General Porter

Posting date:	05 March 2026
Salary:	£30,000 per year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	16 March 2026
Location:	South East London, London
Remote working:	On-site only
Company:	Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:

Summary

Are you looking for a role where you can make a real difference every day? Our Portering Department is at the heart of hospital life, running a vital 24/7 service across two large hospital sites. With a team of 126 dedicated staff, we support more than a million patient contacts each year—ensuring our staff, patients, and visitors receive a first-class experience from the moment they enter our doors.

At Guy’s and St Thomas’, we believe in delivering high-quality, personal care for everyone. That commitment shapes everything we do, and our porters play a key part in bringing it to life.

If you’re passionate about helping others, thrive in a busy setting, and want to be part of a team that truly matters, we want to hear from you.

Please note:

These positions are based at Guy’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, and various Community sites
We are recruiting to a number of posts with a variation of working hours and site locations
Please be aware: Candidates will be required to work a variety of shifts, including covering annual leave and other staff absences. Flexibility with working hours is essential.

If your application is shortlisted, you’ll be invited to attend an assessment and interview day on either 1 April or 2 April.

Apply today and help us keep Guy’s and St Thomas’ moving.

Main duties of the job
Your duties will include safely transporting patients, specimens, blood products, and gas cylinders throughout the hospital. You will also assist with the dignified transfer and preparation of bodies for viewing, along with other responsibilities appropriate to the role.


We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To maintain proper care and attention to patients at all times
To communicate sensitively and courteously with patients, visitors and staff at all levels and at the same time deal with ongoing enquiries
Use reassurance and persuasive skills to promote cooperation from patients and relatives during transfers and negotiate with patients to consent to attend clinics
Use local knowledge and expertise of the built environment to ensure the safest and best patient experience during transfers and to maintain patient dignity at all times
To manage and maintain patient dignity and to minimise distress, assure and assist during transfers
To be responsible for transporting vulnerable, unwell patients to and from any Trust area/department/ward safely and securely
To be responsible for the safe and efficient transfer of critically unwell patients from the intensive care units
To assist in the physical transfer of patients between beds and trolleys, and support clinical staff with transferring patients
Secure transportation of specimens from wards and departments to any Trust location(s), in addition to Pathology and the laboratories in accordance with policy and quality procedures (PID 03)
Secure transportation of bloods to and from any Trust area / department / ward ensuring that cross reference is made against request form, blood book and blood component/product to meet blood collection legislation including collection and distribution of crash blood in line with legislation
Safe transportation of medical gas cylinders and associated equipment for use throughout the Trust, following implicitly the set health & safety protocols. (PID 12)
Transfer of beds, trolleys in line with quality document (PID 07) and other medical and non-medical equipment to any Trust location
Safe transportation of medications and pharmaceuticals out of hours when the procurement/stores team no longer provide this service
Safe transportation of patient meals when requested
Preparing and cleaning patient trolleys in STH theatre and Cath. Lab. area on a daily basis
Answer bleep for crash calls and Major Haemorrhage
Removal and transfer of bodies including adults and children from any Trust location to the mortuary in a dignified and respectful manner including checking of jewellery at ward level in presence of a clinician for audit trail purposes and logging the deceased details on the mortuary refrigerator in line with quality documents (PID 04 and 05) and mortuary policy
Prepare bodies including adults and children for viewing by relatives ensuring that deceased patient is suitable for viewing purposes in line with quality document (PID 06) and mortuary policy and where necessary assist the nurse when escorting relatives to the chapel of rest for viewing purposes
To be responsible for delivering life-saving equipment to an arrest e.g. running heart defibrillators to any location within the hospital and to be on standby at cardiac arrests to collect and deliver anything required for the patient
To monitor and report portering equipment for defects and cleanliness
Utilise the trust EPIC smartphone system to receive work and to report on work in progress
To carry out the cleaning of wheelchairs on a daily basis in accordance with the trust Infection Control policy
To ensure that wheelchairs are gathered throughout the day and parked at the appropriate location
To take corrective action when required adhere observed report defects and unsafe conditions
Observe and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures