Housekeeper/Ward Support Assistant

University Hospitals Dorset; Poole; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Dorset is recruiting a housekeeper for a 6-month fixed-term contract at Poole Hospital Ward B2. The role focuses on keeping the ward clean, safe and welcoming for patients and families, while assisting with meals and hydration.

You will work with the nursing team to meet patients’ dietary needs, manage stock, and maintain infection control standards in a busy surgical ward.

Qualifications

• GCSE in Maths and English or equivalent.
• Good literacy, numeracy and comprehension skills.
• Effective communication skills – both written and verbal/non verbal.

Responsibilities

• General cleaning and maintaining a tidy ward environment.
• Stock ordering and rotation alongside the domestic team.
• Support patients' nutritional and hydration needs, serving meals and drinks.
• Work with ward team to ensure safe, comfortable care.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Initiative

Independent work

Infection control

Stock keeping

Food safety awareness

Basic IT skills

Education

GCSE Maths and English

Job description

Main area Surgery Grade Band 2 Contract Fixed term: 6 months (Temporary contract until ward transformation movement) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 07:00-15:00) Job ref 153-SU06938

Department name 01. UHD - General Recruitment Site Ward B2 Poole Hospital Town Poole Salary £25,272 pa/pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 27/10/2026 23:59

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.

Job overview

B2 is a 24 bedded surgical ward, looking after planned and emergency surgical patients in a range of specialities. We are seeking a housekeeper to join on a 6month fixed contract, to help us maintain a ward environment that is safe, tidy and welcoming to our patients and their families. They will also support patients to meet their nutritional and hydration needs, serving meals and drinks.

We are looking for an hard working, highly motivated individual who will work well as a member of the team, but is also confident to manage their workload independently. We are committed to providing a high standard of care to our patients and are looking for someone with similar values.

They will be responsible for assisting the ward sister in the coordination and provision of services, ensuring that the ward is a clean, safe and a comfortable environment and provide essential support to patients in fulfilling their dietary and nutritional needs.

The applicant will be responsible for general cleaning, stock ordering and rotation. They will work alongside the domestic team to ensure the ward is clean and clutter free.

They will also be responsible for ensuring patient's nutritional needs are met, working closely with the nursing team to ensure patients correct daily dietary advice and meals

This job is being offered on a 6month fixed contract to end approximately March/April 2027, to allow for future transformation movements.

Base Location: Poole Hospital B2

Main duties of the job

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Working for our organisation

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.

This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview.

There are planned transformation works within the Surgical directorate in Autumn 2025, which may effect the working location of this role. It will be subject to transformation decisions whether this job role remains at Poole or transfers to Bournemouth Hospital.

Upon relocation of the role/service, excess mileage allowance / reimbursement will not apply, and any travel between the postholder’s home and work base will be classified as a commute.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Good level of basic education to demonstrate literacy, numeracy, and comprehension skills
• GCSE in Maths and English or equivalent
• Effective communication skills – both written and verbal / non verbal
• Ability to work in a demanding environment
• Ability to demonstrate initiative and prioritise work efficiently
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Awareness of food safety standards
• Basic IT skills to aid data input
• Stock keeping experience

Experience

• Experience of working with the public
• Experience of infection control procedures
• Experience of catering environments
• Experience of hospital work or other care environment

Personal Attributes

• Ability and willingness to interact with a range of people and ages
• Sensitivity and consideration to the needs of others
• Personable manner - warm, welcoming and approachable

Language Requirement

• Be able to speak and write English at a level necessary to undertake the role

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Name Zara Langshaw Job title Ward Sister Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 0300 019 8567 Additional information

If unable to contact myself, please contact one of my deputy sisters on 8414.