Patient Safety and IPC Worker in Grimsby

As a Patient Safety and IPC Worker, you would be working as part of a small and friendly team within The Estates Team. Your job would be to support the implementation of infection prevention and control measures and contribute to ensuring a safe environment for patients, visitors, and staff, and assist in incident prevention and response related to healthcare-associated infections and patient safety risks.

There will be a requirement to be flexible and work at all sites within the organisation, especially when covering team absences or unforeseen eventualities. The role will suit a person who has experience of working in an inpatient unit within the NHS or similar setting, a friendly adaptable attitude and enjoys the variety this role offers, depending on the needs of the business.

Job responsibilities:

• Assist with routine environmental audits and checks across units and departments.
• Identify and report areas that fail to meet infection control standards.
• Support compliance with cleaning schedules, safe waste disposal, and hygiene protocols.
• Responsible for submitting order requests of consumables and other supplies, ensuring stocktaking, stock rotation and its safe storage.
• Responsible for establishing, maintaining, and assisting with a programme of curtain changing throughout the lodges, in line with Navigo policy.
• Responsible for the purchasing of mattresses as directed/requested by clinical lead.
• Responsible for reporting and following up any instances of pest control.

Documentation & Reporting:

• Support the completion of infection control checklists, audit forms, and reports as directed by the IPC team/area leads.
• Escalate concerns or non-compliance issues promptly to senior staff.
• Maintain clear and accurate records in line with organisational policy.

Hand Hygiene & Safe Practices:

• Promote and demonstrate the five essential steps of hand hygiene to staff, patients, and visitors.
• Monitor and support compliance with hand-washing and sanitisation procedures.
• Ensure availability of soap, sanitiser, and hand-drying facilities.
• Responsible for ensuring the lodges comply with the Organisations Food Hygiene Policy, i.e., food being correctly labelled and in date, and brings to the Clinical Leads attention any noncompliance.

Prevention of Cross-Contamination:

• Follow and reinforce correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Assist in maintaining isolation protocols where necessary.
• Support correct segregation and disposal of clinical and non-clinical waste.

Environmental Safety & Security:

• Conduct regular room checks and environmental sweeps to identify and remove potential hazards.
• Identify, remove, and safely report contraband items (e.g., sharp objects, restricted items, substances, or electronics not permitted).
• Actively monitor for and report ligature points or risks, ensuring immediate escalation to the appropriate team.
• Support the team in maintaining compliance with health, safety, and security procedures.
• Participate in safety walk arounds and environment risk assessments.
• Contribute to incident reporting, investigation, and learning processes.
• Responsible for ensuring equipment is always maintained to a safe and clean standard, reporting any problems to the relevant person/persons immediately.
• Responsible for reporting any medical and/or electrical equipment that needs repairing and requires PAT testing, and keeping up to date records of reports, defects and follow up action appropriately.
• Responsible for overseeing and updating site medical devices register.
• Attend Medical Devices management meetings.
• Engage with staff and patients to gather feedback on safety concerns or observations.
• Facilitate the weekly fire alarm checks in conjunction with the Estates Operative and raise any resulting concerns with the unit managers.
• Responsible for escorting Engineers during annual and biannual service visits and other ad hoc visits as required.
• Responsible for liaising with the Estates team to ensure the units and gardens are safe and well maintained, and all items/rooms are functioning well.

Patient Safety & Observation:

• Assist staff with the supervision and observation of patients, always ensuring safety.
• Report incidents, concerns, or changes in patients behaviour promptly to clinical staff.
• Respond appropriately and calmly to emergency situations, following protocols and supporting de-escalation where required.
• Assist in implementing patient safety initiatives, including falls prevention, and medication safety awareness etc.

Person Specification:

• Understanding of infection prevention principles.
• Demonstration of further qualification interests.
• Qualification in Infection Control or Patient Safety.
• Ability to work to high standards within restrictive timescales.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Professional attitude and approach.
• Organised, proactive and detail-oriented.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the needs of people with mental health problems.
• Ability to work under pressure and be able to prioritise/meet deadlines.

Experience:

• Experience in healthcare or clinical setting.
• Proven ability to understand and take instruction and with detailed procedures.
• Working within a hospital/mental health environment.
• Audit or data collection experience.
• Knowledge of NHS or CQC standards (or local equivalents).
• Experience with electronic health systems.

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.