Grounds and Gardens Operative

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; Preston; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in Preston is seeking a Main area Grounds & Gardens Operative (Grade band 2) on a permanent contract, full-time 37.5 hours per week, with on-call duties during winter.

You will maintain grounds, assist with waste, ensure health and safety compliance, and support the Lead Grounds Maintenance Operative across Trust sites in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Qualifications

• NVQ level 2 or City & Guilds in Horticulture or equivalent grounds maintenance qualification.
• PA1 and PA6 pesticide approvals.
• Grounds machinery training.

Responsibilities

• Grass cutting using ride-on and pedestrian equipment.
• Strimming, weeding, scarifying and hedge cutting.
• Planting and maintaining borders and winter grounds tasks including gritting.
• Inspect landscaping and footpaths weekly to identify defective or dangerous areas and rectify faults.
• Maintain upkeep of borders in internal courtyards and garden areas.

Skills

Grounds maintenance operations

Health and safety compliance

Education

NVQ level 2 or City & Guilds, certificate in Horticulture or equivalent grounds maintenance qualification

Tools

Pesticide PA1 & PA6

Grounds machinery training

Job description

Main area Grounds & Gardens Operative Grade band 2 Contract Permanent: On call winter period Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (on call winter period) Job ref 435-1LSC-LTH20.26-A

Site RPH Town Preston Salary £25,272 Pro rata, per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 03/09/2026 23:59

One LSC is a new collaborative partnership shared service formed by the five NHS Trusts serving the Lancashire and South Cumbria population of 1.8 million people. We are a shared service run by the NHS, for the NHS and are hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust on behalf of the partner Trusts of the Lancashire and South Cumbria system.

One LSC stands for ‘One Lancashire and South Cumbria’ and reflects the Lancashire and South Cumbria System ambition to have one team serving Lancashire and South Cumbria in a joined-up way. It is jointly run by the five Trusts as a collaborative partnership.

The Trusts that make up One LSC are:

• Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
• Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
• Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

One LSC brings together the Digital, Data and Technology, Estates and Facilities, Finance, People Services and Procurement and Logistics services from each of the provider Trusts to create one central community of professionals. Under one leadership team, they will provide services for and on behalf of all Trusts.

The aim is to bring services more closely together so that we can deliver the best service possible to each of our partner organisations. At the core of One LSC delivery is eliminating duplication, removing unwarranted variation, realisation of the benefits of sharing common systems and processes and ensuring we deliver value for money for our partners, our system and, ultimately, for the communities we serve.

Job overview

Part of One LSC – a corporate collaboration hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and providing Estates and Facilities Services to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, contractors and trust wide service users.
• Assist and support the Lead Grounds Maintenance Operative /Building Manager during your day-to-day duties to ensure compliance with all health and safety legislation, standards and procedures.
• Respond to grounds related incidents as they arise and advise on appropriate course of action.
• Assist with operational tasks within the waste recycling complex as and when required to provide support for colleagues.
• Maintain sufficient stock levels for chemicals, spares and equipment and request via the Lead grounds Maintenance operative the supply of goods with reference to manufacturers product numbers.

Main duties of the job

• Undertakes all grounds maintenance work both hard and soft including:
• Grass cutting using both ride-on and pedestrian equipment.
• Strimming, weeding & scarifying.
• Pruning & hedge cutting using handheld equipment
• Planting and maintaining borders
• Winter grounds maintenance including gritting & Snow clearing.
• Planning and construction of new and renovated areas.
• flagging, kerbing, repairs to tarmac, block paving & fences.
• Keeps the sites tidy and generally free from the accumulation of litter, leaves and debris.
• Inspects landscaping, footpaths and trees on a weekly basis to identify defective or dangerous areas and rectify any faults or advisees Lead Grounds Maintenance Operative.
• Maintains upkeep of borders in the internal courtyards and enhanced garden areas around the Hospital sites.

Working for our organisation

• Ability to work flexibly dependant on the needs of the service and to provide cover in other departments.
• Must be prepared to work across all Lancashire teaching Hospital sites.
• Respectful, tactful and diplomatic.

• To be fully aware of and committed to all policies, procedures and initiatives relating to information governance - this will include, but not limited to, data quality improvements, confidentiality and information security
• To take personal responsibility for safeguarding and ensuring the quality of information.

The post holder will operate at all times to high standards of probity. This will include compliance with:

• Health and safety regulations
• All policies and procedures approved by the organisation
• Trust Standing Financial Instructions
• Working within Data Protection Legislation, Health & Safety at work Act 1974, maintain confidentiality at all times, as required by legislation and our policy
• Working to defined policies and procedures, actively implementing the development of the electronic solution
• Work within the limitations of the role

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, contractors and trust wide service users.
• Assist and support the Lead Grounds Maintenance Operative /Building Manager during your day-to-day duties to ensure compliance with all health and safety legislation, standards and procedures.

Person specification

Qualifications & Education

• NVQ level 2 or City & Guilds, certificate in Horticulture or equivalent grounds maintenance qualification. OR Substantial experience within a similar commercial grounds’ maintenance role.
• Approved pesticide application PA1 & PA6
• Grounds Machinery training.

Knowledge & Experience

• Work experience in Horticultural Environments
• Proven ability to understand and take instruction and with detailed procedures.
• Experience in a similar role.

Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS)

If the role you are applying for is identified as either controlled or regulated activity as defined in in the Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act (2006) any offer of employment is provisional upon a satisfactory DBS check being obtained.

The healthcare sector is exempted from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

In line with other NHS organisations in the North West Region, the Trust is now passing the charge for undertaking a DBS check on to candidates in the event they are successfully appointed into the post for which they have applied. Candidates can choose whether to pay this over 1-3 months as a deduction from the monthly salary. However, if you are applying for a post as a BANK worker, the payment must be made in full at the time of employment checks. By applying for this vacancy you are agreeing to this undertaking in the event you are successfully appointed.

The cost of an Enhanced Disclosure will be £55.38 and for a Standard Disclosure will be £27.38.

This cost is not applicable for a Volunteer post

The Trust is an equal opportunities employer, committed to improving the working lives of our staff and operates a 'Zero Tolerance' policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment. In addition, our aim is to help protect children and vulnerable adults by providing a first-class service to the recruitment of people into positions of trust.

We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, disability or social background.

We especially welcome applications from members of our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, as we have identified that ELHT has an under-representation of BAME employees. Appointments will be made on merit.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information.

AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and could negatively impact on your chances of success in the application process.

We have added a disclaimer to our application process advising that the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Supporting Information

The supporting information section is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person specification.

Recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. They will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, please provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Share work-related successes and challenges you have navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.

Consider structuring your supporting information section with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.

Please note: a young person must be in part-time education or training until they’re 18. If you are under 18 we are unable to employ you on a full time basis, unless it is in an apprenticeship role.

Disclosure and Barring Service checks

If the role you’ve applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £26.40, Standard DBS check £26.40, Enhanced DBS check £54.40 and Enhanced DBS check with Barred List(s) £54.40. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here .

In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working.

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