House Keeper D3

An exciting opportunity has arisen to appoint a Band 2 House keeper for our diabetes unit.

We are looking to appoint enthusiastic, flexible and hardworking individuals with good organisational skills and the ability to communicate effectively with patients, visitors and colleagues.

A Housekeeper holds a key role within the team and you will support the ward team by:
Working closely with the nursing team and supporting patients to complete their menus, liaise with the dieticians, the kitchen staff and assist patients at meal times as appropriate. You will support the Ward Manager by liaising with procurement to ensure the correct level of stock is available and you will be responsible for ensuring that the equipment on the ward is clean and well maintained. This role will need you to have excellent communication skills as you will be working closely with the ward manager and domestic supervisor to ensure that the ward environment is safe, clean and organised in line with all our Infection Control and Prevention protocols.

A flexible approach and the ability to respond to our patients with kindness and compassion is essential to the role.

Established in 2003 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.

Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

Ward D3 has a close knit team of staff and we are passionate about the care that we deliver and the area in which we work. We are a dedicated, supportive team and provide a happy environment for our patients.

**Main Duties**:
Maintain the wards environment, ensuring high standards of ward cleanliness, stock control and nutritional related duties. Maintain privacy and dignity to patients at all times.

Nutritional Related Duties.
- Organise and participate with the feeding of patients, where appropriate.
- Collection of individual patient's meals as required.
- Actively monitor all recording and reporting of diet and fluid intake and output of the patients.
- Liaise with dieticians and catering department to ensure quality choice to the individual patients.
- Assist patients when ordering from the menus and wherever possible arranging alternative to suit individual needs.
- The management of all patient menu cards.
- Ordering and monitoring ward food supplies and making adjustments to requisitions as appropriate.
- Awareness of patients with swallowing difficulties and implement the planned care that trained staff have completed after assessment.
- Collection and distribution of water jugs.
- Distributing hot beverages at times designated by ward area.

Communication
- Record accurately all patient interventions.
- Liaise effectively with all professionals, including Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapists, Dieticians, Nurses, Catering staff, Hotel Services staff etc.
- Respect and maintain confidentiality.
- Assist in creating and maintaining a positive working relationship with the ward nursing team.
- All involvement with patients, relatives or carers should should be communicated to Senior nurse in charge.
- Ensure patients are given information about the ward and orientation to their surroundings.
- Contacting of patients home to deliver property if needed eg dentures, spectacles.

Ward Environment
- Ensuring that the ward is of a high standard of cleanliness in all areas, and giving assistance when appropriate.
- Participate in ward audit to measure that standards are achieved.
- Cleaning of kitchen areas including appliances.
- Reporting any faults with fixtures and fittings and actively monitoring repairs and maintenance.
- Awareness of and implementing infection control policies.
- Preparation of bed areas for patient admissions and discharges.
- Participate in the auditing of mattresses and report any concerns.
- Ensure ward linen is adequately stocked.
- General tidiness of all ward areas.
- Ordering of ward provisions via telephone, computer and fax, ensuring that all stocks delivered to the ward are appropriately stored.