Housekeeper

Job description

Job responsibilities

To work as an integral part of the team. Assist with co-ordination of all patient facilities and services in the area to ensure a clean, safe and comfortable environment. To monitor quality standards and work closely with others to ensure that deficiencies are rectified.

The main element of the role is to ensure the delivery of cleaning, stores, ordering, and minor maintenance, together with other specified tasks to meet individual patient needs as determined by the nursing team.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

1. Maintenance of the environment: to ensure patients are cared for in a well-maintained environment which is safe, welcoming, comfortable and reassuring.
2. Cleanliness: working closely with all contractor staff to ensure a high standard of cleanliness is maintained in all areas.
3. Environment: Ensure ward is clean, tidy and all stock cupboards are maintained to a high standard.
4. Stock Control: Ensure that all ward stock is within date and rotated effectively.
5. Daily checking of staff fridge temperatures and checking any items that out of date
6. Catering:

6.1 Ensure that catering staff provide patients with safe, good quality food and drink to meet individual needs.

6.2 Work closely with service users to ensure individual nutritional needs are catered for.

6.3 Oversee the serving of food to patients at mealtimes, ensuring it is delivered in a timely and safe manner.

6.4 To assist patients with their diets, composing food menus and ensuring that appropriately worded and pictorial menus are available at all times. Ensure specialist meals are provided as required for patients including, but not limited to, ethnic, cultural or religious diets.

6.5 To regularly review wastage from menu templates and standing orders to reduce portions where possible.

6.6 To provide assistance and guidance to patients and staff with known food allergies.

6.7 To provide assistance to Environmental Health Officers, where possible, to help maintain the Trusts 5* hygiene award.

6.8 To monitor installed automated food temperature monitoring systems and take corrective actions, as required, as part of the agreed HACCP systems.

6.9 To ensure that foods are kept in-date, both use by and best before and checked on a weekly basis in food storage areas to include, but not limited to, fridges, freezers and store rooms.

6.10 To identify food stock requirements, compile and place food orders on a daily basis for ward provisions.

6.11 To assist in the periodic production of agreed menu templates and portion volumes required, advising on required adjustment between the contractors catering staff and the food supplier.

6.12 Participate in planned and ad hoc inspection and audits of the patient environment.

7. Maintenance and Equipment: to ensure that equipment is in good working order at all times and raise maintenance requests to ensure prompt repair or replacement as appropriate.

8. Support all staff to ensure ward equipment is cleaned in line with policy and a record is maintained and audited.

9. Linen: maintain sufficient stock of linen to meet patients needs and keep within agreed budgets.

10. Control of Infection: working with nursing staff, infection control nurses and cleaning contractors to ensure that patients are being cared for in an environment that minimises the risk of cross infection. To ensure infection control policies are applied at all times.

11. Communication: effectively communicate with all relevant parties to ensure continuity of patient care.

12. Health and Safety: ensure that patients are being cared for in an environment that complies with current health and safety regulations. To be responsible for carrying out water flushing to reduce Legionella risk.

13. Medical Supplies: be responsible for ordering all necessary supplies using PowerGate, this must be within the appropriate budget.

14. Privacy and Dignity: to ensure that the patients privacy and dignity is respected at all times.

15. Customer Care: to make sure patients / carers are greeted and that they received a level of customer care relevant to their needs.

16. Undertake ward audits, monitoring of quality standards, develop action plans and track progress as required.

17. Involvement with productive community hospital and evidence-based practice.

18. Attend appropriate training and development courses as identified at PDR meetings. Demonstrate a commitment to keeping skills and competence up to date.

19. To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ4 or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Evidence of recent training / learning

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working in a healthcare setting

Desirable

• Knowledge of COSHH and Infection Control policies (or willing to undertake training)
• Previous experience in housekeeping

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• IT skills
• Knowledge of Food Hygiene
• Customer Care
• Literacy skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to work independently as required within the role
• Understanding of housekeeper role
• Organisational skills

Desirable

• Know how to work within a budget

Communication

Essential

• Good interpersonal skills
• Clear oral communication with patients with communication difficulties

Desirable

• Able to communicate sensitively and tactfully with patients

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Completes any professional development
• Takes responsibility and is accountable for own personal and professional development

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Norwich Community Hospital

Bowthorpe Road

Norwich

NR2 3TU

Employer's website

https://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)