Maintenance Assistant

Job summary

This role is responsible for ensuring that Mount Pleasant Health Centre remains safe, functional, and well‑presented through a combination of general maintenance, preventative inspections, cleaning duties, and grounds care. The position supports the smooth running of the premises by carrying out minor repairs, monitoring building condition, coordinating contractors, and contributing to business continuity during emergencies.

Main duties of the job

The role involves carrying out day‑to‑day maintenance across the building, including minor plumbing, electrical, carpentry and repair tasks to keep the premises safe and functional. It includes completing preventative inspections, identifying issues early and reporting structural or safety concerns to management. The post holder supports cleanliness by performing routine and deep‑cleaning duties and maintaining high hygiene and infection‑control standards. Grounds maintenance is also required, ensuring gardens, pathways, entrances and external areas remain tidy, safe and presentable throughout the year. The role further involves coordinating external contractors and assisting with business‑continuity needs during emergencies such as severe weather, power outages or flooding.

About Mount Pleasant Health Centre (MPHC)

Mount Pleasant Health Centre (MPHC) is an innovative GP practice in Exeter City, caring for over 17,000 patients. We are one of the largest training practices in Devon, most of the partners are GP trainers, involved in the education of student nurses, medical students, and a variety of doctor training posts. We have an excellent relationship with our league of friends’ charity and our Patient Participation Group, keeping us patient focused and working together on opportunities to benefit patient care. We are the Lead Practice of NEXUS Primary Care Network (PCN), that consists of five GP Practices and covers a population of 42,000 patients. We have several PCN ARRS staff working on site at the health center providing an excellent multidisciplinary working environment. We are a modern dynamic practice and strive to balance our continued evolution with the provision of excellent family medicine.

Job responsibilities

General Maintenance

• Carry out general maintenance and repair work throughout the practice.
• Perform minor plumbing, electrical and carpentry tasks.
• Repair locks, replace light bulbs and fittings, and undertake basic decorating and painting.
• Fill minor cracks and maintain interior surfaces.
• Identify and resolve minor leaks where possible.
• Maintain building fabric and fixtures to a safe and operational standard.
• Clean drains and ensure waste systems are functioning correctly.

Preventative Maintenance & Inspections

• Conduct regular site inspections to identify areas requiring repair or additional maintenance.
• Monitor the premises and report any structural issues or safety concerns the line manager or Practice Manager.
• Follow a maintenance schedule and ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner.
• Carry out preventative maintenance to minimise disruptions to service.
• Inspect areas such as the boiler room and report any structural concerns.

Cleaning Duties

• Carry out cleaning tasks throughout the day to maintain a clean and safe environment.
• Undertake deep cleaning of the building fabric where required.
• Support infection control standards across the practice.
• Dispose of waste appropriately and maintain hygiene standards.

Grounds Maintenance

• Maintain the practice garden and external areas.
• Carry out basic gardening tasks including tidying grounds and pathways.
• Ensure entrances, car parks and external areas remain safe and presentable.
• Service equipment such as the salt spreader during autumn/winter periods.

External Contractors

• Liaise with and assist external contractors and service providers.
• Coordinate and monitor work undertaken by external vendors.
• Ensure contractors comply with site safety requirements.

Business Continuity Support

• Assist the practice in maintaining readiness for emergencies such as flooding, power outages and severe weather
• Support business continuity planning as required.

Additional Duties

• Transporting items to local recycling centres as and when required.
• Assisting with the collection of equipment and supplies from suppliers (for example, furniture or other practice equipment).
• Moving equipment, PPE, and other materials between network practice locations as required.

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.
• Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming, non-judgmental.

Personal/Professional Development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Completing all mandatory training on eLearning/Bluestream, ensuring that it is always up to date.
• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance.
• Work effectively with other professionals / teams to meet patients’ needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers in a positive friendly manner.
• Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Person Specification

Essential Skills & Experience

• A range of general handyperson skills including DIY, minor plumbing, carpentry and basic electrical work.
• Experience carrying out building maintenance or caretaking duties.
• Ability to identify maintenance issues and undertake minor repairs.
• Good organisational skills and ability to follow maintenance schedules.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Personal Qualities

• Friendly, approachable and helpful attitude.
• Good customer service skills when interacting with staff, patients and visitors.
• Flexible and willing to undertake a wide range of tasks.
• Reliable and proactive approach to work.
• Ability to liaise effectively with staff and external service providers.
• Able to communicate maintenance issues clearly to management.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications & Skills

• Experience in general building maintenance, including basic plumbing, electrical, carpentry and repair work.
• Practical skills in decorating, painting, minor repairs, and maintaining building fabric.
• Ability to carry out routine inspections, identify faults early, and report safety or structural concerns.
• Knowledge of health & safety standards, including safe use of tools, equipment, and working practices.
• Understanding of infection‑control and hygiene standards in a workplace environment.
• Ability to perform cleaning duties to a high standard, including deep cleaning when required.
• Grounds maintenance skills such as gardening, tidying pathways, and maintaining external areas.
• Confidence working with external contractors and monitoring their work on site.
• Problem‑solving skills and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Good communication skills for reporting issues and liaising with managers and contractors.
• Physical fitness to carry out manual tasks, lifting, and outdoor work in all seasons.
• Reliability, punctuality, and a proactive approach to maintaining a safe, functional environment.
• A valid UK driving licence is required.
• The post holder must have access to their own car/van and be willing to use it for work-related duties when necessary.

Desirable Qualifications

• Basic trade certifications (e.g., plumbing, electrical, carpentry, or building maintenance).
• Training in COSHH, manual handling, or workplace health & safety.
• Experience in a healthcare, commercial, or public‑facing environment.
• Knowledge of emergency procedures and business continuity support (e.g., flooding, power outages).
• Experience using maintenance schedules, logs, or facilities management systems.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: £13.26-£14.60 per hour

Benefits:

• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person