Housekeeping Assistant

Remuneration

The Salary scale for the post is (as at 01/03/2025)

€34,240, €36,064, €37,424, €37,991, €38,231, €38,796, €39,376, €39,832, €40,379

Salary Scales are updated periodically and the most up to date versions can be found here: https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/benefits-services/pay/pay-scales.html

Health Regions

Six Health Regions have been established within the HSE, on the basis of the geographical boundaries agreed by the Government in July 2019 and they will be operational from 2024.

Each Health Region will be tasked with population specific planning resourcing and delivery of health and social care services for the needs of its unique population. This will result in improved accountability and governance in terms of finance and performance, while also bringing decision-making closer to the frontline.

Health Regions will enable and empower staff to provide services that are:

·         Integrated, locally planned and delivered

·         Easier to access and navigate

·         Available closer to home

Health Regions are geographically-based units with clearly defined populations. They align community and hospital services within specific areas. The HSE will retain a strong but leaner central organisation, with more service provision developed at a local level.

The HSE South West health region will manage and deliver all public health and social care services in Cork and Kerry.  HSE South West includes all hospital and community healthcare services in the region.

This includes:

·         South / South West Hospital Group S/SWHG

·         Cork Kerry Community Healthcare CKCH

The Department of Population and Public Health is also now aligned with this health region.

Services in the South West health region

HSE Services working within this region include:

·         Acute Hospitals

·         Primary care services

·         Community services

·         Social care services

·         Health and social care professionals

·         Voluntary sector services

South / South West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare will become part of HSE South West health region from 3rd March, 2025, and the transition to the new structures will be taking place throughout 2025.

Details of Service

Mallow General Hospital (MGH) is a Model 2 Hospital with 71 inpatient beds with plans for expansion. MGH is part of the Cork University Hospital Group within the South/South West Hospital Group.

Mallow General Hospital provides inpatient, outpatient and Day patient services. The services provided in the hospital include – general medicine, cardiology, respiratory, gerontology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, ENT and urology.

In patient medical activity is supported by a Medical Assessment Unit and a High Dependency Unit. MGH also provides elective Day surgery, Endoscopy, Injuries Unit, Outpatients Department, Physiotherapy and Radiology including CT scanning services and ultra sound scan.

MGH Housekeeping Department provides a cleaning service on Wards, Medical Assessment Unit, Out Patients Department, Physiotherapy Department and Auxiliary Areas. The Housekeeping Department follows HSE Infection Control Policy.

Reporting Relationship

The Housekeeping Assistant will report to Catering & Household Manager or designated officer

Purpose of the Post

Responsible for the general cleaning of the service area and ensure the agreed standard of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained in all areas and appropriately documented in line with national and locally devised policies and regulations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

·        Carry out cleaning duties on Wards, Day Services, Out Patients Department, Auxiliary Areas, Offices, Corridors and any other designated areas in Mallow General Hospital.

·        Comply with Infection Control Guidelines, cleaning policies and procedures.

·        Maintain cleaning records for HIQA and other audits.

·        Provide a quality cleaning service to patients, visitors and staff ensuring that the service is of the highest standard.

·        To comply with work schedules and procedures in designated area.

·        Clean and disinfect isolation rooms.

• Damp dust beds, lockers, light fittings, bins, dispensers, hand towel and toilet roll holders, door and window frames, window ledges, skirting boards, walls, curtain rails, blinds etc.

• Vacuum, wash and polish floors in ward areas, corridors and offices.

• Clean and disinfect wash hand basins, toilets and showers.

• Replenish soap, hand sanitiser, hand towels and toilet rolls.

• Wash and tidy patients’ lockers and bed tables.

• Collect and tag waste and remove to designated holding areas.

• Attend to spillages immediately to reduce the risk of accidents.

• Clean and tidy store rooms on a structured basis.

• Change curtains as required following curtain changing policy.

• Carry out water flushing.

• Maintain a high standard of hygiene in the area he/she is assigned to.

• Requisition cleaning supplies and ensure that they are used economically.

• Maintain cleaning equipment and report any faults to the Line Manager.

• Ensure that the correct procedures are followed when handling chemicals.

• Complete deep clean of areas as required.

Other Responsibilities:

• Adhere to HSE policies, procedures and guidelines on cleaning standards.

• Be familiar and comply with the Hospital Policies in relation to Health and Safety, Fire, Infection Control, Hand Hygiene and Waste Management.

• Assist auditors as required during inspections.
• Attend training courses as required.

• Complete training on HSE Land as required.

• Maintain confidentiality and dignity and respect of patients and staff.

• Maintain a good standard of personal hygiene, ensuring the dress code and uniform policy are adhered to.

• Undertake night duty, shift duty as required.

• May be required to cross cover areas in Mallow General Hospital due to service needs.

Health & Safety

·        In accordance with Health and Safety at work policy, it is each staff members responsibility to observe all rules relating to Health and Safety and Conduct at Work and to use any equipment provided in a safe and responsible manner.

·        Understand and adhere to all relevant HSE policies, guidelines and procedures, comply

·        with health and safety, infection control and risk management procedures, comply with statutory obligations

·        Report any incident or potential incident which may compromise the health and safety of patient/ clients / residents, staff or visitors and take appropriate action.

·        Report any accidents, near misses to the person in charge and ensure completion of incident / near miss forms.

·        Not undertake any duty related to patient/ client / resident care for which he/she is not trained.

·        Attend training courses as required e.g. Hygiene, HACCP, Fire Prevention etc.

·        Conduct his / herself in a manner that ensures safe patient/ client care .

Education & Training

·        Attend induction and mandatory in-service education.

·        As directed participate in the induction of new staff.

·        Maintain continuous personal and participate in team based development, education, training and learning.

Administrative Duties:

·        Attend staff meetings and contribute constructively to the smooth running of the unit.

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Eligibility Criteria

Qualifications and/or experience

Each candidate must, at the latest date for receipt of completed application form for the post:

1.      Have relevant experience in a Housekeeping Environment in the Healthcare/Hospitality Sector.

And

2.      Have attained such standard of education as would enable him/her to discharge the duties of the post satisfactorily.

Health

A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Post Specific Requirements

Candidate must:

Demonstrate depth and breadth of experience as relevant to the role.

Skills, competencies and/or knowledge

The following are the skills, competencies and/or knowledge considered essential to carry out the post:

Knowledge:

• Demonstrate a good knowledge of housekeeping duties and in particular, hygiene principles.
• Demonstrate an awareness and knowledge of Health & Safety issues in relation to the work area.

Competencies:

• Demonstrate evidence of effective planning and organisational skills
• Demonstrate ability to manage tasks/deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks
• Demonstrate effective communication skills.
• Demonstrate good interpersonal skills and be able to work with multi-disciplinary team members and capable of working on their own initiative.
• Demonstrate awareness and appreciation of the service user.
• Demonstrate evidence of ability to empathise with and treat patients, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate understanding and/ or experience of housekeeping services

Campaign Specific Selection Process

Ranking/Shortlisting / Interview

A ranking and or short listing exercise may be carried out on the basis of information supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and or short listing are based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements.

Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process.

Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of the organisation.