York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have a whole host of other fantastic opportunities that fall within the support services staff group, some of which sit within our organisation and some within York Teaching Hospital Facilities Management. Many of these may not have sprung to mind immediately when thinking about a career in the within our organisation. Support services staff carry out a range of tasks in different parts of the NHS and contribute significantly to the smooth running of our hospitals.

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Some examples of the job roles within our support services staff group include.

·        Catering staff

Our dedicated catering team deliver healthy and nutritious patient meals to the ward areas, and ensure the smooth running of our restaurants covering general duties in the kitchen and food preparation areas.

·        Cleaning staff

Our amazing cleaning team maintain high levels of cleanliness throughout our hospitals often working without immediate supervision so must be able to prioritise and use their own initiative. The ability to maintain standards and taking pride in their work is a must.

·        Gardeners

The gardening team keep our grounds tidy and welcoming for all our service users. The small oases around our hospitals provide peaceful retreats for staff, patients and their loved ones.

·        Electricians

Electricians in our team provide planned maintenance, improvements and installations across the Trust. They also test and repair vital equipment and systems.

·        Porters

Porters are the heartbeat of our hospitals ensuring our patients are where they need to be to get the treatment they require. They are also crucial in delivering goods and items where they are needed most.

·        Maintenance Craftsperson

We have a plumbers, carpenters, bricklayers, decorators to name a few of the wider maintenance team who plan preventative work as well as carrying out fault diagnosis and repairs across our estates.

·        Security roles

Our patients need to kept safe whilst in our care; our security team ensure that access to our buildings is limited to those with a genuine reason to be here. They spend their time talking to staff and service users ensuring we are all safe and secure.

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• We are KIND

• We are OPEN

• We pursue EXCELLENCE

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I started my first role at the Trust within the Catering department at York Hospital. I really enjoyed working within catering and it combined the customer services skills I had learnt in other roles with working in a hospital environment-something I had always wanted to do. This role is key in the delivering of patient care; in my role I worked on the ward ensuring that patients received their meals on time. This was completely different to the other roles I had previously done within the hospitality sector and the part I liked the most was working within the wider healthcare team, every day you work closely with the other ward staff and it was great to know I was playing a part in the patients experience. After working in catering for almost nine years, I wanted a new challenge but really enjoyed working in a hospital environment. I am now a Porter and really enjoy this role too. This involves making sure crucial goods and items are delivered where they are needed most around the hospital. The team also make sure patients are at the right place at the right time to get the treatment they need. I love knowing I have helped contribute to patient care and working as part of the wider healthcare team. Before joining the organisation within the catering department I wasn’t aware of all the various support service job roles that the Trust had to offer - that’s the great thing about this organisation, there are just so many opportunities and so many different career options available and lots opportunities for progression.