Theatre Support Worker - FTC

Prescot, North West England, United Kingdom St. Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Job overview

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.

Working for our organisation

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.

Detailed job description and main 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 criteria

• Educated to GCSE/Level 2 in Maths and English

Desirable criteria

• NVQ Level 2 in Health Care, or equivalent qualification/experience, or willing to work towards

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• An understanding of the role Theatre Support Worker

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working within healthcare environment
• Knowledge of Infection control principles
• Knowledge of Health and Safety principles

Skills

Essential criteria

• 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 criteria

• Ability to use information systems

Other

Essential criteria

• 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.

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

As a Disabil