Waste & Environment Operative

Countess of Chester; Chester; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Part time

Job summary

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a part-time Waste Porter to support its facilities team in Chester. The post covers a four-day-on/four-day-off pattern including weekends and involves handling all waste streams across the site.

The role requires a basic education level and numeracy/literacy skills. Salary is pro rata at £25,272 per year, with a commitment to safe, kind and effective care within the trust.

Qualifications

• Numeracy and literacy skills are required.
• A basic standard of education is required.
• Maths GCSE grade 4 or equivalent is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Undertake all waste portering tasks.
• Provide refuse collection for clinical waste, domestic waste, glass, paper, cardboard and recycling trust-wide.
• Collect yellow/orange clinical waste and other waste from dedicated points and compact as required.
• Collect cardboard and compact in the recycled cardboard compactor.
• Collect glass and bottles and transport to waste compound for disposal.
• Collect paper and confidential waste and ensure confidentiality and security at all times.

Skills

Numeracy and literacy skills

Basic education

Maths GCSE 4

Education

Numeracy and literacy skills

Maths GCSE

Job description

Main area Facilities Grade Band 2 Contract Permanent Hours Part time - 33.5 hours per week (Four days on / four days off including weekends) Job ref 210-2026-723

Site Countess of Chester Hospital Town Chester Salary £25,272 pa pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 25/10/2026 23:59

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.

Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation

Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours.
We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.

As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.

Job overview

Working Part time: 33.5 hours per week

We are looking for general waste porters to provide an effective waste portering service to the entire hospital ensuring that Legislative guidance, Trust Policies, Procedures and Practices are complied with.

Working as part of a team the role provides a comprehensive service in all weathers and includes all waste streams which are collected and delivered in accordance with the schedules. There is also a requirement to be flexible in working practices to meet the change in operational needs.

We ask all employees to be flexible in their role, to always ensure we are delivering Safe, Kind and Effective care.

Main duties of the job

• To undertake all waste portering tasks.
• To provide a refuse collection service for clinical waste, domestic waste, glass, paper, cardboard and package recycling waste from collection points trust wide in accordance with Trust Policies and Procedures, waste Management Policy.
• To collect both Yellow/Orange Clinical waste, domestic waste and recyclable waste from dedicated waste holds/collection points, remove to compactor in wastecompound and compact waste, observing Trust Policy and Procedure.
• To collect cardboard from dedicated waste holds/collection points and compact in the recycled cardboard compactor.
• To collect glass and bottles from dedicated waste holds/collection points and removes to waste compound for disposal.
• To collect paper/confidential waste and computer waste in black wheelie bin, take to waste compound. Ensuring that confidentiality and security is maintained at all times.

Working for our organisation

The Trust’s services are provided from three locations:

The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds.

Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.

Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire.

The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service.Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costswill be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person specification

Qualification

• Numeracy and literacy skills
• A basic standard of education
• Maths GCSE Grade 4

Knowledge and Experience

• Enjoys being part of a team.
• Has worked in a health care environment in this capacity.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
If the role is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Enhanced DBS check applications that are submitted with omitted or incorrect information will be withdrawn. In the event errors are identified on your original application, a new application will need to be submitted and you will be required to pay the DBS application fee again.

The cost of the DBS application will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK

The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet these immigration rules

For further details on skilled worker sponsorship, please consult the UK Home Office guidance: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK. Additionally, the New guidance for overseas applicants | NHS Employers provides helpful information on the recruitment process for candidates applying for roles in the UK.

Overseas candidates are responsible for their travel expenses.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependent's (over 18 years old) will also be subject to this requirement.