Cover Driver

The post holder will
+ Be responsible for undertaking such duties as required within each role when working as a Patient Transport Professional (PTP), Caretaker or as a Driver within general Transport Services.
+ Staff will need to work flexibly across all parts of the services and will have the skills to move seamlessly from one part of the service to the next as the need requires.
+ Have the ability to consult and liaise as appropriate, with a range of Staff across The Trust and with other relevant organisations as required to carry out their duties in a competent and professional manner.
+ Develop an appropriate level of knowledge of the transport service infrastructure and related requirements so that once deployed to a duty, they can safely and efficiently complete the tasks required.
+ Interact with staff and visitors in an appropriate and professional manner with good communication skills to effectively communicate a range of complex and sensitive information.
+ Assist as required, in the process of assessing work including patient movement and managing and handling of heavy and abnormal loads prior to commencement, to ensure suitable staff and equipment resources are deployed to allow the safe completion of required task.
+ Complete such documentation as is required to ensure tasks are signed off and the appropriate information is included.
+ Maintain a high standard of driving skills that will be required to drive a range of Trust vehicles as directed., + The post holder will gain the knowledge and have the ability to work across all services as directed including.
Patient Transport
o To provide safe patient transport, either as a driver or escort.
o To provide personal care for patients between their home and care services, liaising closely with care service staff and Families ensuring information is managed appropriately and with empathy.
o Undertake driver and escort duties working with Children who have challenging behaviours to ensure a safe journey.
o To maintain the privacy, dignity, and confidentiality of patients at all times
o To carry out daily, operational and safety checks on vehicle and equipment reporting any defects, damage to maintain a safe environment for the transfer of patients.
o Undertake local task-based risk assessments in relation to Patient Transfers including site assessments prior to transfers that take in a range of factors that require analysis and interpretation to ensure suitable staff and equipment resources are deployed and that local conditions allow for the safe completion of the Transfer.
Caretaker Services
o Undertaking the opening and closing of various sites as directed making sure the buildings are safe and secure and that staff are clear before locking up or they have made appropriate alternative arrangements.
o Provide a range of Caretaker services to various sites as directed by the planned schedule of works and as set out in the Caretakers Workbook.
o Provide directed caretaker support to external partner organisations as directed either as part of a contract or on an Ad Hoc basis.
o Manage own workload against the work listed in the caretaker's Workbook ensuring that booked tasks and scheduled work are completed appropriately.
o Assist in the Trust recycling programme including the collection and disposal of items such as WEE and other bulky items.
o Collect and deliver Samples from designated sites to Laboratories at Northern General Hospital as directed.
o Undertake local task-based risk assessments in relation to office moves and relocation work including site access risk assessments prior to any work that take in a range of factors to ensure suitable staff and equipment resources are deployed and that local conditions allow for the safe completion of the work.
o Complete all such documentation, work sheets, e-completion reports, as are required to ensure internal/external recharges and any cost recovery can be competed.
Post, Pharmacy, Prescription and Stores Delivery Services
o Undertake general driving duties as required for the collection and delivery of internal Post, Pharmacy and Prescription services across a range of sites in Sheffield, as part of the Trust Round Robin service and as part of the Contracted work to GPs practices and other health related locations in Sheffield.
o Undertake the collection and distribution of Stores form SHSC stores across a range of sites within Sheffield as part of the scheduled stores distribution contract. This will include deliveries to SHSC inpatient areas and other Stores deliveries for other NHS organisations across Sheffield as directed.
General Duties
o Expected to be part of the Transport services emergency planning response group providing the first call response to any adverse weather or other declared emergency requiring transport. This includes in the event of a declared emergency, on-call and out of hours Transport provision.
o To carry out daily, vehicle safety checks and report defects, damage to vehicles or equipment to maintain a safe environment.
o Comply with Trust policies, operational procedures and statutory requirements including Health and Safety Legislation and all Road traffic Legislation.
o Wear Trust ID badge and the current uniform provided. This must be maintained in a clean condition and in good repair as directed by the Trust Dress Code Policy
o Maintain existing skills and develop and receive training in new skills as required to carry out work for the Trust.
o Liaise with the wider transport management team, work colleagues and external customers as required ensuring safe operating practice.
o Be comfortable in the use of mobile computer technology, have good keyboard skills and can use email.
o Staff are required to use and maintain their Trust email account so that information can be easily communicated.
We aim to be an organisation that is diverse and inclusive and to meet this aim we welcome applications from people with a wide range of life experience and whose diversity echoes the diversity of Sheffield, that of the people who use our services, and that of the people who may need to use our services but face barriers to access. Please think about your personal values and how these align with our values when you are applying. Find out more about our organisation through our website.
We are a Disability Confident employer level 2 and hope to achieve level 3 this year. We offer a guaranteed interview to disabled applicants who meet all of the essential criteria for a role. When you apply you will have the opportunity to let us know if you require adjustments to be made, please contact us if you are not sure or if you require adjustments to the application process itself.
Our six staff network groups welcome new members, these are:
+ The Ethnically Diverse Staff Network Group
+ The Disability Staff Network Group
+ The Lived Experience Staff Network Group
+ The Rainbow Staff Network Group
+ The Staff Carers Staff Network Group
+ The Women's Staff Network Group
We know how important flexible working can be to applicants and therefore we encourage you to discuss any working arrangements as part of this process. We will always aim to accommodate requests, wherever possible.
The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children and as part of our safe recruitment practice the successful applicant(s) will be subject to a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) if it is deemed appropriate for the role. The cost of the DBS check (currently up to £48.23) must be met by the successful applicant(s).
When applying for this post you will redirected to complete your application in our preferred applicant management system, Trac. If you are successfully offered a role, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In addition, in submitting an application, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.
Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when writing job applications
If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting statement.
While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you're applying for, nor can they accurately reflect your skills, knowledge, and experience. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice.
Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting statement is not advocated by SHSC and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.
For example, AI responses…

• usually lack relevance and fail to address the key criteria outlined in the job description and person specification.


• may come across as generic and fail to distinguish you from other applicants.


• may be ambiguous or open to misinterpretation. Without careful review and editing, the supporting statement could convey messages that are unclear or misconstrued by hiring managers.


• may include qualifications, skills, knowledge or experience that you do not possess, potentially leading to misrepresentation.

Supporting Statement
The supporting statement is an opportunity for you to showcase how your qualifications, knowledge, skill and experiences align with the requirements and criteria outlined in the job description and person.
Recruiting managers score applications based on the criteria listed in the person specification. Managers will be looking for evidence of how you meet these criteria. To increase your chances of securing an interview, provide examples of how you have applied your skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Share work-related successes and challenges you've navigated that align with the criteria. These could be from various aspects of your life, including work, education, and personal experiences.
Consider structuring your statement with clear headings or bullet points. This approach will help both you and the recruiting manager navigate through your application more effectively.

+ Start time is variable for PTP work and General Driver work and can be between 07.00 am and 10.30 am to meet service needs.
+ Will also be required to work as cover / relief within Caretaker Rota. The Caretaker Rota is 5 days over 7 - mid-week shifts are 6am until 2pm and 7am until 3pm. And 8am until 4pm Weekends and bank holiday shifts are 7am until 3pm.
+ Must hold a full clean driving licence, preferably incorporating category D1 or equivalent qualification. Have experience of driving a range of vehicles and be able to demonstrate a high level of driver skills on assessment.

At Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust we provide a range of mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, primary care and other specialist services designed around the needs of people in our city.
We have a dedicated and skilful team of people caring in Sheffield, which you could become a part of.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do. These are: working together for our service users, respect and kindness, everyone counts, commitment to quality, improving lives., What is it that makes our Trust such a special place to work? Well, it's all about the people. Our staff, service users, carers and families all come from such diverse backgrounds and all have expertise and stories to share.
It's important that you feel supported in your role, that the people who you work with are as passionate as you are and that your health and wellbeing is taken care of
If you're interested in developing your career, you'll have access to a range of training and education opportunities, including apprenticeships, work experience and placements, as well as the chance to get involved in research.
We are all very proud of the difference we make to people's lives each and every day and if that's something that you'd like to be part of we'd love to have you with us.