Porter

Job Purpose

To work as part of a team, with the support and direction of the Portering Services Manager/Ward or Departmental Manager to ensure a first class quality service delivery to patients in a clean, safe and risk free environment.

The Salary scale for the post is as at: 01/02/2026

36,047 37,909 39,028 39,794 40,458 41,316 41,840 42,733 43,650

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.

A panel will be formed as a result of this campaign from which current and future, permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part-time duration in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and Louth County Hospital, Dundalk may be filled. These posts are rotational.

Organisational Context

The HSE has created six new health regions. Each region is responsible for providing both hospital and community care for the people in that area. Bringing community health services and hospitals together means we can take a more patient-centred approach to healthcare.

HSE Dublin and North East provides health and social care to North Dublin, Louth, Meath,

Monaghan and most areas of Cavan.

HSE Dublin and North East Region includes the following hospitals;

• Beaumont Hospital

• Cavan General Hospital

• Connolly Hospital

• Louth County Hospital

• National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh

• Monaghan General Hospital

• Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

• Our Ladys Hospital Navan

• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

• Rotunda Hospital

Key Responsibilities

List of main duties to include, but not limited to duties below (duties will vary depending on role/shift and in addition to those below will be assigned by the Department to which you are attached or your Line Manager)

• Escort and transport patients to and from wards/theatres
• Provide messenger service throughout hospital complex
• Collect all medical gases from yard and replace empties including checking of cylinders on patient trolleys
• Cleaning of patient trolleys/wheelchairs ensuring they are thoroughly clean and ready for use
• Deliver and collect instrument sets to CSSD as required
• Collect and deliver specimens/bloods/reports to wards and laboratories
• Collect and deliver drugs to and from Pharmacy
• Collect and deliver items to and from stores
• Empty refuse bags including tagging as per hospital guidelines
• Respond immediately to and assist in the event of emergencies including fire alarms
• Assist in the event of the hospitals Emergency Plan being activated carrying out duties as requested
• Collect patients beds and furniture throughout hospital campus as required
• Escort and transport of deceased to mortuary ensuring all relevant paperwork is completed and body is stored correctly as per hospital guidelines
• Responsible for all equipment used by porters – safekeeping, cleanliness and reporting of defects
• Collection and delivery of internal post and medical charts throughout hospital complex
• Support and Cover all leave where and when required
• Communicate appropriately with all staff involved in the care of the patient including answering the phone or bleep in a professional manner and ensuring the relaying of messages accurately
• To provide portering assistance to medical and nursing staff as required including the replacement and disposal of soiled mattresses as per hospital guidelines, the arranging of furniture and disposal of tagged equipment throughout hospital complex
• Assist nursing staff in HDU & ICU to move patients as required

Operational

• To maintain a good standard of personal hygiene and ensure that uniform/personal protective clothing is clean and in a good state of repair at all times
• Staff ID must be worn and visibly displayed at all times
• To report on and off duty to the Support Services Manager or their deputy and adhere to agreed schedule meal breaks
• Staff are expected to work as part of a team in delivering a first class service to the hospital. A “can do will do” attitude is expected of staff at all times
• Rosters and duties vary across the week, weekend and Bank Holidays and staff are expected to be flexible to support the continuous service delivery to patients
• Staff must practice good hand hygiene as per the 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene and adhere to “Bare Below the Elbows” at all times

Waste Management

• In line with best practice all guidelines including local policies surround the bagging/tagging and storage of waste, must be strictly adhered to, all staff must familiarise themselves with local waste policies
• All waste bins must be clean and free from dirt and grime, cleaning schedules must be adhered to
• All waste must be stored in a safe environment. Staff must ensure that waste is tagged and secured prior to collection.
• All staff must support re-cycling projects currently in operation within their working environment

Education

• All portering staff must attend Mandatory Education within the organisation. (i.e. Hand Hygiene, Manual Handling and Fire Lectures) as required
• Staff must familiarise themselves and adhere to Infection
• Control Guidelines when cleaning isolated ward/patient areas
• All support service staff must familiarise and observe safe methods of work and must comply with all Local /National Policies in relation to Health and Safety, Fire Regulations, Infection Control Guidelines, Hand Hygiene, and Waste Disposal
• Staff may be asked to attend regular ward/department team meetings to ensure that the service delivery to patients is of the highest standard
• All defective equipment must be reported to the Ward Manager/Support Service Manager

The above Job Specification 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  

Knowledge / Criteria

Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria on the closing date:

·     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.

Note1: Candidates must achieve a pass in Ordinary or Higher level papers. A pass in a foundation level paper is not acceptable. Candidates must have achieved these grades on the Leaving Certificate Established programme or the Leaving Certificate Vocational programme. The Leaving Certification Applied Programme does not fulfil the eligibility criteria.

Post Specific:

Leaving Cert passed with proof of results

Experience working in a healthcare setting for at least a year

Full Driving licence

Skills/ Competencies

Personal Organisation:

Working in the Health Service Executive Dublin North East it maybe necessary for support service staff to organise and prioritise their work effectively.  This may involve identifying what needs to be done and taking responsibility for ensuring that the work is completed to a high standard and in accordance with the time-frame identified.  Support Service Staff are expected to have a “Can do, Will do Attitude” and must ensure that they pay attention to detail, when completing routine/ repetitive tasks and always manage their own time efficiently and have the ability to work under pressure.

People Skills:

Support Service Staff throughout the organisation will be expected to work as part of a team and as part of their working role they must be courteous and helpful to both staff, patients and visitors at all times. Good communication and interpersonal skills must be the norm when carrying out all duties and in particular those dealing directly with patients and visitors.

Professional Knowledge:

Required to demonstrate basic knowledge of the Health Service Executive Dublin North East/ Royal College of Surgeons Hospital Group/Louth Hospital Group and organisation, and be aware of the services provided for services users and the environment in which they operate.

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

Demonstrate an awareness of Health and Safety issues in relation to the work area.