General Porter
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North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) are working towards merging as one organisation from July 2026.
This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.
Should you join NBT as an employee prior to our organisations merging, your employment will be automatically transferred across to UHBW. Should your employment begin after our two Trusts merge, you will be employed directly by UHBW and therefore UHBW terms and conditions of service will apply
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
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Job overview
To work as part of the operational team responsible for providing a comprehensive patient support service in the hospital environment. This will involve carrying out the following Facilities Management functions:
The primary function is the movement of patients, consumable products, waste, furniture, medical equipment, gasses, beds, mattresses etc.
The cleaning of all Portering equipment, delivery of blood products and responding to Major incident.
To deliver emergency blood products
Allocate jobs to peers on a ‘next person’ basis to warrant fairness
Communicate to public, staff and peers
To provide a high quality responsive, efficient and effective patent support service to wards, and departments in North Bristol NHS Trust acting in a caring and professional manner and working in line with the Facilities and departmental operating procedures.
A Full, Clean, UK Manual Driving license is essential for this post.
Main duties of the job
Knowledge
Understanding of Portering activities
Understanding of Department and Trust Health and Safety policies, written safe systems of systems of work and Department rules and procedures
Understanding of Portering equipment processes
Understanding and knowledge of pathology procedures for movement of blood products
Check signing in sheets and record staff on levels
Allocate jobs as they arrive on a ‘next person’ basis to ensure fairness
Paperwork to be checked and signed off as necessary
Produce blood track form (pink slip) from the blood trac system
Allocate to ‘next person’ in line – (trained staff)
Complete blood trac paperwork to confirm receipt
Synbiotix (porter system) management
Training
Customer and support services or equivalent experience to an NVQ Level 2
Mandatory training as required for the role
Collection and transportation of blood products
Trust, Patient Support/Directorate Services induction training
On the job induction training
Experience
Working in a busy multi-faceted environment
Working in a team-based environment
Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities.Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Physical Effort
Duties involve standing/walking for long periods of time during the shift
Duties may involve undertaking physically demanding tasks e.g. moving cages of approximately 300kg in weight as and when required
Mental Effort
Being aware of health and safety implications involved in duties and their potential effect on others e.g. Ensuring that equipment is stored appropriately
At ward level keeping a professional distance from patients and always ensuring confidentiality
Working to schedules which may be subject to change
Emotional effort
Whilst working at ward level being able to cope with witnessing distressing sights of patients who are very ill and may be at the end stages of life
Whilst working in the Emergency Department witnessing traumatic injuries
In the course of your duties you will need to be sensitive when coming into contact with patients and members of the public who may be experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety are confrontational or under the influence of alcohol/drugs
Working conditions
You will be expected to display a professional image at all times
You will be required to wear clean official uniform and covered in low-heeled footwear
You will be expected to comply the department and trust policies relating to uniform and the wearing of jewellery, nail polish etc
You will be expected to act in a courteous manner to all staff, visitors and patients
Duties will involve working bank holidays when required to meet the needs of the service
When working at ward level you will be expected to use alcohol gel on entering the ward and to thoroughly wash hands frequently and after completing tasks
When working within the retained estate be subject to extreme weather conditions
Shortlisting criteria – please highlight from Person Specification key points to use to shortlist.
Education/Training/Qualifications:
English and maths GCSE
Good verbal communication skills
Full clean driving License
Work Experience:
Woking as part of a team in a busy environment
Manual Handling:
A role where you must complete multiple tasks daily
Customer Care
Patient Care
Personal Qualities/Special Circumstances:
Excellent personal values and an interest in having a positive impact on patient experience
Person specification
Shortlisting Criteria
Essential criteria- Good Level of Education
- Experience of AGV’s systems
- Working in a team based environment
- Working in a busy and physically demanding multi-faceted environment
- Hotel Services and Facilities Activities
- Able to use own Initiative
- Good communication and Interpersonal skills
- Experience of AGV’s systems
- Manual Handling Training
- Portering Experience
- Waste Processes
- Customer focused approach
- Solution Finder
Essential
Essential criteria- Manual UK driving licence
Please note that if you apply for a position with North Bristol NHS Trust, you may be contacted via TRAC or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your TRAC Account and email accounts including junk and spam folders.
If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.
If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.
North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.