Hygiene Services Manager

General Services Division:
The division has 14 departments and a number of sub-departments including Cleaning, Laundry, Portering, Security, Chaplaincy, Admissions, Reception, Healthcare records, Printing, Catering, Transport, On-Call Accommodation including Boardroom/ Committee Room, Waste Management, Switch Room. The key role of our services is to support clinical services and patients. We work closely with all departments to ensure a 24/7 service to patients and staff.

Job Summary:
The Hygiene Services Manager is one of two managers who will be responsible for the delivery of Cleaning, Laundry, Feminine Hygiene services at Beaumont Hospital. He / she will liase with the site manager/s for the St. Josephs Hospital/ Omni Centre campus in relation to the provision of Cleaning/ Laundry services for the various services on that campus.

He / she will provide leadership to contracted services and their management teams and staff at Beaumont Hospital, ensuring that policies/ procedures and service level agreements are adhered to and in so doing ensure a quality service to patients and service users.

In addition they will act as the contract manager and liaison to other externally contracted hygiene related service providers as appropriate. The Hygiene Services Manager will be expected to contribute to the development of cleaning/ laundry services, and play a role in ensuring full compliance with the various hygiene elements of the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (2009) and National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare.

He/ She will co-ordinate and participate in audits to show compliance and will constantly review services and develop Quality Control Plans. The manager will have a key role in giving advice and guidance to Directorate Management Teams regarding the need to meet standards.

Key Areas of Responsibility include but are not limited to:

• Provision of a cost effective Laundry service to Beaumont Hospital, including management of the contract/s for Beaumont Hospital and SLA for St Josephs and Omni centre ensuring that all relevant standards are adhered to.
• In conjunction with the other Hygiene Services Manager assist in managing the cleaning contract and SLA across all sites in line with hours and standards agreed.
• Manage the Household staff assigned to the Boardroom/ Committee Room and on call accommodation.
• Be aware of and implement changes in relation to new standards or legislation that may affect how hospital hygiene services should be delivered.
• Participate in Hospital committees / working groups as required.
• As a senior member of the General Services Team be familiar with all other teams within the department, provide cross cover etc when required.
• Organise and co-ordinate the hospital wide corporate hygiene audit programme and provide outcome reports.

Service Delivery:

• Ensure service is delivered to all stakeholders in line with hospital policies and procedures and service level agreements.
• Liaise with all stakeholders to ensure that services meet expectations. Stakeholders will include but are not restricted to; Executive Management Team, General Services Manager, Directorate Nurse Managers, Business Managers, Department Heads, Health and Safety, Clinical Nurse Managers, Infection Prevention and Control.
• Ensure that resources both pay and non pay are used efficiently and that work practices are constantly evaluated to develop more efficient systems of delivery.
• Ensure good communication within Laundry and Contract cleaning and other companies delivering hygiene related services.
• Promote awareness of confidentiality and good record handling practices.
• Motivate and guide individuals and/or groups towards organisational and departmental objectives.
• Ensure maintenance of the following records; audit results, invoicing, service level agreements, hours of cleaning, savings etc.
• Develop policies, procedures and guidelines to ensure service is provided in line with best practice and ensure communication of these to all relevant stakeholders.
• In consultation with the General Services Manager develop short, mid and long term strategic plans for cleaning services across all sites.
• Investigate any breaches of hygiene standards and update dept heads on outcomes in a timely fashion.
• Attend Project meetings to ensure the needs regarding hygiene services are delivered.

Service Planning

• Identify opportunities for service improvement and initiate steps to accomplish same.
• Participate in the development of service level agreements by supplying information to understand costs, pricing of service, service requirements.
• Prepare and present reports as required.
• Keep abreast of changes in service delivery methods and projects within the hospital to ensure Cleaning and Laundry services can respond appropriately. eg Clinical care programmes etc.
• Produce an annual report on cleaning and laundry services across the sites.
• In liaison with procurement, lead in the tendering process for hygiene related contracts such as Laundry, cleaning, sanitary bins etc., ensuring compliance with the necessary legislation etc.

Performance & Financial Planning

• Participate in the development of business cases and/or other proposals for improvements or modernisation of services.
• Monitor and track performance targets including hours and costs of routine cleaning, infection outbreaks and any required enhanced environmental decontamination.
• Identify and cost cleaning and laundry requirements for new services.
• Review ongoing cleaning/ laundry services requirements, ensuring savings where possible while ensuring maintenance of cleaning standards.
• Check all invoices and approve for signing, make recommendations on changes/ credit notes etc.

Quality Assurance and Risk Management

• Monitor and track performance targets including environmental and hygiene audit results
• Establish and maintain quality improvement programmes to improve departmental operations and ensure a high level of service quality.
• Promote effective, efficient delivery of services to patients, visitors and hospital staff.
• Liaise with Health and Safety Co-ordinator in relation to compliance with Health and Safety Legislation.
• Liaise with the infection control and Microbiology regarding practices, outbreaks etc.
• Develop and conduct customer / stakeholder satisfaction surveys, and develop action plans for the services based on outcomes.
• Monitor and develop strategies to deal with and minimise adverse events in relation to cleaning services and liaise with the IQS department in regards to any investigations that may be required.
• Ensure that all records in regards to incidents and events are stored appropriately and develop systems for the production of data. Ensure close liaison with Patient Representatives and Integrated Quality and Safety Departments on appropriate issues.
• To assist and advise department heads in the implementation of action plans/ quality improvement plans to meet Hygiene Audit standard

Human Resource Management

• Be responsible for the recruitment and induction of new staff to the service – Household Boardroom, Laundry.
• Ensure that the responsibilities and objectives for direct reports are clearly defined and understood – job descriptions and person specification up-to-date.
• Review work patterns, flexible working arrangements, job rotations, succession planning and personal development plans.
• Be responsible for the management of sickness and absence in accordance with hospital policy.
• Complete all relevant returns and reports as required including but not limited to sick leave returns, salary returns, rosters etc.
• Facilitate staff to continue their education and personal development to support improved organisational performance.
• Review overall training requirements for household staff, ensuring completion of mandatory training and specialist job relating training as required:
  Maintain records of staff training, using the STORM / SAP systems as appropriate.
  Ensure all staff under go mandatory training as well as any specialist training relevant to their work e.g. cleaning / hygiene.
• Promote equal opportunity and adhere to best practices employment and approaches to managing and implementing change.
• Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and mutual co-operation in the achievement to the highest possible standards.
• Keep abreast of all developments and changes in practice including legislative changes.
• Promote good industrial relations in employment practices including the handling of grievances in accordance with the relevant policy.
• Participate in disciplinary hearings when required.
• Develop a learning and development plan for staff in patient access services, taking advantage of existing programmes such as the staff development programme and giving staff opportunities to attend meetings relevant to their area of work.

Personal

• Ensure adherence to time and attendance clocking conditions.
• Ensure compliance with hospital policies regarding absenteeism and other HR policies as available on the hospital intranet.
• Ensure compliance with mandatory training e.g. standard precautions, manual handling and fire training.
• Undertake such training as is made available or is deemed necessary to ensure efficient work practices eg. Computer skills training.

Beaumont Hospital Board may at its absolute discretion reassign the appointee at any time.

Required Qualifications of a Grade VI Hygiene Services Manager

Essential: 

1. Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc
(a) Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:
(i) Have satisfactory experience as a Clerical Officer in the HSE, TUSLA, other
statutory health agencies, or a body which provides services on behalf of the HSE
under Section 38 of the Health Act 2004
Or
(ii) Have obtained a pass (Grade D) in at least five subjects from the approved list of
subjects in the Department of Education Leaving Certificate Examination, including
Mathematics and English or Irish1
. Candidates should have obtained at least Grade
C on higher level papers in three subjects in that examination.
Or
(iii) Have completed a relevant examination at a comparable standard in any equivalent
examination in another jurisdiction
Or
(iv) Hold a comparable and relevant third level qualification of at least level 6 on the
National Qualifications Framework maintained by Qualifications and Quality
Ireland, (QQI).
The Leaving Certification Applied Programme does not fulfil the eligibility criteria.
and
(b) Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of
suitability, for the proper discharge of the office.
2. Age
Age restriction shall only apply to a candidate where s/he is not classified as a new entrant (within
the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004). A
candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of
the month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office occurs.
3. Health
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of
undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a
reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
4. Character
Candidates for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Desirable:

• Experience in Acute Hospitals with clear understanding of how clinical areas work and Hygiene Standards expected
• Hospitality Experience/ Qualification
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Experience in report writing
• Beaumont Hospital Management Development Programme
• Excellent organisational skills
• Experience in undertaking Hygiene Audits and knowledge of standards required.
• Computer literacy
• Infection Prevention and Control Knowledge.
• Experience of working with a team both within and outside your department.
• Contract management Experience.