Hospital porters carry out many important duties around a hospital, such as taking patients to different departments, or moving equipment around the hospital. They may belong to a particular department or they may be part of a ‘pool’ of porters for the whole hospital or nursing home.

The Work

You could be:

• going to different departments in response to your pager
• helping nurses lift a patient on to a trolley or into a wheelchair
• sorting and delivering incoming mail
• taking meals to wards or taking samples to labs
• taking linen and equipment to wards
• moving furniture or removing refuse, including clinical waste
• wheeling patients or equipment around the various parts of the hospital by way of lifts and long corridors
• transporting patients who have died from the ward to the mortuary
• driving a buggy from building to building around the hospital grounds.

Pay

As a porter with the NHS, you will be paid on the NHS Agenda for Change. The current pay scales are from April 2024. You would normally start on Band 2, £24,647 to £26,763 a year. You might earn more for working shifts or overtime.

If promoted to head porter or supervisor you would be on Band 3, £26,869 to £28,998 a year.

Conditions

• The work is mostly indoors in a hospital or nursing home, but you may clean and tidy outside areas at times.
• You may work in a particular department such as operating theatres or the x-ray department.
• You would work shifts including nights, weekends and public holidays.
• You would have to wear a uniform and sometimes protective clothing.
• There would be a lot of heavy lifting of patients and equipment.
• You would have to deal with unpleasant sights and smells.

Getting In

• You need a good general education.
• Voluntary experience in a hospital is helpful.
• You might get in through a Modern Apprenticeship in Facilities Management, or Healthcare Support (non-clinical).
• For some posts you need a driving licence.
• You should have a good level of physical fitness.
• You will require a satisfactory criminal record check from Disclosure Scotland to show that you are suitable for this type of work. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details on the type you would need.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2024

2027

0.4 %

RISE

2029

2036

  United Kingdom

2024

27653

3.6 %

RISE

2029

28656

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What Does it Take?

You should be:

• able to get on with a wide range of people of all ages
• polite, cheerful and friendly
• patient and tactful
• practical and responsible
• not squeamish
• able to remain calm in emergencies
• able to deal with suffering, distress and sometimes death.

You need to have:

• the ability to follow instructions
• the ability to keep accurate records
• teamworking skills.

Training

• You usually have an induction course including health and safety and lifting techniques.
• If you do a Modern Apprenticeship, you would work with an employer and study for an SVQ.
• You could complete an SVQ in Healthcare Support (Non-clinical) at SCQF Level 6 or 7, or Facilities Management at SCQF Level 7.
• Further training is on the job by an experienced porter.

Getting On

• With experience you may become supervisor of a team of porters, or head porter.
• You could work in a private hospital as well as the National Health Service (NHS).
• You could work for a private contractor providing services to hospitals.

Video

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.