Environmental Monitoring Team (EMT) Clinical Auditor & Lead Educator
Job overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for a detailed job description of the role.
This role will transfer to UHS Estates Ltd (UEL) from 1st April 2025. UEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University Hospital Southampton NHS foundation Trust. The job description, terms and benefits associated with the role will not change as a result of this transfer.
Main duties of the job
We have an exciting role working as a Clinical Auditor & Lead Educator for the Environmental Monitoring Team (EMT) within the University Hospital Southampton (UHS).
The EMT is an innovative team that is expanding to meet the continued development of the UHS site, utilising high-quality auditing tools to monitor the catering and domestic services. The organisation has an outsourced contract for the supply of its patient and staff catering service along with its domestic contract for the cleaning of clinical and non-clinical areas.
The principal requirement of the role is to provide clinical support to the EMT as well as conduct performance audits across University Hospital Southampton.
The role will require a highly motivated individual who is either a registered Nurse or Allied Health professional or is working towards the completion of this. The individual will need to be able to organise as well as manage their workload in an effective manner to ensure work is completed
Working for our organisation
As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to.
Specific to this role we are open to discussing flexibility in the hours that you work. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you need, and we will explore what’s possible for the role and service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.
Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 20% lower than London and 14 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Ensure high quality collection, analyse and reporting of cleaning and catering performance data to enable reporting Trust wide and externally.
Undertake quality audits
Represent the EMT operations manager at meetings as required.
Educate clinical staff on responsibility for ensuring the delivery of a high standard of Environmental cleanliness in accordance with National Cleaning Specifications.
Educate clinical staff on the Trust Food Hygiene Policy and support the EMT in producing quality audit data on the contractual performance KPIs and the Trust nutritional standards.
Educate contractual colleagues on relevant clinical knowledge relating to Food Hygiene procedures and National Cleaning Specifications.
Clinical- Contribute to audits relating to cleaning standards and food hygiene and the production of associated reports and monitor the effectiveness of action plans.
- Responsible for planning the audit schedule on a weekly basis prioritising based on areas of concern identifying trends.
- When in ward area, have required skills to communicate complex information and data to professionals as well as a wide range of Trust staff/stakeholders
- Analyse relevant cleaning data to identify target areas and cleaning standard issues requiring intervention based on own judgement to meet National Cleaning Standards.
- Contribute to the provision of a comprehensive Trust-wide specialist Environmental cleanliness advisory service in collaboration with the EMT’s operations manager.
- In collaboration with the Trust infection prevention team fully implement the Trust Infection Prevention Strategy.
- Contribute to agreed targeted performance surveillance and assist in the production of reports
- Educate Wards and Departments on the importance of maintaining a high standard of cleanliness.
- Provide relevant clinical education to contractual colleagues and advise on correct food hygiene procedures and National Cleaning Specifications.
- Organise training events to educate clinical staff / contractual colleagues on National Cleaning and Food Hygiene Standards
- Advise and provide clinical leadership on maintaining a good standard of nutritional care in accordance with the Trust strategy for nutrition and hydration.
- Advise and support clinical staff in implementing agreed policies linked to National Cleaning and Food Hygiene Standards. Identify any significant problems and work with contract staff and clinical teams to develop action plans.
- Advise on cost improvement measures that can support the Trust in operating efficiently
- Manage EMT stationery and equipment budget with regards to monitoring and ordering stock, as well as authorising spending
- Deputise the EMT operations manager in chairing operational meetings and managing the team.
- Facilitate the ongoing day-to-day operational management of the EMT.
- Assist the EMT’s operations manager with administrative duties as agreed.
- Attend meetings as agreed with the EMT’s operations manager
- Be an active member of the EMT and associated committees.
- Contribute to the implementation of National Cleaning Standards
- Produce and/ or assist with the production cleanliness and food hygiene reports as required.
- Work with the EMT and other colleagues to design and produce relevant audit data for the Trust.
- Contribute to the development of Trust policies relating to Environmental cleanliness strategy and Food hygiene policy in collaboration with other members of relevant Trust staff.
- Participate in Trust PLACE inspection.
- Contribute to the appraisal of current practice and utilize relevant nursing and other research findings in the development of evidence-based practice.
- Promote research-based practise
- Contribute to awareness of new techniques and equipment and the application of research in relation to the Hygiene code.
- Act as a resource in matters relating to Food
Person specification
Qualifications / training required
Essential criteria- Registered Nurse or Allied Health professional
- Working towards completion of Nursing Degree or Allied Health professional qualification or able to demonstrate clearly equivalent level of theoretical and practical knowledge
- Knowledge of audit processes, procedures, methodologies plus statistical techniques, acquired through training.
- Knowledge of analysing and interpretation of audit results
- Microsoft Office Skills
- Teaching Qualification or evidence of Informal / formal teaching
- ILS trained
- Mentorship qualification
Previous or relevant experience necessary
Essential criteria- Experience in providing training to clinical staff based on findings / learnings from audit data
- Experience of promoting good practice of following policies as well as supporting with the implementation of new policies
- Evidence of communicating data analysis and interpretation to clinical staff, and advising on appropriate techniques
- Evidence of developing spreadsheet and other tools for audit approaches
- Experience of implementing procedures and policies linked to environmental cleanliness, infection prevention or food hygiene
Values and behaviours
Essential criteria- Patients First
- Always Improving
- Working Together
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.
Getting to work - our travel promise
Getting to work should be as easy as possible and that’s why we have introduced the UEL travel promise – a commitment from the Organisation that we will provide reasonable travel options for every member of staff. Every member of staff can apply for a permit to use our park & ride facility.Eligibility for on-site parking is dependent on the nature and requirement of the role. All staff can also access a range of discounted benefits relating to travel including reduced price bus tickets, purchase of salary sacrifice bikes and ultra-low emission cars.
Our commitment to equality
Equality remains at the centre of our policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice, giving all employees equal opportunity to develop, apply for promotions, and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.
UEL actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development, and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.
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