Housekeeper

NHS; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health trust is seeking a dedicated Housekeeper to join their Facilities Team at Cheswold Park Hospital. In this role, you will ensure high standards of cleanliness and cater to service users, particularly in a mental health environment. Candidates should hold or be willing to obtain a Level 2 Certificate in Food Safety. The position offers a challenging yet rewarding environment, requiring teamwork, flexibility, and a caring attitude. Join us in making a positive difference in the lives of our service users.

Qualifications

• Previous experience of working in a demanding work environment.
• Experience within a customer care or patient-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Clean all areas following the National Standards of Cleanliness.
• Serve food and complete relevant paperwork.
• Provide a high standard of domestic and catering duties.

Skills

Good interpersonal skills

Ability to work as part of a team

Basic Health & Safety awareness

Education

Level 2 Certificate in Food Safety

Basic literacy and numeric skills

Job description

Housekeeper

The closing date is 04 January 2026

5 x 6 hour shifts including weekends and bank holidays.

The post holder is a member of the Facilities Team based in Housekeeping and Domestic Services and will be responsible for carrying out catering and cleaning duties across the Cheswold Park Hospital site, reporting to Housekeeping and Domestic Supervisors and the Housekeeping Manager. The role requires flexibility in approach to the duties.

At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, we are unable to sponsor anyone for a skilled worker visa for this role.

We are happy to accept applications from candidates who can prove their right to work in the UK or via alternative visa routes. Such applications will be considered alongside all other applications.

Responsibilities

• Clean all areas following the National Standards of Cleanliness, including signing off sheets to confirm completion.
• Serve food and complete relevant paperwork which includes food temperature checks.
• Prepare small amounts of food from the freezer.
• Work as a team and be able to prioritise workload.
• Potential for overtime if needed to cover sickness and holidays.
• All employees are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID‑19.
• Provide a high standard of domestic, catering and general household duties within a ward environment for people with mental health problems, in line with National standards of cleanliness.
• Respect the confidentiality of all patients and report any adverse incidents to the Line Manager.
• Establish good working relationships and clear communication with ward staff and service users while delivering core duties.
• Receive and store all food in accordance with Trust policy; maintain accurate records for food storage and regeneration.
• Regenerate/prepared and serve meals and sundry items of food in accordance with set standards; provide and prepare ad‑hoc meals when requested, liaising with named nurse to ensure care plans are followed.
• Prepare for meal times, ensuring menus are displayed according to standards.
• Requisition sundry items of food, cleaning materials, linen and equipment for authorisation by the Clinical or Facilities Service Manager.
• Remove and store dirty linen to appropriate storage area; launder bed linen within the unit as required and in accordance with policy.
• Support service users in guiding them to use laundry equipment when required.
• Communicate with multidisciplinary teams (nursing staff, catering, dieticians and facilities) to ensure service users receive special diets in accordance with nutritional requirements and care plans.
• Liaise and communicate menu changes and answer queries relating to menu changes with service users and nursing staff.
• Maintain and clean all areas, including damp‑dusting furniture, emptying and disposing household/clinical waste, supplying consumables, reporting mechanical defects, pest sightings or environmental faults, securing and locking doors, and spot‑cleaning spillages.
• Wash, clean and maintain sanitary fittings, kitchen surfaces, catering equipment, floors (dry mop, sweep, damp mop, machine scrub, vacuum carpeted areas, hot water extraction), and carpets.
• Perform weekly and periodic duties such as high‑dusting walls and fittings, damp‑dusting pipes and ledges, thoroughly cleaning all catering equipment, maintaining hard floor surfaces, washing paintwork, cleaning wheels of beds, and changing curtains.
• Carry out all duties with due regard to Health and Safety, Food Hygiene and COSHH regulations; manual handling duties and constant movement and standing for the duration of the shift.

About Us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health, and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the West Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities. We provide high‑quality care in the right place at the right time, employing staff in both clinical and non‑clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups. We value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Level 2 Certificate in Food Safety or willingness to undertake and successfully complete within 12 months (can be obtained through SWYPFT).
• Basic literacy and numeric skills.

Experience

• Previous experience of working in a demanding work environment.
• Previous experience of working in an industrial cleaning and/or catering environment.
• Experience within a customer care or patient‑focused environment.

Training

• Commitment to undertaking relevant training commensurate to the job role.

Personal Attributes

• Smart appearance.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Flexible approach to working patterns, change and unpredictable environments.
• Caring, friendly attitude.
• Ability to deliver high standards of work at all times.

Special Knowledge/Skills

• Good interpersonal skills; able to communicate with service users, work colleagues and visitors in a courteous and sensitive manner.
• Ability to work without immediate supervision, prioritise tasks, and use own initiative.
• Basic Health & Safety awareness.

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post.
• A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act fairly and with equality of opportunity, particularly where sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) is required to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name: South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust