Security Officer Leicester, England
Job description
The University Hospitals of Leicester are recruiting 3 XBANKSecurity officers to join the busy team based at the University Hospitals of Leicester.
The hours of work are 12 hour shift patterns days and nights 4 on 4 off, you will be working at any one of the 3 sites in Leicester, these being the LGH, the Glenfield Hospital and the LRI. Full training will be provided.
The post holder will be part of a 2 person team at the GGH & LGH and 8 person team at the LRI that provides 24 hour security cover, providing a high profile visible service, giving effective protection to the patient, visitors, and staff. The service protects University Hospitals of Leicester property against theft, and vandalism, and secures all buildings within the site.
We welcome applications from experienced security officers.
Previous applicants need not apply.
The post holder will be part of a team that provides 24 hour security cover, providing a high profile visible service, giving effective protection to the patient, visitors, and staff. The service protects UHL property against theft, and vandalism, and secures all buildings within the site.
The post holder is responsible for recording all security incidents and completing all appropriate documentation by means of computer and/or written paper work.
A successful candidate will be working as part of a security team across all 3 sites and we are very proud of our teamwork within the security team.
You will be welcomed into a friendly atmosphere with Security officers from all walks of life with different backgrounds and experience.
You will benefit from a full training program which is specifically designed for Security officers working in a health care environment, on top of this you will also receive on the job training.
We are one of the biggest and busiest NHS trusts in the country, incorporating the General, Glenfield and Royal Infirmary hospitals. We have our very own Children’s Hospital and run one of the country’s leading heart centres.
Our team is made up of more than 17,000 staff providing a range of services primarily for the one million residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
We work with partners at the University of Leicester and De Montfort University providing world-class teaching to nurture and develop the next generation of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, many of whom go on to spend their working lives with us.
Our purpose is to provide ‘Caring at its best’ and our staff have helped us create a set of values that embody who we are and what we’re here to do. They are:
- We focus on what matters most
- We treat others how we would like to be treated
- We are passionate and creative in our work
- We do what we say we are going to do
- We are one team and we are best when we work together
About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: (leicestershospitals.nhs.uk)
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that consistently high standards of customer service are delivered within the security service.
The job requires extensive communication with patients, visitors and staff including the passing of routine information, e.g. giving directions, receiving instructions.
The post holder will need to respond to challenging/traumatic security incidences.
The post holder will monitor CCTV in compliance with the data protection act 1998 and UHL policy of such data.
SCOPE
The Hospital Security service provides a high profile visible security service to patients, staff and visitors, this in turn should provide a safe environment within the hospital. The security service responds to security issues as necessary. The security services maintain a high standard in customer care to all sectors of the hospital.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The main working relationships that the post holder will be required to develop are:
- Internal relationships with other security officers and administrative staff
- Internal relationships with staff using the hospital facilities including departmental managers and ward based staff
- Link with patients and visitors using the hospital facilities including contractors
- Link police and other emergency services
Provide a security presence throughout all areas of the hospital in order to deliver a polite, efficient and compassionate service to patients, visitors and staff at all times
Respond to general enquiries on the phone and in person and redirect all enquiries appropriately and in a professional manner
Arming and disarming intruder alarms. Monitor and report critical and medical alarms and alert relevant staff to emergency situations as required. Take a leading role in fire alarm procedures
4Receiving information on people within the hospital and actioning accordingly. The information received will need to be processed dynamically to ensure each situation is dealt with in a tactful way. The situation may require the use of persuasive skills and the ability to communicate when there are barriers.
Dealing directly with individuals who disclose complex, sensitive and contentious information. The security officer will be required to be empathic (no matter what the patient is disclosing) and motivate the individual in a persuasive way to achieve a positive outcome for both the individual and the Trust. There maybe barriers to communication due to disagreement, mental state, substance misuse and language barriers. The security officers are expected to use the multiple facts relating to the situation in order to make the most appropriate judgement, where there maybe more than the one suitable option, to overcome these barriers.
Provide a first line quick and immediate response to distressed, violent and aggressive persons (including mental health patients) within the hospital, calming individuals using verbal and non verbal communication skills, where necessary physically restraining and escorting persons from site in order to maintain a safe environment within the hospital.
In some cases detaining patients against their will at the request of and under the guidance of clinical personnel where appropriate from a legal and patient safety perspective.
Responds to situations using physical effort frequently during a shift, individuals will on occasions need to exert intense physical effort e.g. restraining a violent individual. As a security officer the individual will use sudden explosive effort to ensure a quick response to situations. Security personnel frequently use intense physical effort without the use of mechanical aids. The security officer is expected to very quickly adapt to situations, the initial response to an incident may well be one of enforcement however within a very short space of time the security officer will need to decide whether enforcement or complete empathy is required e.g. physical intervention or a listening ear.
Regular requirement to prioritize and switch tasks due to a third party incident or request. The security officer is a very reactive job which is very unpredictable.
Monitor all situations and ensure the information held is the most up to date, chase the progress of patients (under the care of security) through the system to ensure the correct security systems are in place e.g. patient in A&E being bed watched may need transferring to a ward, does the bed watch need to continue? The team leader will then need to problem solve and establish the correct ratio of officers in each area.
All tasks must be approached in an open way and dynamically assessed to ensure the task/problem is solved appropriately.
Provide non clinical care and advice to all users of the hospital, some of which will be distressed and non-cooperative. Choose the most effective way to communicate information to the individuals and ensure the best level of guidance is provided to the patient and any others involved including clients, relatives and carers e.g. child in ED held under the mental health act, the security officer may have to calm the patient and liaise with the parents with regards to the actions being taken.
Respond to car parks calls out of hours and in some cases in hours Assist with cash collection duties from the car parking pay stations, serve customers in the office when car park staff require assistance e.g. sell saver tickets and record using the till
Issuing keys ensuring that all signing in and out sheets are completed and maintained
Collection and depositing of valuables and belongs of patients as instructed for safekeeping
Ensuring all consumables needed for the issuing of ID badges are in stock and ordered in a timely manner
Manage the pool of stab vests
Responsible for the safe use of CCTV monitoring equipment (master and slave systems) across the site.
Monitor security systems installed within the control room and alert colleagues to situations as required. To operate/monitor CCTV surveillance system. To be familiar and compliant with Data Protection Act and UHL policy of such data.
Responsible for the safe use of access control systems (master and slave systems) across the site. Operate access control systems as required.
Checking activities of people on site including checking of ID badges.
Produce and distribute identification cards to other staff members
To attend Major Incidents and to be fully conversant with the procedures for this.
Bed watch patients, this will include listening to some highly distressing or emotional circumstances as the patient being watched often needs to talk and is being held under DoLS (Deprivation of Liberties Safeguarding). Responding to circumstances where the individual has suicidal tendencies. The duties involved mean that the post holder will frequently be exposed to unpleasant working conditions and hazards. During restraint security officers will often be spat at and exposed to bodily fluids both intentionally and unintentionally.
Communicate effectively with hospital personnel and outside agencies such that information is given and received accurately. Ensure all correct paperwork is completed by outside agencies such as the police bringing patients into the hospital, from volunteer patients (individual asking to be brought in that are not under arrest) to non-compliant patients (arrested individuals where there is likely to be multiple barriers)
Undertake physical patrols of the hospital site in line with schedule and in order to provide a security presence and maintain a secure environment including checking of closed departments.
Undertake external patrols to all areas of the Hospital site including car parking areas and outlying buildings ensuring that your presence is noticeable.
Completion of Incident Forms, Shift Report/Daily Log and retrieval of security information using computerized systems as appropriate.
Analysis of information during day to day work including the questioning of individuals to establish facts
Appear in court to give evidence, make statements to the Police and co-operate with internal or external investigations.
Providing appropriate response to non acute areas (Leicester General and Glenfield Hospital)
Participate as a full member of the team, e.g. supporting and training other staff, participating in team meetings, working flexibly as required to cover other members of the team. Work will be both as lone worker and as a team, the individual will be expected to act within the parameters of the guidelines for the role, the individual will act independently and decide when it is necessary to refer to their manager.
Follow all UHL policies which are determined by others, as the ‘man on the ground’ the security officers are expected to make proposals for any changes to policies/working practices directly relating to the job role.
Undertake other ad hoc duties as prescribed by manager and within scope of skill and capability.
Undertake formal training courses, both internal and external, relevant to the above duties.
