Job overview
The Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has an opportunity within the Facilities Directorate for a full-time General Porter to join our dedicated facilities team in Portering. To provide an efficient, effective, and fully comprehensive portering service across Maidstone Hospital and Kent and Medway Orthopaedic Centre.
The hours are up to 37.5 per week, Monday to Friday, working.
We are looking for lively and enthusiastic individuals who have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, who are well motivated and hardworking, and able to work as part of our team.
Previous experience of working within a healthcare environment would be advantageous, but not essential, as training will be provided.
Please note this role is currently only being advertised to staff members who are currently working within the Kent and Medway ICS.
Main duties of the job
The General Porter will be a multi-skilled team member. To be responsible for maintaining a comprehensive, professional, and responsive high-quality porter service to patients, staff, visitors, and all service users.
To undertake the movement of patients, equipment, documentation, linen, waste, etc, efficiently and safely. Maintain a clean and safe
environment by the specification, be responsive to service needs as they arise, and constantly seek the productivity and service's quality of service. Essential duties to ensure that an efficient Portering service is maintained. These duties will be carried out both in patient and non-patient environments.
All work must be undertaken in line with Health and Safety, Infection Control Prevention, Security, and all Trust Policy and Procedures.
Working for our organisation
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
to hear what our staff say.
Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:
1. At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
2. Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
3. Blue Light card eligibility
4. And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
5. •Good level of general education (basic English & maths) education
6. •Willing to undertake further study to enhance ability to carry out job role more efficiently
Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria
7. •Ability to effectively communicate / interact with others (both verbal and written)
8. •Good customer service skills.
9. •Ability to apply and maintain standards consistently.
10. •Previous experience in a customer focused environment.
Desirable criteria
11. •Customer care.
12. •Dealing with challenging behaviour.
13. •Understanding of medical gases
14. •Manual handling
15. •Health and safety and Infection control principles.
16. •Previous experience of using Computer.
17. •Knowledge of handling waste
18. •Previous experience in a healthcare environment
Skills
Essential criteria
19. •Ability to lift, push, carry heavy loads
20. •To be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
21. •Ability to work well with others
22. •Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
23. •Excellent communication
24. •Quick thinker
25. •Ability to work as part of a team
26. •Ability to adapt to changes in working practice
27. •Self-starter with ability to follow direction
Desirable criteria
28. •Excellent verbal communication skills
29. •Sensitivity and understanding
30. •Ability to use initiative
31. •Work under pressure