General Porter

NBT; West of England; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Portering support worker to join the Facilities team at Southmead/Bristol sites. The role covers day to night shifts and involves moving patients, supplies and equipment, plus cleaning and supporting blood product transport across wards. A full UK driving licence is essential for this post.

We value flexible working where possible and welcome applicants committed to high-quality patient care and teamwork within a busy hospital environment.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent experience
• Full clean UK driving licence
• English and maths GCSE
• Experience in busy hospital environments

Responsibilities

• Move patients, consumables, waste, furniture and equipment
• Clean portering equipment and deliver blood products
• Allocate jobs to peers to ensure fairness
• Communicate with wards, staff and public
• Provide a high quality patient support service in line with procedures

Skills

Portering

Teamwork

Communication

Patient care

Education

English GCSE

maths GCSE

NVQ Level 2

Tools

AGV systems

Job description

Main area Facilities Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent: 37.5 Monday -Sunday 06:00-14:00, 14:00-22:00, 22:00-06:00, 18:00-06:00, 06:00-18:00 Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Early, Late, Night shifts 7.5hrs – 5 days of 7) Job ref 339-FD9152-CCC

Site Southmead Hospital Town Bristol Salary £25,272 per annum (FTE) or pro-rata for part time roles Salary period Yearly Closing 08/10/2026 23:59

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1 st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust. Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job overview

To work as part of the operational team responsible for providing a comprehensive patient support service in the hospital environment. This will involve carrying out the following Facilities Management functions:

The primary function is the movement of patients, consumable products, waste, furniture, medical equipment, gasses, beds, mattresses etc.

The cleaning of all Portering equipment, delivery of blood products and responding to Major incident.

Allocate jobs to peers on a ‘next person’ basis to warrant fairness

Communicate to public, staff and peers

To provide a high quality responsive, efficient and effective patent support service to wards, and departments in North Bristol NHS Trust acting in a caring and professional manner and working in line with the Facilities and departmental operating procedures.

A Full, Clean, UK Manual Driving license is essential for this post.

Main duties of the job

Knowledge

Understanding of Portering activities

Understanding of Department and Trust Health and Safety policies, written safe systems of systems of work and Department rules and procedures

Understanding of Portering equipment processes

Understanding and knowledge of pathology procedures for movement of blood products

Check signing in sheets and record staff on levels

Allocate jobs as they arrive on a ‘next person’ basis to ensure fairness

Paperwork to be checked and signed off as necessary

Produce blood track form (pink slip) from the blood trac system

Allocate to ‘next person’ in line – (trainedstaff)

Complete blood trac paperwork to confirm receipt

Training

Customer and support services or equivalent experience to an NVQ Level 2

Mandatory training as required for the role

Collection and transportation of blood products

Trust, Patient Support/Directorate Services induction training

On the job induction training

Experience

Working in a busy multi-faceted environment

Working in a team-based environment

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retaina workforce whichrepresentsthe rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your applicationin order toensurewe’remeeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Physical Effort

Duties involve standing/walking for long periods of time during the shift

Duties may involve undertaking physically demanding tasks e.g. moving cages of approximately 300kg in weight as and when required

Mental Effort

Being aware of health and safety implications involved in duties and their potential effect on others e.g. Ensuring that equipment is stored appropriately

At ward level keeping a professional distance from patients and always ensuring confidentiality

Working to schedules which may be subject to change

Emotional effort

Whilst working at ward level being able to cope with witnessing distressing sights of patients who are very ill and may be at the end stages of life

Whilst working in the Emergency Department witnessing traumatic injuries

In the course of your duties you will need to be sensitive when coming into contact with patients and members of the public who may be experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety are confrontational or under the influence of alcohol/drugs

Working conditions

You will be expected to display a professional image at all times

You will be required to wear clean official uniform and covered in low-heeled footwear

You will be expected to comply the department and trust policies relating to uniform and the wearing of jewellery, nail polish etc

You will be expected to act in a courteous manner to all staff, visitors and patients

Duties will involve working bank holidays when required to meet the needs of the service

When working at ward level you will be expected to use alcohol gel on entering the ward and to thoroughly wash hands frequently and after completing tasks

When working within the retained estate be subject to extreme weather conditions

Shortlisting criteria – please highlight from Person Specification key points to use to shortlist.

Education/Training/Qualifications:

English and maths GCSE

Full clean driving License

Work Experience:

Woking as part of a team in a busy environment

A role where you must complete multiple tasks daily

Customer Care

Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances:

Excellent personal values and an interest in having a positive impact on patient experience

Person specification

Shortlisting Criteria

• Good Level of Education
• Experience of AGV’s systems
• Working in a team based environment
• Working in a busy and physically demanding multi-faceted environment
• Hotel Services and Facilities Activities
• Able to use own Initiative
• Good communication and Interpersonal skills
• Experience of AGV’s systems
• Customer focused approach
• Solution Finder
• Manual UK driving licence

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which representsthe rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.