This occupation is found in healthcare environments that require specific attention to safety and sanitation. This includes a range of both public and private sector environments including NHS hospitals, private hospitals, care homes (nursing and residential), GP practices, community health centres, educational establishments, leisure facilities and pharmaceutical retail outlets.
The purpose of the occupation is to provide a hygienically clean healthcare environment in which service users (e.g. patients, nursery pupils, and care home residents), staff and other users can thrive, work and develop. This occupation supports front line colleagues in the provision of a hygienically clean healthcare environment at a standard that supports and promotes the recovery of patients and prevents the spread of infection and cross contamination. Healthcare cleaning operatives additionally use their communication skills to make a positive contribution to the service users’ experience.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with service users, managers of multi-disciplinary teams, visitors, colleagues, and infection/prevention and control functions, clinical teams and auditors. Healthcare workplaces operate on a 24/7 basis. Shift work is commonplace with opportunities for both full and part time working. The occupation has day to day interaction with a range of service users with a range of different needs, including end–of- life environments, patients with mental health issues, swimming pool areas and educational environments. For example, working in changing areas requires cleaners to respect individuals’ dignity and working in hospital wards requires cleaners to identify and manage risks to patients, communicate with them, and share concerns with the management team.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for routine and non-routine cleaning, operations including deep cleaning and rapid response cleaning to a hygienic standard of cleanliness set by organisational and policy guidelines.
Quality standards and methods are set and monitored for consistent application, however, autonomous working practices and responsibility are both expected and required. Healthcare Cleaning Operatives, may be responsible for planning of work schedule and rapid response decisions. This is determined by the service being supported e.g. NHS, care home, leisure centre and the situations that could arise Summary of Standard https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/healthcare-cleaning-operative/ Full Standard https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/media/3921/st0843_healthcare_cleaning_operative_l2_ap_for_publication_03022020.pdf
