Housekeeper - Ward 8C

NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Liverpool is seeking a dedicated individual to coordinate patient facility services within ward areas. Responsibilities include ensuring cleanliness, assisting with catering needs, and basic maintenance tasks. The ideal candidate will possess attention to detail, strong customer service skills, and the ability to work effectively with a team. This role offers the opportunity to contribute positively to patient care and safety.

Benefits

Employee healthcare programs

Training and development opportunities

Pension scheme

Qualifications

• Ability to monitor and maintain cleanliness standards.
• Experience in a healthcare or similar environment preferred.
• Good communication skills with patients and staff.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate patient facility services in ward areas.
• Deliver cleaning, catering, and minor maintenance.
• Monitor quality standards and report deficiencies.
• Assist in maintaining hygiene and safety on the ward.

Skills

Attention to detail

Customer service

Teamwork

Basic maintenance skills

Job description

Overview

The post holder will work as an integral part of ward teams and be responsible for co-ordinating all patient facilities services in ward areas to ensure a clean, safe and comfortable environment. The role includes delivery of cleaning, catering and minor maintenance, and other tasks to meet individual patient needs as determined by the ward sister/charge nurse. The post holder will work closely with contractors and support service departments, monitor quality standards, report deficiencies and take appropriate action. The post holder will be responsible for weekly clinical environment audits and ensuring equipment necessary for patient care delivery is available to nursing staff.

To assist in monitoring and maintaining cleaning standards on the ward, carry out spot cleaning for spillages, and ensure that general and specialist equipment (e.g. drip stands, incubators and commodes) are cleaned regularly as per policy. The ward should be kept safe and tidy at all times, with clutter removed and signage tidy. The post holder will identify cleanliness problems and report them to the ward sister, ensure specialist cleaning of surfaces and furnishings, and monitor service delivery related to cleaning, food, linen and the environment at agreed frequencies. Action plans should be agreed with the ward sister following monitoring outcomes, and a defect call log should be managed to ensure defects are logged, reported, recorded and closed as appropriate. Maintenance of other ad hoc services should be coordinated with the support service helpdesk, and regular equipment monitoring should be carried out. Waste (clinical, domestic and confidential) should be disposed of per policy. Respect for patient privacy and dignity is required during housekeeping duties. Equipment to be returned for reprocessing should be stored safely, and stock for infectious diseases should be ordered and kept up to date.

For roles at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the organisation comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital. The Trust is part of the NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 November 2024 from LUHFT and Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The Group aims to improve patient care and is a major regional employer.

For roles at Liverpool Women’s, please visit their careers page.

Specific Duties

Cleaning

• To assist in monitoring and maintaining cleaning standards on the ward.
• To carry out spot cleaning to promptly deal with spillages.
• To ensure general and specialist equipment (e.g. drip stands, incubators and commodes) are cleaned regularly as per cleaning policy.
• To keep the ward safe and tidy at all times (remove clutter, tidy notice boards, signage, etc.).
• To maintain upkeep of patients’ bed areas and identify cleanliness problems, reporting to the ward sister.
• To ensure specialist cleaning of surfaces and furnishings and that isolation nursing areas are cleaned appropriately.
• To monitor service delivery related to cleaning, food, linen and the environment at the agreed frequency, and inform the ward sister of outcomes with action plans.
• To manage the defect call log book, ensuring all defects are logged, reported, recorded and closed down as appropriate.
• To monitor and co-ordinate other ad hoc maintenance, liaising with the support service helpdesk as required for other services.
• To carry out regular equipment monitoring in accordance with procedures.
• To dispose of clinical, domestic and confidential waste as per policy and ensure privacy and dignity of patients during housekeeping duties.
• To ensure equipment to be returned for reprocessing is stored safely and to order and keep stock for infectious diseases.

Catering

• To prepare and serve hot/cold snacks as requested, offering a 24-hour snack service.
• To serve meals with the nursing team, ensuring patient intake is known and dietary needs are met.
• To provide eating assistance (e.g., cutting up food, placing food within reach, encouraging patients to eat).
• To prepare hot/cold beverages and appropriate trolley/equipment, and ensure food and beverages are served at correct temperatures per food hygiene regulations.
• To prepare areas where food and beverages are served to provide a pleasant environment, wash equipment/utensils, and manage the ward kitchen (including discarding out-of-date food and stock rotation).
• To ensure discharged and newly admitted patients’ meal requirements are actioned in conjunction with the ward nurse and co-ordinate extra meal requirements as needed.
• To ensure patients with unrestricted fluid intake have access to fresh water.

Maintaining the environment

• To monitor service delivery related to cleaning, food, linen and the environment at the agreed frequency and inform the ward sister of outcomes with action plans.
• To manage the wards defect log, monitor co-ordination of other ad hoc maintenance, and provide household maintenance as required by local policy.
• To perform basic maintenance tasks (e.g., replace light bulbs, clock batteries, unblock sinks).
• To transport and dispose of waste and to clean and prepare beds and handle linen, reporting bed availability as required.
• To monitor access and security of premises and facilities, respect patient space including flowers/fruits, and maintain privacy and dignity.
• To maintain safety of people’s property, minimise potential for adverse behaviour and security breaches, and use communication skills to manage aggressive/abusive behaviour.
• To ensure equipment is returned for reprocessing and stored safely.

General

• To greet and guide visitors on the ward and coordinate with staff as appropriate.
• To transport equipment, consumables and information as required, maintain and update paper records, respond to information requests, and maintain confidentiality.
• To report complaints and take appropriate action, assist with training of staff involved in ward housekeeping to required standards, and stay aware of new food hygiene standards and waste categorisation.
• To monitor stock of HCID PPE and equipment and generate new requests as needed.

Working practices and relationships

• To act in ways that reduce health and safety risks and promote a safety culture, respond to emergencies, maintain effective working relationships, and foster equality and rights.
• To provide effective customer service and maintain environmental, food hygiene and personal hygiene standards, keeping patient issues confidential.

Support of people

• To ensure patients have basic supplies (e.g., toiletries) and the ward has sufficient stocks for patients and staff.
• To assist people with accessing and interpreting written information, explain the correct use of equipment (e.g., nurse call), communicate effectively, and keep admitted patients informed of bed availability and wait times.