About this role
Job summary
Full Time - Fixed Term to Cover Maternity Leave
The post holder is responsible to undertake their role in accordance with all procedures, protocols,policies and guidelines to support the Theatre/Recovery Department
The post holder will provide a high quality, confidential, professional portering and housekeeping support services to the Theatre Department at Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust. The post involves a range of duties requiring manual handling, cleaning and waste management. You will work autonomously or as part of a team. Effective communication with patients/carers and the multidisciplinary team is essential, contributing to a positive patient experience throughout the department that meets the needs of the patients and their families/carers in conjunction with the qualified recovery practitioner/ward nurse.
Main duties of the job
To clean and check patients trolleys daily. Help prepare and maintain a clean and tidy recovery area, checking stock levels and expiry of equipment and materials daily. Report and escalate any faults discovered on equipment to recovery co-ordinator. To safely dispose of clinical waste and sharps as per Trust policy. To Handle and prepare specimens, ensuring correct labelling and packaging for transportation to the laboratory as per Trust policy. Transfer patients from wards and departments to theatre and return. Deliver locked drug boxes to pharmacy for completion of orders. Deliver specimens to pathology each morning or when required. Collect or return blood and blood products from pathology. Assist with collection and removal of rubbish and linen to appropriate collection points.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018 Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal) National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.
Job description Job responsibilities
Please see Job Description and Person Specification attached.
Advertising Date: 25th September 2026
Closing Date: 7th October 2026
Shortlisting Date: W/C 12th October 2026
Proposed Interview date: TBC
Please note this vacancy may close early if a high number of applications is reached.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Educated to GCSE/Level 2 in Maths and English
Desirable
NVQ Level 2 in Health Care, or equivalent qualification/experience, or willing to work towards
Knowledge Essential
An understanding of the role Theatre Support Worker
Desirable
Experience of working within healthcare environment Knowledge of Infection control principles Knowledge of Health and Safety principles
Skills Essential
Motivation and initiative to work alone and within a team Able to organise and ensure that the environment is conducive to health care Polite, approachable with patients, staff and visitors Excellent communication both written and verbal. Maintain confidentiality Basic IT Skills High level of personal integrity Possess the ability to manage own workload with a supervisor available at all times for support Flexible/adaptable
Desirable
Ability to use information systems
Other Essential
There is a frequent requirement for lifting, pushing and pulling for substantial proportion of the working day when cleaning, stock control and bed making Maintain high levels of focused concentration when in a busy environment. Continue to think clearly in possible situations when talking to patients with high levels of emotions and stress.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details Employer name Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address Whiston Hospital
Warrington Road
Prescot
L35 5DR
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)