point of contact for staff, liaising with clinical teams and the wider facilities function to ensure the smooth running of services.

While you will have oversight of team deployment and daily priorities, responsibility for roster management, workforce planning, and formal HR matters remains with the Facilities and Housekeeping Lead, who will support and guide you in your supervisory duties.

We offer an attractive package as follows:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Access to Blue Light scheme
• Access to a pension scheme
• Free staff car parking
• Subsidised meals
• Uniforms provided
• Access to on-site gym facilities
• Discount on MSK physio provided by Holy Cross Physiotherapy Centre

OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF JOB ROLE

The Senior Housekeepers will work as part of the Support Services Team providing an efficient service that ensures a clean and comfortable environment across the whole hospital site, over the 7 day period. The Senior Housekeepers will supervise the housekeeping and laundry assistants on a day to day basis. They will work operationally in the housekeeping department but will be given adequate protected time in which to carry out administrative tasks including auditing associated with their role. They will provide housekeeping duties of the highest possible standard of hygiene, cleanliness and safety to all hospital users and will be expected to work wherever there is a requirement. The Senior Housekeepers will work in an enhanced role, assisting the other Senior Housekeeper in carrying out audits, helping with the AGM to cover shifts and maintaining and delivering a quality service according to the cleaning schedules and operational standards. The Senior Housekeepers will act as a mentor with new staff members and assist in on the job training. It is expected that one Senior Housekeeper will deputise for the other Head Housekeeper when appropriate, so that a seven day cover of senior staff is provided.

In order to qualify for the senior housekeeper role the post holder must have a NVQ level 2 in Housekeeping and Cleaning.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Undertake cleaning tasks, with particular emphasis on infection control, in accordance with Operational Standards Manual to assist in ensuring clean, hygienic and tidy conditions.
• Use cleaning materials, chemicals and equipment in accordance with Operational Standards Manual, manufacturers instructions and Dangerous Substances Policy.
• Facilitate the completion of departmental Health and Safety Audits on a monthly basis.
• Deal with all enquiries and complaints raised by Housekeepers or other staff members, escalating any relevant issues to the Assistant General Manager.
• Ensure that laundry services, including bedspreads, patients clothing, slings and curtains are carried out at the required frequency to a high standard.
• Carry out regular audits of linens and arrange for replacements where necessary.
• Work with the Assistant General Manager to ensure there is adequate staffing cover at all times. Take responsibility for the deployment of staff on a daily basis to ensure that critical tasks are carried out.
• Meet with Assistant General Manager on a regular basis so that workload can be effectively planned.
• Set up monthly meetings with all of the housekeeping and laundry staff, prepare an agenda of items to discuss and forward this to the Assistant General Manager beforehand.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with staff, patients and other departmental supervisors.
• Take part in regular meetings such as Infection Prevention and Care Team Leaders Meeting. One Senior Housekeeper per meeting along with the Assistant General Manager.
• Oversee the reporting of maintenance defects of domestic equipment according to set procedures.
• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as necessary to provide protection against injury or ill health in accordance with Operational Standard Manual and risk assessments.
• Provide on the job training for new staff members and carry out coaching sessions with team members to address any weaknesses or when new procedures are implemented. Act as mentor for new staff and both assist with any on the job coaching and training.
• Both Senior Housekeepers will be carrying out quality control inspections (audits) in accordance with agreed performance indicators to monitor standards and trends, and assist with planning any remedial works as required.
• Report all enquiries and complaints to the Assistant General Manager to ensure a positive approach.
• Adhere to Health & Safety Procedures to ensure safety of individual, staff, patients and visitors. Assist the Head Housekeeper with the formulation of Risk assessments.
• Attend training sessions as required by the Assistant General Manager to ensure the necessary knowledge and skills are maintained, including mandatory training.
• Act as moving and handling mentor for the Housekeeping and Laundry Department (Training required).
• To work closely with all members of the support services team, including other housekeepers, caretakers and maintenance officers.
• To maintain patient confidentiality and ensure they are treated with dignity at all times.
• To undertake such duties appropriate to the level and character of work as may reasonably be required within the department.
• Attend training sessions as required by the Assistant General Manager to ensure the necessary knowledge and skills are maintained, including mandatory training.
• To participate in an annual staff appraisal.

HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT

The health and safety of all employees is of great importance. The senior housekeepers will carry out all duties with an awareness and understanding of the Health and Safety Policy. Participation in routine departmental health and safety checks will be required and arrangements may be made for training, possibly outside normal working hours.

Work at all times within the scope of the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 and the hospital policy for reporting of accidents, incidents, hazards and risk management. Take an active role in the prevention and control of infection.

1. Manual handling: there will be occasions when lifting and moving heavy objects will be required in the job. Training in the correct handling techniques will be given. It will always be necessary to assess the task and seek help if required.
2. Hazardous Substances: the range and quantity of hazardous substances are kept to a minimum. All substances held on site will be subject to COSHH assessments and will be stored, used and disposed of safely.
3. Falls from height and slips trips and falls on the same level: certain tasks will require the use of ladders. A risk assessment is required on each occasion and relevant policies and procedures must be followed. Proper footwear must be worn and care should be taken to keep working areas free from obstructions that might give rise to slips, trips and falls.
4. Cross infection: infection control procedures must be followed at all times to avoid cross infection occurring.

This job description represents an outline of the main components of the job and is not intended to be exhaustive. It may, with consultation, be subject to additions and amendment as the need arises. It has been checked for overt or implied discrimination within the scope of the Hospitals policies on equality and diversity and none was found. In addition to the duties and responsibilities listed the post holder is required to perform other duties as might reasonably be required. This job description has been agreed between the post holder and the person to whom he/she is accountable.