We have a wide variety of roles for our staff to undertake so if you fancy a challenge or a change explore our job vacancies.
 

We offer a modern working environment with excellent staff and social facilities, and are well located to take advantage of living in London.

Accommodation

There is limited accommodation available to staff as detailed below:

Hill House (based on site)
All rooms have en-suite facilities consisting of WC, hand basin and shower. There are shared kitchen facilities. You will be required to pay one month’s deposit and one month’s rent in advance.

If you are interested in applying please contact your HR advisor.

Peabody Trust
The Peabody Trust provides affordable rented accommodation for key workers. For more information contact:

Peabody Trust
45 Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7JB
www.peabody.org.uk
homes@peabody.org.uk

There are also Shared Ownership Opportunities for NHS staff under ODPM's Keyworker Living Initiative.

Housing Options is the gateway to all affordable housing options in London. If you can't afford to buy your own home or rent a good quality home on the open market Housing Options can help. The Housing Options service has been designed so that anyone looking for an affordable home in London will only need to fill in one application form to gain access from all the different housing associations. 

There are two Homebuy Agents in London, Metropolitan Home Ownership and Tower Homes. Visit the website for more information www.firststepslondon.org/.

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Benefits for staff

• key loans to cover accommodation deposits
• season ticket loans to cover travel
• childcare voucher scheme
• subsidised restaurant and coffee shop based on-side
• on-site free cash point machine
• subsidised nursery which provides local childcare facilities at competitive prices  (development of childcare provision is a priority for the Trust)
• NHS holiday club offers discounts and special offers on holidays and flights
• on-site shop
• free and confidential counselling and advice services
• long service awards
• social club
• discounts – The Trust offers staff a series of discounts with a wide variety of leading stores, travel and leisure facilities
• NHS Retirement Fellowship providing support from, and for, retirees
• pre-retirement support.

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Equality and diversity

We are committed to making sure that all staff feel valued whilst at work. We try wherever possible to accommodate the differing needs of staff and ensure that staff are given equal opportunities.

In the past year we have:

• introduced trained harassment support advisors, who offer support to staff who have experienced, been accused of or witnessed harassment or bullying
• reviewed policies and created frameworks for personal safety and security at work, equality and diversity, sickness, flexible working, and raising concerns at work
• created a minority ethnic focus group and a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender focus group
• created links with local agencies to attract local and minority ethnic staff, this include ‘Remploy’, which offers opportunities to disabled people, and Groundworks who help get people back into the workplace after long-term unemployment.

We try to cater for staff’s religious needs, our multi-faith chaplaincy offers:

• prayers for Muslim staff
• carol services and regular communion for Christian staff
• services for other religious events.

We also hold a number of social events and award schemes available for staff, including:

• annual fun run, quiz nights and BBQs
• quality day, recognising clinical excellence and innovation
• long service awards.

Equality, fair treatment and social inclusion lie at the heart of the government’s plans to modernise the NHS.  The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 (the Act) supports these core principles and requires us (and all public authorities) to actively promote race equality as well as imposing a general duty to:

• eliminate unlawful racial discrimination;
• promote equality of opportunity; and
• promote good race relations between people of different racial groups

Our Equality Scheme describes our commitment to ensuring that our services and employment practices are fair, accessible and appropriate for the diverse communities we serve and the workforce we employ

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Flexible retirement and support for carers

There are a variety of options available for staff who are nearing retirement, which means that you don’t need to stop working straight away. This includes:

• winding down – working part-time in your current role
• stepping down – moving into a less-demanding job on a lower pay and less hours, whilst still utilising your knowledge and skills
• retiring then coming back – working on a flexible, part-time basis or filling in for staff during peak times.

We also try to provide as much support as possible to staff who are carers. There is a special leave policy for staff who have carer responsibilities and a confidential carers support network at the Trust, accessible via the staff counselling service.

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Flexible working

There are a wide and varied range of flexible working options available in the hospital.

You may wish to alter your working hours to accommodate childcare/elderly/carer responsibilities, due to health reasons, because you are completing further studying or training, or for another reason.

There are many flexible working options available, including:

• part-time, flexi-time
• job sharing
• home-working
• term-time or school hours working
• voluntarily reduced hours
• phased return to work/part-time working on medical grounds
• unpaid leave
• annualised or compressed hours
• career breaks.

Most departments operate informal flexible working options and some wards have piloted an electronic rota system, allowing staff to book their own shifts. We also encourage flexible trainees to join and in the past year we have had trainees from A&E, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and GPVTS.

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Healthy workplace

The health and safety of our staff is of the utmost importance. We have a number of services available for staff including:

• panic alarms are available from the security desk free-of-charge to staff
• occupational health services available for all staff and can be accessed by self or manager referral, physiotherapy can also accept referrals from occupational health
• health and safety, manual handling, basic life support and other training courses available to all staff, as well as conflict resolution training for frontline staff
• a free confidential counselling service available for individuals and groups of staff
• stop-smoking advisor and cessation courses available for all staff
• limited on-site accommodation and an off-site nurses home, we also have close links with home ownership schemes offering key worker living
• discounts to local sports centres and bike shops.

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HR strategy and management

We have developed a Human Resources Strategy, in consultation with staff, which recognises the key role you play in meeting the healthcare needs of the local population. By aiming to provide a robust career structure, access to development opportunities, a range of staff benefits, a pleasant environment to work in, plus rewards and recognition for all who work here, we hope to demonstrate how much your contribution is valued.

It is recognised at all levels within the organisation that if staff feel valued, respected and supported then the care we are able to provide to our patients will be that much better. Great efforts have been made to recruit and retain staff, offer local people local job opportunities, as well as identify the profile of the workforce we require in the future. By doing this we aim to ensure Homerton remains an attractive employer, which is able to provide high quality healthcare.    

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Pension scheme

The NHS pension scheme is one of the best in the country. Membership is voluntary. Most members pay 6% of their pensionable pay, except manual workers who pay 5%. But tax relief and lower N.I. contributions mean the actual cost is nearer 3.5%. Your employer contributes 14% of your pay into the scheme

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Staff bank

We provide temporary staffing cover to all areas of the Trust. Members include nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and admin and clerical staff, who either have substantive posts or work solely for the bank.

All bank staff are expected to adhere to all Trust policies and procedures at all times. There are no different policies for bank staff.

Recruitment procedure

Internal applicants
All staff permanently employed by Homerton can join the bank by arranging an appointment to sign on. However, this is only if they are signing on at the same band/position they are currently employed at. For example, a band two nurse who qualifies and does not have a permanent post would need to undergo the recruitment procedure for a qualified nurse.

External applicants
All job vacancies are managed through e-recruitment. All posts are advertised on our website and the NHS jobs website.  Shortlisting, assessments and interviews are facilitated by the staff bank; utilising relevant clinical and department staff. Candidates who require work permits will not be shortlisted to attend for interview.

Staff from agencies cannot be automatically transferred to the bank, as penalties will be incurred. This needs to be discussed with the clinical manager of the staff bank.

All staff, external and internal, will be signed on using an agreed checklist and given a members’ handbook. All staff signing on the bank, will need to sign our terms and conditions.

Contacts

tel: 020 8510 7061 / 5119
fax 020 8510 5224
email staffbank@homerton.nhs.uk

Opening Hours 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

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Staff involvement and communication

There are a variety of ways we communicate with staff to update and inform them about clinical, service and strategic developments, as well as events, functions and offers available in the hospital and the NHS as a whole. This includes:

• the intranet
• quarterly magazine ‘Homerton Life’
• special project newsletters and brochures
• staff emails
• regular coffee mornings/afternoons
• ‘team briefing’
• posters and flyers displayed on noticeboards throughout the hospital.

All newsletters, magazines and flyers (including back-issues) can be found on the intranet, they are also distributed regularly via email and on stands throughout the hospital. 

There are also a variety of unions you can join at the Trust.

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Staff welfare

The Trust is committed to helping staff balance the demands of their personal and domestic lives with those of their working lives, particularly during times of urgent domestic need. 

For the purpose of supporting staff with caring responsibilities, a range of special leave provisions have been developed:

• carers leave
• bereavement leave
• paternity leave
• maternity leave
• adoption leave
• parental leave
• job share.

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Training and development

We believe that our staff need to have the right skills, knowledge and attitude to carry out their role effectively. We also want all our staff to be able to learn and develop whilst working for us.

There is a range of training opportunities available to all staff, both short and long-term. All courses are listed in our training and development brochure. Subject areas include:

• induction and quality and library/research
• personal development
• leadership and management development
• information technology
• health and safety
• nursing professional development and general health issues
• clinical skills development
• healthcare assistant development
• midwifery training and professional development.

We can provide support and guidance on external learning courses and development opportunities such as mentoring, shadowing or secondments.

Our apprenticeship schemes also allow us to employ local people and provide them with a structured development route and clear career pathway.

As part of the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), all staff should receive appraisals and personal developments plans.

All courses are supported by the excellent library and information service based in the education centre.

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