Laboratory Porter

Remuneration

The Salary scale for the post is (as of 01/03/25):

€35,195 -€37,039 - €38,147 - €38,905 - €39,562 - €40,412 - €40,931 - €41,815 - €42,723

New appointees to any grade start at the minimum point of the scale. Incremental credit will be applied for recognised relevant service in Ireland and abroad (Department of Health Circular 2/2011). Incremental credit is normally granted on appointment, in respect of previous experience in the Civil Service, Local Authorities, Health Service and other Public Service Bodies and Statutory Agencies.

Purpose of the Post

Responsible for delivering portering services to all departments in TippUH.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Laboratory Porter Duties which include:

·        The person holding this post is required to support the principle that the care of the patient comes first at all times and will approach their work with the flexibility and enthusiasm necessary to make this principle a reality for every patient to the greatest possible degree

·        Have a working Knowledge of the health information and quality Authority (HIQA) standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, national Standards for the prevention and control of healthcare Associated infections, Hygiene Standards, Fire policy, fire drill etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.

·        Collect and delivery all bloods/blood supplies and laboratory specimens to the laboratory.

·        Collect deliver specimens when required.

·        Co-operate and assist with National Audits.

·        Ability to prioritise job requests.

·        Report to immediate supervisor on any irregularities that might adversely affect the carrying out of assigned duties.

·        To perform any other duties that may be assigned appropriate to their work.

·        Ensure all patients are dealt with in a dignified and professional manner.

·        Attend for in-service training as required.

·        Be familiar and comply with lifting and handling techniques and attend mandatory training as required.

·        Comply with hospital dress code applicable to laboratory portering services.

Health & Safety

·        Adhere to Covid 19 guidelines and attend training sessions as required

·        Be familiar and comply with the Hospital Policies in relation to Health and Safety, Fire, Infection Control, Waste Disposal and Smoking Policy.

·        Attend in-service mandatory training sessions.

·        Report accidents, fire, damage to equipment, Employees must attend fire lectures periodically and must observe fire orders.

·        Report unsafe conditions and defective equipment to the Support Services Manager or on site Manager out of hours.

·        When on duty, to report the presence of any unauthorised person to the nurse in charge or to the designated security officer.

·        Tipperary University Hospital is a smoke free campus. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the hospital grounds. The introduction of the Smoke-Free Campus policy is in keeping with Tipperary University Hospital status as a smoke Free Hospital and a Health Promoting Hospital.

·        Infection Control Policies must be adhered to.

·        Hospital uniform code must be adhered to.

·        Provide information that meets the need of Senior Management.

Other Responsibilities:

·        ‌To take direction, guidance and fulfil any other duties as requested by the Support Services Manager / Household Services Team. Head of Department or Director of Nursing.

·        Maintain a flexible approach to the performance of duties.

·        Tipperary University Hospital will require flexibility in relation to areas where such flexibility is considered to be reasonable in accordance with the competence and safety of staff involved.

·        Hospital uniform code must be adhered to.

·        To support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

·        All employees must complete the HSEland on line Children First programme and report any concerns to their line manager.

·        The post holder must be familiar with the necessary education, training and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.

·        The post holder has a duty to familiarise themselves with the relevant Organisational Policies, Procedures & Standards and attend training as appropriate in the following areas:

o   Continuous Quality Improvement Initiatives

o   Document Control Information Management Systems

o   Risk Management Strategy and Policies

o   Hygiene Related Policies, Procedures and Standards

o   Decontamination Code of Practice

o   Infection Control Policies

o   Safety Statement, Health & Safety Policies and Fire Procedure

o   Data Protection and confidentiality Policies

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

Candidates must on the closing date

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

AND

·        Demonstrate previous portering experience in a healthcare or hospitality setting.

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

Demonstrate previous Portering experience in healthcare or hospitality setting.

Other requirements specific to the post

Flexibility regarding working hours as role will include working unsocial and flexible hours including evenings and weekends and night duty as this is a 24/7 service.

Skills, competencies and/or knowledge

Candidates must:

Professional Knowledge:

·        Demonstrate a good knowledge of the healthcare setting and acute hospital services and the role of Laboratory Porter.

·        Demonstrate experience of working in a healthcare setting.

·        Demonstrate sufficient knowledge to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post.

·        Demonstrate knowledge of Infection Control Policy / Hand Hygiene Policy/Moving & Handling Policy/Health & Safety/Managing Complaints and Managing Challenging Behaviour.

Commitment to Quality Service:

·        Demonstrate a commitment to providing a quality service, including an awareness and appreciation of the service user such as patients, general public, medical and non-medical staff.

·        Demonstrate professionalism at all times in dealing with patients, staff and the public and demonstrate evidence of ability to empathise with and treat patients, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect.

·        Demonstrate the ability to undertake the physical demands of the role

·        Demonstrate motivation and appreciate the importance of the need to provide quality service for patients/relatives/public.

·        Demonstrate experience in dealing with people.

·        Demonstrate ability to present a neat and tidy appearance.

·        Demonstrate a commitment to providing a quality service, Demonstrate motivation and an innovative and appreciate the importance of the need to provide quality service for patients/relatives/public.

·        Demonstrate the ability to undertake the physical demands of the role

Planning and Organising:

·        Demonstrate evidence of effective planning and organisation skills.

·        Demonstrate an organised, methodical and structured approach to work including the ability to meet deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks.

·        Demonstrate experience in working effectively under pressure.

·        Demonstrates flexible approach to work.

·        Demonstrate ability to work on own initiative.

·        Demonstrate ability to manage tasks/deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks.

·        Demonstrate effective analytical, problem solving and decision making skills.

Teamwork:

·        Demonstrate ability to build and maintain relationships, including the ability to work with multi-disciplinary team members and the ability of working on their own initiative.

·        Demonstrate the ability to work on own initiative, prioritise and manage a number of issues simultaneously.

·        Demonstrate the ability to work independently as well as part of a multidisciplinary team and make positive contributions to that team.

·        Demonstrate a flexible approach to work.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

·        Demonstrate excellent communication skills, including sufficient command of the English language so as to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the role.

·        Demonstrate good communication & interpersonal skills.

·        Demonstrate ability to communicate with internal/external stakeholders in a professional, compassionate, respectful and dignified manner.

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.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

The HSE is an equal opportunities employer.

Employees of the HSE bring a range of skills, talents, diverse thinking and experience to the organisation. The HSE believes passionately that employing a diverse workforce is central to its success – we aim to develop the workforce of the HSE so that it reflects the diversity of HSE service users and to strengthen it through accommodating and valuing different perspectives. Ultimately this will result in improved service user and employee experience. 

The HSE is committed to creating a positive working environment whereby all employees inclusive of age, civil status, disability, ethnicity and race, family status, gender, membership of the Traveller community, religion and sexual orientation are respected, valued and can reach their full potential. The HSE aims to achieve this through development of an organisational culture where injustice, bias and discrimination are not tolerated.

The HSE welcomes people with diverse backgrounds and offers a range of supports and resources to staff, such as those who require a reasonable accommodation at work because of a disability or long-term health condition.

Read more about the HSE’s commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

Code of Practice

The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on candidates, facilities for feedback to applicants on matters relating to their application when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the recruitment and selection process and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information for Candidates”.

Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, Information for Candidates” or on www.cpsa.ie.

Tenure

The current vacancy available is permanent and whole time.

The post is pensionable. A panel may be created from which permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part time duration may be filled. The tenure of these posts will be indicated at “expression of interest” stage.

Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 and Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Amendment Act 2013.

Working Week

The standard working week applying to the post is to be confirmed at Job Offer stage.

HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs (Extended Working Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016” applies. Under the terms of this circular, all new entrants and staff appointed to promotional posts from Dec 16th, 2008 will be required to work agreed roster / on call arrangements as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement (Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).

Annual Leave

The annual leave associated with the post will be confirmed at Contracting stage.

Superannuation

This is a pensionable position with the HSE. The successful candidate will upon appointment become a member of the appropriate pension scheme. Pension scheme membership will be notified within the contract of employment. Members of pre-existing pension schemes who transferred to the HSE on the 01st January 2005 pursuant to Section 60 of the Health Act 2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit terms under the HSE Scheme which are no less favourable to those which they were entitled to at 31st December 2004.

Age

The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act, 2018* set 70 years as the compulsory retirement age for public servants.

* Public Servants not affected by this legislation:

Public servants joining the public service or re-joining the public service with a 26 week break in service, between 1 April 2004 and 31 December 2012 (new entrants) have no compulsory retirement age.

Public servants, joining the public service or re-joining the public service after a 26 week break, after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Pension Scheme and have a compulsory retirement age of 70.

Probation

Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the Health Service Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months as stipulated in the Department of Health Circular No.10/71.

Protection of Children Guidance and Legislation

The welfare and protection of children is the responsibility of all HSE staff. You must be aware of and understand your specific responsibilities under the Children First Act 2015, the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 in accordance with Section 2, Children First National Guidance and other relevant child safeguarding legislation and policies.

Some staff have additional responsibilities such as Line Managers, Designated Officers and Mandated Persons. You should check if you are a Designated Officer and / or a Mandated Person and be familiar with the related roles and legal responsibilities.

For further information, guidance and resources please visit: HSE Children First Webpage.

Infection Control

Have a working knowledge of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc. and comply with associated HSE protocols for implementing and maintaining these standards as appropriate to the role.

Health & Safety

It is the responsibility of line managers to ensure that the management of safety, health and welfare is successfully integrated into all activities undertaken within their area of responsibility, so far as is reasonably practicable. Line managers are named and roles and responsibilities detailed in the relevant Site Specific Safety Statement (SSSS).

Key responsibilities include:

•        Developing a SSSS for the department/service[1], as applicable, based on the identification of hazards and the assessment of risks, and reviewing/updating same on a regular basis (at least annually) and in the event of any significant change in the work activity or place of work.

•        Ensuring that Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is integrated into day-to-day business, providing Systems Of Work (SOW) that are planned, organised, performed, maintained, and revised as appropriate, and ensuring that all safety related records are maintained and available for inspection.

•        Consulting and communicating with staff and safety representatives on OSH matters.

•        Ensuring a training needs assessment (TNA) is undertaken for employees, facilitating their attendance at statutory OSH training, and ensuring records are maintained for each employee.

•        Ensuring that all incidents occurring within the relevant department/service are appropriately managed and investigated in accordance with HSE procedures[2].

•        Seeking advice from health and safety professionals through the National Health and Safety Function Helpdesk as appropriate.

•        Reviewing the health and safety performance of the ward/department/service and staff through, respectively, local audit and performance achievement meetings for example.

Note: Detailed roles and responsibilities of Line Managers are outlined in local SSSS.

[1] A template SSSS and guidelines are available on the National Health and Safety Function, here: https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/safetywellbeing/about%20us/

2 See link on health and safety web-pages to latest Incident Management Policy