News

This year marks the first National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day on Wednesday 15^th June, and opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the thousands of staff working in these service professions and recognise the critical importance of Estates and Facilities services in the delivery of care to our patients.

Following the result of the support received, National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day will take place on the third Wednesday of June every year.

The Trust’s estates and facilities department work across all sites, covering a wide range of occupations, including estates management, maintenance, domestics, catering, housekeeping and portering.

They are essential to the day to day running of hospitals and inpatient areas, maintaining clean, safe and inviting environments to support the treatment and recovery of patients, helping them during their care and ensuring they return home safely.

Jo Whitehouse, Community Services Manager for Community Hospitals said: “Our estates and facilities team are integral to the safe and effective management of our hospitals. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic they have worked tirelessly to adapt our buildings to ensure we can continue to provide the best care for our patients. They helped to deliver and distribute essential PPE supplies, and worked with our partners at short notice to create local COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

They are the heartbeat of our hospitals and we couldn’t do it without them”.

The work of the directly patient-facing workforce in hospitals and care settings would be impossible without the Estates and Facilities professionals underpinning them. The awareness day is an opportunity for all healthcare organisations to mark the contribution of their Estates and Facilties staff, and enhance the public perception of these essential roles.

The trust values a supportive culture for employees which includes flexible working and dedicated management, resulting in strength in work culture.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust are currently recruiting for various roles within the Estates and Facilities Teams.

The trust operates across both counties. Their vast portfolio and recent expansion into Herefordshire has resulted in a number of opportunities arising within the team, that are essential and highly valued, including roles in housekeeping and catering across both counties.

The roles being offered are vital to the safe running of the services provided by the trust.

Lisa Denby, Housekeeping Services Supervisor, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said: “My role as a Housekeeping Services Supervisor means that I am responsible for ensuring that the standards of cleanliness are met. I love the fact that our team contributes to maintaining a clean environment for all. I have a strong sense of purpose and feel proud to be working for the NHS and doing my bit. The NHS will always mean something different to each person, but to me the  NHS a great place to work. Come and join the friendly team”.

Jayne Mason, Housekeeping Assistant, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said: “My role includes cleaning to fight infection and provide a clean safe environment. I love being part of a team and interaction with the service users, doing my bit to brighten their day. Come and join the team and make a difference, the NHS offers many benefits”.

The department are also responsible for the Trust’s ambitious plan to become net zero by 2040 and the Eliminating Dormitories project – a £26 million pound initiative to remove dormitory style accommodation from mental health inpatient wards.

For more information and to download your free supporters kit to help celebrate please visit the National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day website.

To support National Healthcare Estates and Facilities Day, shout out your teams using the hashtag #HealthEFMDay. 

If interested or looking to apply for Estates and Facilities roles, please check out the latest current vacancies.