Ward Environment Support Staff/Housekeeper

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT; Southampton; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS pension scheme

35 days annual leave (pro rata)

NHS discounts

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Ward Environment Support Staff / Housekeeper for our Maternity Services. This permanent role supports a positive inpatient experience, works across shifts, and collaborates with the ward team to care for women, birthing individuals and babies.

The role requires enthusiasm, reliability, and a commitment to a patient-centered approach within a large teaching Trust that values staff wellbeing and flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Clear verbal communication.
• Standing for long periods; bending and stretching.
• Ability to move and handle patients and equipment.
• Good health record.
• Evidence of numeracy, literacy and IT skills – GCSE A-C or equivalent.
• Understanding of ward priorities.
• Good verbal and written skills.
• Reliable with good time management.
• Ability to adjust to pressures of the job.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Patience, dependability and motivation.
• Flexibility and ability to work across shifts.
• Computer literate.

Responsibilities

• Cleaning and making up birth rooms.
• Cleaning and making up beds spaces on the wards.
• Restocking birth rooms, clinical areas and emergency trolleys.
• Transferring patients between wards with our Porters.
• Accompanying patients to inpatient appointments.
• Ensuring patients receive their hot meals as ordered, filling water jugs, making hot drinks.
• Some clerical and administrative tasks to support the ward administration team.
• Sign-posting patients, families and visitors on the ward.
• Ordering stores and reporting broken equipment.
• Making appointments or assisting in the planning and delivery of clinics.

Skills

Clear verbal communication

Standing long periods

Move and handle patients

Health record

Numeracy and IT skills

Ward priorities

Verbal and written skills

Time management

Work under pressure

Interpersonal skills

Patience and motivation

Flexibility

Shift flexibility

Computer literate

Job description

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us. Job Title: Ward Environment Support Staff / Housekeeper
Contract Type: Permanent
Under current Home Office rules, this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications
Main duties of the job

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team team as a Housekeeper/Ward Environment Support Staff (WESS) in our Maternity Services.
Successful applicants must be able to demonstrate enthusiasm, dedication and a commitment to working in collaboration with the wider team delivering care to women, birthing individuals, and their babies in partnership with the clinical ward staff.
Maternity Services are proud to serve the local community across the region with the team working flexibility across boundaries. As a Trust, we recognise the importance of a positive workforce culture, as well as individual job satisfaction and a healthy work life balance for staff. The Trust Values enable us to invest in people valuing each and every employee for their unique skills and individual qualities making for improved team working. We would be delighted to welcome new joiners and strive to ensure they feel well supported in their new role.

A testimony statement from one of our current support workers:
This is a very rewarding job. Your care and attention is always appreciated and remembered as part of the overall care.

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.
We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.
Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.
We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

In this role, your key responsibilities will include maintaining a safe and welcoming environment throughout the Maternity Service and helping to create a positive patient experience.

Your Main Duties Will Include

• Cleaning and making up birth rooms
• Cleaning and making up beds spaces on the wards
• Restocking birth rooms, clinical areas and emergency trolleys
• Transferring patients between wards with our Porters
• Accompanying patients to inpatient appointments
• Ensuring patients receive their hot meals as ordered, filling water jugs, making hot drinks etc
• Some clerical and administrative tasks to support the ward administration team
• Sign-posting patients, families and visitors on the ward
• Ordering stores and reporting broken equipment
• Making appointments or assisting in the planning and delivery of clinics

This is not a complete list of duties and the job description is attached to this advert and should be studied carefully.

We are seeking enthusiastic, motivated and flexible individuals who have a passion for supporting staff and families by providing a positive inpatient experience whilst using the Maternity Services. The successful candidates will need to display a passion for wanting to make the experience for women, birthing individuals and their families a positive and memorable occasion and want to be proud to work as part of the wider Maternity team. You will be an excellent communicator who demonstrates respect and sensitivity towards all service users.

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience

Essential criteria

• Clear verbal communication
• Standing for long periods bending and stretching
• Ability to move and handle patients and equipment
• Good health record
• Evidence of numeracy, literacy and IT skills- minimum of national level 2/ GCSE A-C grade or equivalent
• Understanding of ward priorities
• Good verbal and written skills
• Reliable/Good time management
• Ability to adjust to pressures of the job
• Good interpersonal skills
• Patience, dependability and motivation
• Flexibility
• Able to work whole range of shifts
• Computer literate

Desirable criteria

• Proficient in information technology skills

Trust Values

Essential criteria

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together