Maintenance Craftsperson

Working Full time : 37.5 hours per week

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Estates Department would like to appoint a Maintenance Craftsperson (Plumber).

You will work predominantly days, based on site at The Countess of Chester Hospital. There will be the opportunity to work overtime, which will attract enhanced rates of pay. You will also be part of a team providing on call cover (after a probationary period) and again this will attract an additional on call payment plus any additional hours worked and mileage reimbursement.

This role receives an additional recruitment and retention payment of £3277 per annum. The Trust offers a generous benefits package including a career average pension scheme and annual leave entitlement commencing at 27 days increasing to a maximum of 33 days per annum plus bank holidays with service.

The Estates Department values the importance of enabling their team to personally grow and develop within the Trust. The team is very flexible and supportive and work together collaboratively internally and externally to achieve its goals, so it is exciting time to join them.

You will become an active member of the team working to promote good working practice, minimise downtime and assist in improving standards. You will be capable of interacting with staff at all levels on a day-to-day basis and will need to possess excellent communication skills.

1. You will undertake work in a safe and effective manner, complying with all relevant safety legislation and procedures; to comply with ESTATES DEPARTMENT HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES MANUAL on any work undertaken.

2. You will carry out maintenance tasks including statutory, mandatory, planned preventative and reactive maintenance.

3. You will undertake the unblocking of drains both internal and external, in some cases working closely with specialist contractors, often without supervision.

4. You will have a wide knowledge of all types of plumbing and drainage systems including direct and indirect heating calorifiers, gas fired boilers and steam systems and be capable of undertaking necessary repairs.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds

Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility

Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.​​

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.