Operational Security Grade (Female Only)

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 20 April 2025

Job summary

We are inviting applications for Band 3 Operational Security Grade for the High Secure Services Security Department. 2 Posts Female Only.

This is for front of house/reception duties.The purpose of the role is to undertake a range of duties in support of the security requirements of the Hospital.

Main duties of the job

To work within an area of high security were there are service users with a known violent, criminal, or dangerous propensity that require care in High security Conditions.

The Security Department provides a hospital wide service ensuring all aspects of Procedural, Dynamic and Passive security systems are in place, operationalised, maintained and regularly updated. This ensures the delivery of effective patient care is balanced with the hospital's statutory requirements to maintain a safe and secure environment for staff, patients and the public.

The hospital's Passive security systems are divided into a number of functional areas. These cover all aspects of hospital security; staff main entrance reception, visitor processing, security maintenance, control room operations.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Date posted

24 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,071 to £25,674 a year R&R is included at £3,025 per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

350-SC7070540

Job locations

Ashworth Hospital

Parkbourn

Maghull

L31 1HW

Job description

Job responsibilities

To have detailed knowledge and the practical skills, in order to carry out, all security duties as stated by the NHS Safety and Security Directive, and detailed in the Ashworth Security Procedures Manual.

Female OSGs are required to undertake the range of duties to support the security requirements of the hospital in conjunction with other staff. OSGs will undertake regular rotation both within specific functional areas and across functional areas once appropriate training has been provided and experience gained. This should be achieved normally within six months.

This functional area of the Security Department is primarily concerned with the secure processing of staff into the secure sites. The role incorporates responsibilities for security monitoring and responses to alarm states in the entry building.

a) Staff identification, and the utilisation of specialized I.T. equipment

b) Key and radio issue/return

c) Key security checks

d) Vehicle processing including searching and passenger processing, (metal portal, XRay, heart beat monitor)

e) Contractor/other tool checks

f) CCTV monitoring, (entry building)

g) Entry building staff pedestrian control

h) Emergency vehicle escorts, (fire, ambulance etc)

i) Alarm response states to entry building

The roles detailed include operational activities such as:-

a) Monitor the searching of hospital vehicles through the use of closed circuit television. Log the entry and exit times and numbers of people for all vehicles.

b) Searching of vehicles on entry and exit to the secure sites of the hospital.

c) Checking of security keys held in automated key cabinets, as per hospital procedures.

d) Carry out statutory checks, as per procedures, to monitor the number of keys issued. Check the key cabinets for the keys that are issued against the shift pattern by use of computerized system.

e) Operate electronic doors, both vehicle and pedestrian, via consoles in the Control Centre.

f) Use the closed circuit television system to monitor the movement of traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian in and out of the secure areas.

This functional area of the Security Department is primarily concerned with the secure processing of visitors into the secure sites.a) Visitor information centre

b) Visitor verification, pre booking and goods/items processing, (metal portal, X-Ray search)

c) Visitor processing at entry building

d) Central visits North Site

e) Contractor escort management and coordination

f) Staff search, (metal portals, X-Ray)

g) Staff goods processing/control

h) Patient possessions processing

i) Assist in the facilitation and the escorting of child visits

Completion of the appropriate documentation on arrival and departure for all official visitors. Confirm that they are expected and advise the relevant escort staff.

Check patients visitors are the approved visitors list and once satisfied as to identity, complete appropriate documentation.

Provide a Reception service to all visitors to the hospital, using the visitors computerized systems. Phoning of wards and departments to notify them of visitors, following the hospital procedure on the taking of items into the hospital. Explain to visitors the hospital policies, such as not allowing plastic bags in the secure areas.

The rub-down searching of staff, visitors and patients as required. The searching of baggage using metal detectors and x-ray equipment. The manual searching of bags.

Please refer to attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name Jane Collins Job title Security Supervisor Email address jane.collins@merseycare.nhs.uk Telephone number 01514724593