Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS.
Job overview
The Portering department runs a 24/7 Service across 2 large hospital sites, it has 126 WTE staff and the main objective of the service is to provide a first class service to our staff, patients and visitors. Last year Guy’s and St Thomas dealt with more than 1 million Patient contacts. We are fully dedicated to provide high quality, personal care for all for all our patients and this is at the heart of everything that we do.
Group Operations is part of Essentia, which deals with the operational side of the Trust i.e. Sterile Services, Catering, and Security etc. The Group Director has 6 Heads of Service within this department. Group Operations is a very busy department that deals with very diverse activities on a day-to-date basis.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for professional and welcoming people with a strong work ethic to join our team of General Porters.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital is one of the UK's largest NHS Trusts situated in the heart of the capital, where we provide care for a diverse population.
We are always striving to be the best at what we do, respecting others and taking pride in all that we do. Putting patients first is right at the top of our list.
The Portering Department runs a 24/7 service at both Guy’s and St Thomas’, with our main objective being to provide a first class service to our patients, and visitors, as well as each other.
The work is physical, so it is important that successful candidates are physically fit and able to wear safety shoes which we provide.
The role is diverse and no two days are the same. You will be involved in the movement of patients, specimens, blood products, gas cylinders and transfers of the deceased.
All applicants should have customer service experience and a good command of the English language.
Working for our organisation
We are looking for professional and welcoming people with a strong work ethic to join our team of General Porters.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital is one of the UK's largest NHS Trusts situated in the heart of the capital, where we provide care for a diverse population.
We are always striving to be the best at what we do, respecting others and taking pride in all that we do. Putting patients first is right at the top of our list.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- The safe transportation of patients throughout the Guy’s and or St. Thomas’ Hospital sites by bed, trolley, wheelchair ensuring guidelines are used within the quality procedures (PID 06 and 07).
- To maintain proper care and attention to patients at all times.
- To communicate sensitively and courteously with patients, visitors and staff at all levels and at the same time deal with ongoing enquiries.
- Secure transportation of specimens from wards and departments to any Trust location(s), in addition to Pathology and the laboratories in accordance with policy and quality procedures (PID 02).
- Secure transportation of bloods to and from any Trust area / department / ward ensuring that cross reference is made against request form, blood book and blood component/product to meet blood collection legislation including collection and distribution of crash blood in line with legislation.
- Ordering, maintaining stock control and written records for medical gas supplies in conjunction with pharmacy protocols (medical gas cylinder requisitions).
- Safe transportation of medical gas cylinders and associated equipment for use throughout the Trust, following implicitly the set health & safety protocols.
- Safe transportation of cryogenic vessels from department to filling point in line with legislation.
- Secure transportation of medical records and other confidential documents for medical use as requested in line with quality documents (PID 09).
- Transfer of beds, trolleys in line with quality document (PID 06) and other medical and non-medical equipment to any Trust location.
- Answer bleep trust wide.
- Removal and transfer of bodies including adults and children from any Trust location to the mortuary in a dignified and respectful manner including checking of jewellery at ward level in presence of a clinician for audit trail purposes and logging the deceased details on the
mortuary refrigerator in line with quality documents (PID 03 and 04) and mortuary policy. - Prepare bodies including adults and children for viewing by relatives ensuring that deceased patient is suitable for viewing purposes in line with quality document (PID 05) and mortuary policy and where necessary assist the nurse when escorting relatives to the chapel of rest for viewing purposes.
- To be responsible for delivering life saving equipment to an arrest e.g. running heart defibrillators to any location within the hospital and to be on standby at cardiac arrests to collect and deliver anything required for the patient.
- To monitor Portering equipment for defects and cleanliness.
- To take corrective action when required and where observed report defects and unsafe conditions.
- Observe and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.
- Staff will attain all quality standards and systems laid down in the quality procedures.
- To inform the Portering Team Leader/Supervisor of any delay on the ward / department and seek advice.
- Staff will maintain the highest standards of courtesy and respect to patients, relatives and each other at all times.
- Ensure the highest standards of personal hygiene and tidiness at all times, including the wearing of uniforms provided in line with the GSTT uniform policy.
- To undertake training programmes at any time deemed appropriate by the Trust.
- Staff will ensure that they have a current I.D. badge and that it is worn at all times in a prominent place while on duty.
- Staff will refrain from alcohol and mood altering substances, and must not, in any way be under the influence of alcohol or mood altering substances whilst on duty.
- Under no circumstances shall staff take any form of reward or remuneration from patients, escorts, relatives or anyone associated with the patient.
- Staff will ensure that any complaints received are passed on promptly to the Portering Team Leader.
- The post-holder will be expected to fulfil any duties allocated that are commensurate with the role.
- Radios and or smart phone handsets are to be used as part of the Portering operation and are required to be signed out at the beginning of the shift, and signed in at the end of the shift.
- Staff are required to follow conditions relating to the activities of the licence i.e. use for voice transmission only, not transmit music, broadcast programmes or obscene and offensive language, not to be used as a public address system and not used to send misleading messages.
Person specification
Physical requirements
Essential criteria
- The ability to stand/walk for extended periods of time.
- The ability to lift and move patients in line with manual handling training.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Good command of the English language including oral & Written communication skills
- Highly motivated
- Excellent interpersonal skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Working with the General Public
Desirable criteria
- Experience in a health care enviroment
- Previous Portering experience
Qualifications/Education
Essential criteria
- Able to take and record information accurately
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Flexible working
We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.
Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis.