Head Porter

NHS

  • South West London
  • £33,094-36,195 per year
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 3 days ago
We are seeking a dedicated and professional Head Porter to join our team at South West London & St George's Mental Health Trust. You will play a key role in delivering a high-quality porting service for our patients and staff across all sites. This is a dynamic and rewarding role that requires attention to detail and a willingness to challenge current processes to develop the portering teams to be both efficient and to deliver enhanced services which will benefit the porters and the Trust.You will provide support to the Soft FM department and key to assisting the Trust to meeting it's sustainability targets. You will also be a key contact to contractors and visitors to the Soft FM department.Main duties of the jobo To be the Operational Lead with responsibility for the delivery the highest possible standard of Portering Service to Patients, Staff and Visitors at all times.o To be responsible for shift supervision including the compilation of scheduled and portering requested duties daily to produce monthly performance reports.o Maintain efficient and accurate records, quality audits, training records and equipment audits including staff records and operational changes and updates.o To be responsible for ensuring the vehicles are maintained, taxed, MOT and serviced. Any incident/accidents are reported to the insurance company.o To manage the teams to ensure the correct transfer of clinical, domestic and recycling waste from all areas to external waste compoundso Ensure that all work is undertaken in line with health, safety, security and Trust policies and procedures including infection control.About usWe are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.DetailsDate posted01 September 2025Pay schemeAgenda for changeBandBand 4Salary£33,094 to £36,195 a year per annum inclusive of inner London HCASContractPermanentWorking patternFull-timeReference number294-CORP-7445571-JBJob locationsSpringfield University Hospital15 Springfield DriveLondonSW17 0YFJob descriptionJob responsibilitiesTo manage and direct the team on Portering activities including, domestic and clinical waste removal, blood sample/blood product collections, transport of medical gases, post duties and departmental cover, etc. using machinery in full compliance with safe operating procedures as required.To be responsible for shift supervision including the compilation of scheduled and portering requested duties daily to produce monthly performance reports.Responsible for allocating duties and shifts using the agreed staff roster system ensuring effective Portering cover within allocated budgets and provide monthly payroll information to the Soft FM Manager ensuring all shift enhancements and overtime is captured correctly. To lead Portering Chargehands to ensure continued service supervision during times of absence, annual leave or sickness in line with agreed Working Time Directive arrangements.To work collaboratively with colleagues and managers within the wider Estates and Facilities team.Responsible for ensuring that all Portering staff work in accordance with Health and Safety Guidelines and Trust/Departmental policies and procedures at all times.Lead on the planning of work schedules/staffing levels, highlighting to the Soft FM Manager any perceived need for staff overtime and bank expenditure to meet fluctuating service activity/demands.To ensure all shifts are staffed appropriately at all times, staff contingency plans are in place. Wherever possible, initial absences must be covered by the Charge Hand PortersTo compile monthly performance data reports analysing trends and contributing to the wider departments continuous improvement aims.To ensure all mandatory training for the team is up to date, supporting where necessary.To lead on the recruitment and selection of staff to ensure staff levels meet service requirements in conjunction with the Soft FM Manager. To proactively manage the process of managing sickness absence in line with Trust policy including the completion of Return-to-Work documentation and holding formal/informal sickness review meetings with staff.To lead on the stages of disciplinary, capability and grievance action, in accordance with the relevant HR polices.Maintain efficient and accurate records, quality audits, training records and equipment audits including staff records and operational changes and updates.To be responsible for developing and maintaining a procedure folder (SOPs) to enable relief staff to undertake portering/post/pharmacy delivery duties when required.To ensure the teams are directed to top up wards with clean linen based on minimum stock levels and that dirty linen is collected from wards on a daily basis.To manage the teams to ensure the correct transfer of clinical, domestic and recycling waste from all areas to external waste compoundsTo schedule off site jobs ensuring completion in a timely manner and to follow up to ensure client satisfaction. Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesTo manage and direct the team on Portering activities including, domestic and clinical waste removal, blood sample/blood product collections, transport of medical gases, post duties and departmental cover, etc. using machinery in full compliance with safe operating procedures as required.To be responsible for shift supervision including the compilation of scheduled and portering requested duties daily to produce monthly performance reports.Responsible for allocating duties and shifts using the agreed staff roster system ensuring effective Portering cover within allocated budgets and provide monthly payroll information to the Soft FM Manager ensuring all shift enhancements and overtime is captured correctly. To lead Portering Chargehands to ensure continued service supervision during times of absence, annual leave or sickness in line with agreed Working Time Directive arrangements.To work collaboratively with colleagues and managers within the wider Estates and Facilities team.Responsible for ensuring that all Portering staff work in accordance with Health and Safety Guidelines and Trust/Departmental policies and procedures at all times.Lead on the planning of work schedules/staffing levels, highlighting to the Soft FM Manager any perceived need for staff overtime and bank expenditure to meet fluctuating service activity/demands.To ensure all shifts are staffed appropriately at all times, staff contingency plans are in place. Wherever possible, initial absences must be covered by the Charge Hand PortersTo compile monthly performance data reports analysing trends and contributing to the wider departments continuous improvement aims.To ensure all mandatory training for the team is up to date, supporting where necessary.To lead on the recruitment and selection of staff to ensure staff levels meet service requirements in conjunction with the Soft FM Manager. To proactively manage the process of managing sickness absence in line with Trust policy including the completion of Return-to-Work documentation and holding formal/informal sickness review meetings with staff.To lead on the stages of disciplinary, capability and grievance action, in accordance with the relevant HR polices.Maintain efficient and accurate records, quality audits, training records and equipment audits including staff records and operational changes and updates.To be responsible for developing and maintaining a procedure folder (SOPs) to enable relief staff to undertake portering/post/pharmacy delivery duties when required.To ensure the teams are directed to top up wards with clean linen based on minimum stock levels and that dirty linen is collected from wards on a daily basis.To manage the teams to ensure the correct transfer of clinical, domestic and recycling waste from all areas to external waste compoundsTo schedule off site jobs ensuring completion in a timely manner and to follow up to ensure client satisfaction.Person SpecificationTraining & QualificationsEssential
  • Good standard of literacy and numeracy (level 2)
  • Diploma/Level 3, City and Guilds or can evidence equivalent knowledge acquired through training and experience
  • Manual handling training
Desirable
  • Team Leading NVQ - Level 2
ExperienceEssential
  • Experience of leading within a Portering or Soft Facilities environment.
  • Experience of dealing with patient/customer queries, complaints and issues regarding their services
  • Experience of undertaking stock counts and being responsible for the upkeep of stock and equipment relevant to the department
  • Experience of reviewing work plans and directing teams to meet targets within deadlines
Desirable
  • Experience of working within the NHS, ideally within a Mental Health.
  • Experience of using database systems
Knowledge & SkillsEssential
  • Intermediate IT skills to include knowledge of Microsoft packages for example, Word, Excel, Outlook
  • Effective in their ability to plan and organise their own and team workloads
  • Ability to investigate and analyse operational issues, using initiative to provide solutions
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Good understanding of franking machines
Desirable
  • Understanding of the principles of Equal Opportunities
Person SpecificationTraining & QualificationsEssential
  • Good standard of literacy and numeracy (level 2)
  • Diploma/Level 3, City and Guilds or can evidence equivalent knowledge acquired through training and experience
  • Manual handling training
Desirable
  • Team Leading NVQ - Level 2
ExperienceEssential
  • Experience of leading within a Portering or Soft Facilities environment.
  • Experience of dealing with patient/customer queries, complaints and issues regarding their services
  • Experience of undertaking stock counts and being responsible for the upkeep of stock and equipment relevant to the department
  • Experience of reviewing work plans and directing teams to meet targets within deadlines
Desirable
  • Experience of working within the NHS, ideally within a Mental Health.
  • Experience of using database systems
Knowledge & SkillsEssential
  • Intermediate IT skills to include knowledge of Microsoft packages for example, Word, Excel, Outlook
  • Effective in their ability to plan and organise their own and team workloads
  • Ability to investigate and analyse operational issues, using initiative to provide solutions
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Good understanding of franking machines
Desirable
  • Understanding of the principles of Equal Opportunities

NHS