Housekeeping Supervisor

About Us

Medicana is a leading private healthcare provider known for delivering outstanding surgical and post-operative care. We offer a wide range of surgical specialties including orthopaedics, general surgery, ENT, pain and ophthalmology. Our recovery unit is a vital part of the patient journey, ensuring safe and comfortable transitions from anaesthesia to full consciousness.

Job Summary

We are looking for a skilled and motivated Housekeeping Supervisor to join our hospital team. The Housekeeping Supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day operational management of the hospital housekeeping service, ensuring that patient rooms, clinical support areas and communal environments are consistently clean, safe and prepared to the required standard.

The role combines hands-on housekeeping knowledge with supervisory responsibility. The postholder will coordinate the Housekeeping team, allocate workloads, monitor standards, oversee room turnaround and linen provision, manage stock and act as a key liaison between Housekeeping, nursing, clinical, facilities and administrative teams.

The Supervisor will be accountable for ensuring that housekeeping services support the patient journey from admission through to discharge and that environmental standards are maintained consistently throughout the hospital. This is an excellent opportunity to work within a high-standard private healthcare setting.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Supervision

• Provide day-to-day supervision and direction to the Housekeeping team.
• Allocate daily workloads according to patient numbers, admissions, discharges and operational priorities.
• Ensure adequate housekeeping cover is maintained throughout the agreed service hours.
• Coordinate the team's response to changing patient and hospital requirements.
• Monitor completion of daily housekeeping tasks and address any gaps promptly.
• Provide practical support to Housekeepers during periods of high workload.
• Act as the first point of escalation for housekeeping-related operational issues.
• Ensure handovers and relevant information are communicated effectively between shifts.

Patient Room Readiness and Turnaround

• Oversee the preparation of patient rooms prior to admission.
• Ensure rooms are cleaned, appropriately stocked, presented and ready within agreed turnaround times.
• Coordinate post-discharge room turnaround and prioritise rooms according to operational requirements.
• Liaise with nursing and admissions teams regarding room readiness and anticipated admissions.
• Monitor room turnaround performance and identify recurring delays or operational problems.
• Conduct routine checks of patient rooms to ensure required standards are consistently maintained.
• Escalate any room defects, equipment issues or environmental concerns appropriately.

Quality, Cleaning and Infection Prevention

• Maintain and monitor agreed cleaning standards across the hospital.
• Ensure cleaning schedules and task lists are completed appropriately.
• Undertake regular quality inspections and spot checks.
• Identify areas requiring additional cleaning or remedial action.
• Ensure staff follow infection prevention and control requirements.
• Ensure appropriate procedures are followed for enhanced or specialist cleaning.
• Monitor correct use of cleaning products, equipment and PPE.
• Maintain appropriate records of inspections, checks and corrective actions.
• Work with relevant clinical colleagues to address environmental concerns.

Linen Management

• Take overall responsibility for the operational management of linen within the housekeeping service.
• Monitor clean and used linen processes.
• Ensure appropriate segregation, handling, storage and movement of linen.
• Monitor linen stock levels and anticipate periods of increased demand.
• Coordinate replenishment and communicate supply requirements.
• Investigate recurring linen shortages, losses or wastage.
• Maintain appropriate stock levels without creating unnecessary excess.
• Liaise with relevant suppliers or hospital departments regarding linen issues where required.

Stock and Inventory Management

• Maintain appropriate stock levels of cleaning materials, toiletries, patient amenities, linen and other housekeeping supplies.
• Undertake regular stock checks and maintain appropriate records.
• Monitor usage and identify unusual or excessive consumption.
• Coordinate ordering or requisitioning of supplies within agreed procedures.
• Ensure housekeeping stores are clean, organised and appropriately managed.
• Implement appropriate stock rotation.; Monitor expiry dates where applicable.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste and improve value for money.

6. Liaison and Communication

• Develop effective working relationships with nursing, clinical, facilities, reception, administration and other hospital teams.
• Act as the principal day-to-day liaison between Housekeeping and clinical teams.
• Attend or contribute to relevant operational meetings where required.
• Respond promptly to requests for housekeeping support.
• Communicate anticipated capacity or staffing issues that may affect patient-room readiness.
• Escalate significant environmental, staffing, supply or operational concerns to the appropriate manager.
• Ensure housekeeping information is communicated clearly and consistently to the team.

Staff Management and Development

• Support the recruitment, induction and onboarding of Housekeeping staff.
• Provide clear instruction and practical training to new and existing team members.
• Ensure staff understand hospital procedures, cleaning standards and infection-control requirements.
• Monitor individual performance and provide constructive feedback.
• Address minor performance or conduct issues in accordance with hospital procedures.
• Identify training and development requirements.
• Support staff competency assessments and mandatory training.
• Promote a positive, respectful and patient-focused team culture.
• Manage daily attendance and report staffing concerns appropriately.

Auditing, Documentation and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain appropriate housekeeping records, schedules and checklists.
• Conduct regular environmental and housekeeping audits.
• Record identified deficiencies and ensure corrective actions are completed.
• Monitor trends in cleaning standards, room turnaround, stock usage and patient feedback.
• Contribute to the development and review of housekeeping policies and procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, patient experience and quality.
• Support implementation of new housekeeping systems, equipment or processes.
• Provide regular operational feedback and performance information to management.

Patient Experience

• Promote consistently high standards of cleanliness, comfort and presentation.
• Ensure Housekeeping staff understand the importance of dignity, privacy and respectful communication.
• Respond appropriately to housekeeping-related patient concerns.
• Ensure concerns outside the Housekeeping team's remit are escalated to the appropriate clinical or managerial colleague.

10. Health, Safety and Compliance

• Ensure housekeeping activities comply with hospital policies and relevant legislation.
• Monitor compliance with COSHH, infection prevention, manual handling, fire safety and health and safety requirements.
• Ensure staff use cleaning chemicals, machinery and PPE appropriately.
• Report accidents, incidents, hazards and near misses in accordance with hospital procedures.
• Maintain appropriate housekeeping documentation and audit trails.
• Participate in relevant inspections and quality assurance processes.
• Ensure staff receive and maintain required training and competencies.

Requirements

Essential:

• Previous experience in housekeeping, healthcare, hospitality, hotel services, facilities or a comparable environment.
• Previous supervisory or team-lead experience.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing operational priorities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to liaise confidently with clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
• Ability to monitor standards and address issues constructively.
• Understanding of confidentiality, dignity and professionalism within a patient environment.
• Ability to work flexibly in response to changing operational requirements.

Desirable:

• Previous hospital or healthcare housekeeping experience.
• Experience of supervising staff within a healthcare or patient-facing environment.
• Knowledge of infection prevention and control.
• Knowledge of COSHH and safe chemical handling.
• Experience of linen and stock management.
• Experience of conducting audits or quality inspections.
• Relevant housekeeping, hospitality, facilities or supervisory qualifications

What We Offer

• Competitive salary.
• Private medical insurance and pension scheme.
• Free on-site parking.
• Supportive team culture with a focus on staff wellbeing.

Pay: £32,000.00-£35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person