General Porter

Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust; Harlow; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust is seeking a dedicated Portering Assistant to support day-to-day operations across West Essex. You will move patients and goods, deliver items between wards, and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to maintain a safe and clean environment.

The role operates 24/7 across the site, including night shifts, with duties covering movement of patients, linen, supplies, pathology samples, and clinical waste in accordance with infection control policies.

Responsibilities

• Move patients internally and externally using wheelchairs, beds, or stretchers.
• Collect deceased patients from wards and complete related paperwork.
• Distribute supplies, post, and pharmaceutical items to wards.
• Deliver linen and collect dirty linen from wards and chutes.
• Transport pathology specimens and blood samples to wards.
• Clean trolleys and wheelchairs per infection control policy.
• Handle medical records and X-rays as required.
• Answer bleeps and radios professionally; charge batteries after shifts.
• Deliver/c exchange medical gas cylinders to wards as needed.
• Ensure equipment is maintained and report defects.
• Assist with post room duties and department mop-ups during floods.
• Drive department vehicles; check vehicle roadworthiness.

Job description

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wavea national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.

We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.

Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

Job Overview

To provide an efficient and effective Portering service, working in a self-motivated and professional manner at all times. To work well with all disciplines of staff and may be required to take direction from other professional staff from time to time. The portering service covers various departments both internally and externally 24 hours a day over 365 days per year.

A courteous and helpful approach to patients, visitors and staff is essential and a sensible and safe conscious approach to work is necessary at all times, as well as strict observance of the Trust's policies and procedure.

Main duties of the job

• Patient movement throughout the site both internally and externally by means of wheelchair, bed trolley and ambulance stretcher as required.
• To collect deceased patients form wards in a dignified manner and ensure paperwork is completed and returned to the General Office.
• Distribution of supplies and items, post, pharmaceutical items including controlled drugs, bread, milk and food items to all wards and departments.
• Deliver clean items of linen ensuring that the cages are taken to the designated locations and collect dirty linen from ward linen chutes, departments and outlying areas and transport to central area ready for collection.
• Collect from wards and deliver to pathology all pathology specimens using the correct procedures. Deliver blood form pathology to wards and departments as required.
• Clean trolleys and wheelchairs as required as per control of infection policy.
• Collect/deliver medical records and x-rays as required.
• Answer bleeps or give instructions on the radios in a professional manner, ensure batteries are put on charge at the end of each shift.
• Deliver/exchange medical gas cylinders from a central gas store to wards and departments as required and prepare cylinder for use.
• Ensure that all equipment used is the day to day activities is cleaned and in good working order, reporting defects to Supervisor/Manager.
• Out of hours take additional linen items to wards as requested and complete record sheet.
• Use of portering computerised system
• Ensure internal and external areas of the site are free form household waste by removing bins from designated areas to a central storage compound. Thoroughly clean bins as required, Compound should be kept clean and tidy.
• Ensure that all clinical waste is removed from areas on a daily basis, liaise with external contactor on day-to-day issues and maintain documentation accordingly.
• Collection and delivery of pharmacy items to wards and departments following the set procedures.
• Removal and relocation of furniture items as requested.
• Undertake the vehicle checks before use of trust vehicle reporting any faults to line manager
• In the absence of the porter supervisor be responsible for undertaking their duties as required to ensure that the service is maintained.
• Drive departmental vehicles on site ensuring that they are roadworthy, report faults to the porter supervisor / manager and ensure are cleaned regularly.
• Attend and assist colleagues with mopping up during the occurrence of floods.
• Deliver and collect meal trolleys from ward at designated times.
• Responsible for filling canisters of liquid nitrogen for appropriate departments.
• To act as a member of the Fire/Bomb Team, Major Incident Team and where required assist with the protocols of air ambulance when on site.
• To follow work schedule or area allocated and undertake the specific departmental duties as required.
• To assist in the post room duties as required.
• Hang high window curtains as required.
• Adhere to all relevant Trust and departmental policies and procedures as applicable.
• Assist with and attend Mortuary BID’s.
• Cover Switchboard staff for breaks etc. as and when applicable.
• Departmental key holders specific areas.
• Any other duties as assigned by line manager.