General Services Assistant - Sowenna

Cornwall Partnership; Bodmin; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Part time

Job summary

The Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a part-time General Service Assistant to support the Sowenna Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient team in Bodmin. You will help maintain a clean, safe environment, including floor and equipment cleaning and stock monitoring to support high-quality patient care.

Working 15 hours per week (every Wednesday 11:00-19:00 and alternate weekends 11:00-19:00) with weekend/bank holiday enhancements and flexible working where possible, you will

Qualifications

• Good basic level of maths and English.
• Experience working in a care setting.
• Ability to carry out cleaning tasks to a high standard.
• Basic IT skills.
• Awareness of COSHH.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Aware of Health and Safety legislation.

Responsibilities

• Clean floors, furniture, fixtures, fittings, curtains and equipment in all areas as per protocol.
• Wash crockery, utensils, kitchen surfaces and equipment to high hygiene standards.
• Ensure duties are carried out within time scales with attention to patients, visitors and staff.
• Monitor and control catering and cleaning stock as required.
• Assist with food and beverage preparation and cook/freeze regeneration per hygiene standards.
• Minimise cross contamination by using PPE provided.
• Be responsible for keys and equipment issued or used during duty.
• Assist with light portering duties as requested.
• Assist with ordering and monitoring stock by the GSA Supervisor.
• Work some weekends and bank holidays with appropriate salary enhancements.
• Duties may change with service requirements and will be agreed with line manager.

Skills

Maths & English

Care setting experience

Cleaning tasks

Basic IT skills

COSHH awareness

Calm under pressure

Health & Safety knowledge

Job description

Main area General Service Assistant Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours Part time - 15 hours per week (Every Wednesday 11:00-19:00, and every other weekend (Sat/Sun 11:00-19:00)) Job ref 201-26-566-B

Site Sowenna Town Bodmin Salary £25,272 Pro Rata Salary period Yearly Closing 25/10/2026 23:59

Thank you for your interest in joining us at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

We pride ourselves in striving to be an employer of choice.

Strategic Themes

Great Care

• Care based on what matters to people.
• Care provided at home or close to home.
• Improvement through learning, research and innovation.
• Prevention and alternatives to hospital.

Great Organisation

• Buildings that support health and wellbeing.
• Technology enabled care.
• Care teams are supported by responsive corporate services.
• Safe, efficient, effective and productive.

Great People

• A place people love to work and feel valued.
• Living our values with staff (all voices count).
• Attract, grow and develop talent.
• Leaders with compassion, who continuously learn and listen.

Great Partner

• Encourage and enable effective partnerships.
• Joined-up community services.
• Work with others to maximise workforce opportunities.
• Reduce our impact on the environment.

At the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s job share, part time or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Job overview

The purpose of this post is to work as part of the Sowenna Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient team to provide general domestic service in accordance with Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust protocols and standards for the building.

We are looking for someone who is reliable, motivated and dedicated with attention to detail to providing the very best environment for our patients to join our team.

Please note: If you need sponsorship, please check the requirements for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) on the gov.uk website to see if you're eligible before applying.

Main duties of the job

• Ensure that all floor surfaces, furniture, fixtures, fittings, curtains and equipment in all areas are cleaned and all refuse is collected and disposed of as per protocol.
• Clean all crockery, utensils, kitchen surfaces and equipment to an excellent standard of hygiene.
• To ensure that duties, tasks and responsibilities are carried out to the required standards, within the allocated time scales and due regard to patient, visitors and other staff.
• To be responsible for the monitoring catering and cleaning stock as required by the building.
• To carry out food and beverage preparation and regeneration of cook/freeze in accordance with the food hygiene standards and instruction.
• Reduce the risk of cross contamination by using personal protective equipment provided.
• To be accountable for all keys sets and equipment issued or used throughout the course of duty.
• To perform light porting duties as requested.
• To be involved with the ordering and monitoring of stock as required by the GSA Supervisor.
• This will involve some weekend and bank holiday working as required which salary enhancements will be paid.
• Duties and responsibilities may change within the role due to alteration in service provision. Any such changes will be commensurate with the post holders band and agreed with their line manager.

Working for our organisation

We’re an NHS community and mental health provider Trust based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We deliver community and hospital-based care to improve people’s physical and mental health. We also provide specialist support to people with dementia or a learning disability.

We are a people organisation and people matter to us. As part of the team, you’ll help support the health and wellbeing of the people who live and visit this beautiful part of the UK.

Over 4,000 people make up the Trust. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists, plus admin and support staff.

We work in people’s homes, in community clinics and bases. Some staff work from one of our 13 community hospitals. Our aspiration is to have great people, provide great care, be a great place to work and a great partner.

Approximately 568,000 people live here. A third of people who live in Cornwall are supported by acute hospital services in Devon. As a result, we also work closely with our partners in Devon. In the summer, and during other holidays lots of people choose to visit the area. This increase the numbers of people who use out services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To view a detailed job description and person specification including the main responsibilities of this role please see ‘supporting documents’.

Person specification

Education

• Good Basic level of ability in Maths and English
• Experience working in a care setting
• Ability to carry out set cleaning tasks to a high standard
• Basic IT Skills
• Awareness of COSHH
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Aware of Health and Safety Legislation

At Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust we are proud to prioritise the development of our people. To support this, the following opportunities are available:

• Career conversations and individual development plans for succession planning and talent management
• Protected CPD time for registered staff
• Access to a dedicated central development fund supporting CPD for all staff
• Leadership and Management development programmes
• Coaching and mentoring opportunities
• A full clinical induction programme for operational skills
• Access to a care certificate programme for our band 1-4 clinical staff
• A bespoke and robust preceptorship programme to support newly qualified staff

Being part of a successful NHS Foundation Trust brings a portfolio of rewards and benefits for our staff. These include:

• Suite of health and wellbeing initiatives to support our colleagues physical and mental health
• Free access to individual HARP portfolios to support revalidation for nursing staff
• Free DBS checks where required
• Discounts available from retailers, UK hotels and main attractions
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• The Trust reimburses all application costs for staff eligible to apply for EU settlement status.

The Trust reserves the right to close this advert once a sufficient number of applications have been submitted. It is encouraged that you complete the application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process you will be contacted via TRAC.jobs email regarding interview details.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust welcomes and values individuals with lived experience of mental or physical ill health joining our workforce. We aspire to have a culture that develops, promotes and supports lived experience roles - throughout the organisation.

If you are successful, you agree to Occupational Health accessing your health records from your current or previous employer to check the status of your inoculations and screening tests. Appointments are subject to full three year satisfactory references therefore please ensure you include correct contact details for your nominated referees including email addresses.

Any general recruitment queries, please contact our recruitment team on 01208 834644

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.

The Health Jobs UK website has jobs from numerous employers, within health and care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute medical, surgical and specialist services to a population of around 500,000 which can increase significantly during the busy holiday periods.