Accommodation Assistant

Our service provides a welcoming home-from-home environment for hospital staff, residents and guests. You'll help ensure accommodation is clean, safe, comfortable and ready for occupancy. What Will You Be Doing?

• Preparing rooms and flats for new residents.
• Carrying out inspections and vacate checks.
• Managing key collections and returns.
• Undertaking cleaning, curtain changes and laundry.
• Reporting maintenance issues and liaising with Estates.
• Supporting residents and responding to enquiries.
• Maintaining records and completing administrative tasks.
What Are We Looking For? Someone reliable, approachable and organised who takes pride in delivering high standards. You'll have excellent communication skills, attention to detail and the ability to work independently. Why Join Us? Your work will make a real difference, helping create a safe, welcoming environment where residents feel comfortable and supported. Ready for a rewarding new opportunity? Apply today! As a member of the Accommodation Team, you will play an important role in maintaining the quality, safety and day-to-day operation of the accommodation facilities at Royal Preston Hospital. You will help ensure that accommodation is maintained to a high standard, rooms and flats are prepared for new occupants, and residents receive a professional, helpful and responsive service. The role involves a mixture of practical duties, property inspections, general cleaning, laundry, key management and administrative support. You will work closely with colleagues from Domestic Services, Estates, external contractors and the wider Facilities Management Team to ensure that any issues are identified, reported and followed through. An important part of your role will be communicating with residents, responding to their queries and helping resolve concerns in a friendly, understanding and professional manner. Above all, we are looking for someone who takes ownership of their work, enjoys being part of a team and is committed to maintaining a high-quality accommodation service. Be part of OneLSC - supporting the people who care for our communities. Our Estates and Facilities Services form part of OneLSC, with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust acting as the lead provider and employer. Our teams play an essential role in supporting healthcare services across Lancashire, ensuring that patients, staff, residents and visitors have access to safe, clean and well-maintained environments. Although our work often takes place behind the scenes, the difference we make is seen and felt every day. By joining our Accommodation Team, you will become part of a wider Facilities Management Service that values teamwork, high standards, continuous improvement and putting people first. We believe everyone has something valuable to contribute, and we encourage our colleagues to share ideas, develop their skills and take pride in the services they provide. You'll have the opportunity to work with colleagues from different departments, build your knowledge of hospital services and develop new skills. It's more than just preparing rooms and maintaining buildings. It's about creating an environment where people feel comfortable, supported and valued. The Accommodation Team is responsible for supporting the effective day-to-day operation of hospital accommodation facilities. The successful candidate will be expected to work both independently and alongside colleagues, demonstrating initiative, flexibility, good communication skills and a commitment to delivering high standards. The following provides an overview of the key responsibilities associated with the role. 1. Accommodation Checks and Inspections Helping us maintain accommodation that residents can feel comfortable and confident using.
• Undertake regular inspections of accommodation flats and rooms, checking cleanliness, general condition, safety and maintenance requirements.
• Complete vacate inspections when residents leave, identifying any damage, outstanding cleaning requirements or concerns regarding the condition of the property.
• Record and report any concerns to the Accommodation Manager, including matters that may require consideration in relation to tenancy deposits.
• Prepare accommodation following a resident's departure, including removing waste and abandoned items in accordance with procedures, stripping beds and removing curtains where required.
• Liaise with Domestic Services to arrange vacate cleans and ensure accommodation is ready for the next occupant.
• Identify and report defects, damaged fixtures, maintenance issues or potential safety risks.
• Maintain accurate inspection records and ensure any outstanding actions are followed up.
2. Cleaning, Laundry and Room Preparation Taking pride in the details that help make our accommodation welcoming and ready to use.
• Carry out general cleaning duties in accordance with agreed cleaning schedules, service requirements and infection prevention standards.
• Support the preparation of rooms and flats for new residents, ensuring accommodation is presented to a high standard.
• Undertake curtain changes and ensure used curtains are handled and processed appropriately.
• Use on-site laundry facilities to wash and maintain items that cannot be processed through the contracted laundry provider.
• Support the Accommodation Domestic Team when additional assistance is required, including making beds and preparing rooms for occupancy.
• Identify any areas where cleaning or presentation standards require improvement and take appropriate action.
• Ensure equipment and materials are used safely and in accordance with relevant procedures.
3. Administrative and Key Management Support Helping keep the Accommodation Service organised, efficient and running smoothly.
• Provide general administrative support, including record keeping, filing and updating accommodation documentation.
• Maintain accurate records of room inspections, vacate checks, cleaning activities and reported maintenance issues.
• Check and empty key return boxes daily, ensuring all returned keys are recorded and securely returned to the Accommodation Office.
• Assist with key collection, returns and general key management arrangements.
• Respond to routine enquiries and ensure information is communicated accurately.
• Support the team with additional administrative tasks as required to meet service needs.
4. Maintenance Reporting and Teamwork Working together to keep our accommodation safe, functional and well maintained.
• Identify and report maintenance defects, damage and other accommodation-related concerns.
• Raise maintenance requests through the FM First system, ensuring relevant information is recorded accurately.
• Liaise with Estates colleagues and external contractors to support the timely completion of repairs and maintenance work.
• Follow up outstanding requests and provide updates to the Accommodation Team and residents where appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with Domestic Services, Estates and other departments to maintain agreed accommodation standards.
• Escalate urgent issues or potential risks promptly to the appropriate manager.
5. Resident and Guest Support Providing a friendly, welcoming service and helping make people's stays as comfortable as possible.
• Act as a helpful and approachable point of contact for residents and guests.
• Respond to accommodation-related enquiries in a professional, respectful and compassionate manner.
• Listen to concerns and help identify appropriate solutions, escalating matters when necessary.
• Communicate clearly with residents regarding maintenance requests, inspections and accommodation arrangements.
• Respect residents' privacy, confidentiality and individual needs.
• Help create a positive experience by demonstrating courtesy, understanding and a commitment to excellent customer service.
6. Quality, Safety and Continuous Improvement Playing your part in maintaining standards and helping us make the service even better.
• Follow relevant health and safety, infection prevention and organisational procedures.
• Report any hazards, incidents or concerns promptly through the appropriate processes.
• Support the completion of routine checks and service assurance activities.
• Take responsibility for the quality and completion of allocated tasks.
• Contribute ideas and suggestions that could improve efficiency, resident satisfaction and the overall accommodation experience.
• Work flexibly with colleagues to support changing operational priorities and service requirements.
We want someone who will treat our accommodation facilities with the same care and attention they would expect in their own home, while recognising the professional standards required within a hospital environment.

Please note that this post is Part of One LSC - a corporate collaboration hosted by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and providing Estates and Facilities Services to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Make a difference every day - join our Accommodation Team at Royal Preston Hospital! Are you friendly, organised and passionate about delivering excellent customer service? Do you enjoy meeting people and having a varied role where no two days are the same? If so, we'd love to hear from you! We have an exciting opportunity to join our Accommodation Service at Royal Preston Hospital, working as part of OneLSC, with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust as your employer.