Click this link to read Part 1 of this article…

 

Who will I work with?
Cleaners and domestic services assistants are likely to have a lot of contact with patients, depending on where they work. Supervisors and team leaders may have some contact with patients. Managers may have little or no patient contact.

Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements for domestic services assistants. Employers expect a good standard of numeracy and literacy. They may ask for GCSEs in English and maths. Employers may also ask for relevant qualifications such as an NVQ in health care. They may also ask for relevant experience

Employers may ask for some experience of  healthcare which could be from paid or voluntary work.

Domestic services supervisors have usually worked as cleaners or domestic assistants. This may be with the NHS or elsewhere. Employers usually ask for relevant qualifications in cleaning and/or team leadership.

Domestic services managers may:

• enter the NHS with a relevant qualification and/or experience. This could be a degree or HND in facilities management for example. They may have experience from working outside the NHS
• join the NHS as a domestic services assistant or team leader and become managers by training and promotion

Skills needed.

Domestic services assistants need to:

• be physically fit
• follow instructions and procedures
• pay attention to detail
• work as part of a team
• take responsibility for their own work
• be able to work unsupervised

They also need

• organisation skills
• teamwork skills

Training and development
When you start work as a domestic assistant, you will be given the training you need. This includes health and safety and manual handing as well as an introduction to the department. You will be encouraged to work towards a qualification, such as an NVQ in cleaning or one of the qualifications offered by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc). You may also have the opportunity to get a qualification by doing an apprenticeship.

Employers may ask staff to take courses in particular topics such as dealing with hazardous waste or infection control.

Domestic services supervisors and managers may be expected to take qualifications in management.

With experience and qualifications, domestic services staff can apply to become members of the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc).