The key purpose of the role of the General Porter is to provide Portering services to the hospital wards and departments within the Isle of Wight NHS Trust. Routinely communicating with all levels of staff by way of person to person, phone or radio, delivering a high-quality service to all areas, ensuring that tasks are carried out in a professional and timely manner.

Main duties of the job

You will be required to transfer patients, specimens, blood products on the hospital site as per instructions using equipment to aid, assist with Helicopter transfers, mortuary transfers and ambulance transfers on site only covering a 24/7 service.

About us

Working for our Trust brings a variety of benefits, including an onsite day nursery, cycle-to-work scheme, discounts at local businesses and gyms, and the opportunity to hire Trust\'s beach hut in Ryde. We offer many flexible working opportunities, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement for you and if it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

The Isle of Wight is a unique and stunning gem located off the South Coast of England, a short ferry journey from Portsmouth and Southampton, with journey times taking from as little as 10 minutes. London can be reached in 90 minutes by rail from Southampton or Portsmouth. The island offers an amazing coastline with beautiful countryside, year-round events, festivals and award-winning attractions.

Job responsibilities

Collection of specimens from wards/departments to a determined time, plus return of same if specimen not labelled correctly etc. as requested.

Checking, signing out and collection of units of blood and blood products from Blood Bank to wards using the personalised computerised bar code system. Using blood cool boxes as required, returning unused units to the blood fridge and recorded as requested, if within designated time frames for blood to be out of fridge. Ensure that a signature is received from a senior member of nursing staff on receipt of blood at ward.

Attending helicopter patient transfers.

To transfer patients on hospital site as per instruction by, stretcher, or bed with the aid of motorised bed pushers. Assist nurse with the aid of roller board and patient slides etc.

To transfer patients safely on hospital site using wheelchairs, including pushing up and down a 1 in 20 slope.

To transfer patients by internal Ambulance, by wheelchair or stretcher as requested, ensuring that the wheelchairs or stretcher are correctly secured to the vehicle before transportation.

Check, clean and replenish items used in patient movement vehicle as required.

Movement of deceased patients from wards to the Mortuary, including deceased babies. To complete cleaning of any equipment used.

Out of hours to receive BID (Brought in Dead) and place body in refrigerator following agreed procedure.

To assist in Major Incident Plans as described in the Major Incident Job Cards

Attend any fire calls, stand at designated door positions to stop entry of visitors/patients/staff etc.

Carry out daily vehicle checks as per maintenance check list.Complete vehicle log book on each journey

Carry out weekly clean of all department vehicles.

Re-fuel vehicles at off site garage as necessary

Collection and delivery of patients notes and X-rays, including bags of clinic case notes.

Collection of any medical devices from ward to ward, e.g. monitors, syringe drivers, infusion pumps, air mattresses etc.

Collection and delivery of any faulty or broken equipment from wards/departments to Estates maintenance department and delivery of repaired items back to destination.

Inspecting and cleaning portering equipment trolleys, wheelchairs etc and reporting faults to Supervisor or Team Leader, to ensure the safe transfer of patients

Collection of deceased patients property to Bereavement Office and movement of patient property and valuables on patient moves.

Deliver medication as requested, obtaining signature from Senior Nurse for dangerous drugs.

Collection of general waste bags on site and deliver to central collection point and dispose of using hydraulic compactor.

Collection of dirty linen bags on site and deliver to central collection points.

Delivery of clean linen to wards/departments out of normal working hours.

All rota porters to have full training in Post room duties, to be able to provide cover for this area as and when required.

During out of hours, change medical gas cylinders and manifolds on wards as requested.

Cover the Portering Coordinators desk.

Collection of Confidential Waste from ward area to designated waste station.

Collection of recycled waste from ward areas to designated waste station.

To carry out any other duties and responsibilities determined by Service Managers , within the parameters of the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Key skills - literacy and numeric at G.C.S.E level or above
• Full UK Driving Licence

Experience

• Evidence of good communication and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of working in a team with groups of diverse staff
• Able to maintain effectiveness under pressure
• Flexible and able to adapt to changing situations
• Ability to use own initiative

Knowledge

• Basic IT skills
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate with all levels of staff
• Understanding of the Portertrac computerised system

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such 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.