Navigating Facilities Support Services’ Management with Eimear Jordan

Meet Eimear Jordan!

Facilities Support Services Manager for Housekeeping and Catering at Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Welcome to the Locum's Nest Best Practice series, where we dive into the journeys and insights of incredible NHS colleagues.

For our fourth blog of the series, we had the pleasure of speaking to Eimear Jordan, Facilities Support Services Manager for Housekeeping and Catering at Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Q1. Can you tell us about your role at the trust, how long you've been there, and your journey?

I am the Facility Support Services Manager, overseeing both housekeeping and catering. Although I’m relatively new in this role, my journey with the trust spans over a decade. I initially joined as a Deputy Catering Manager. After a few years, I was promoted to Catering Manager. This year, I took on the broader responsibilities of Facility Support Services, which includes managing housekeeping in addition to catering. This transition has been a big change, expanding my team from 30 to 300 staff members, but it has been a great experience!

Q2. Can you take us through some of the biggest challenges you face in your role? 

One of the biggest challenges is managing sickness cover. In the NHS, dealing with enhancements and overtime can be complex. You need to figure out what kind of enhancements are applicable, how many hours of overtime are involved, and ensure it stays within both national and trust-specific limits. This was somewhat manageable with 30 staff members, but with 300, it’s a different story. 

For instance, in housekeeping, we must have staff on each ward to serve food. If someone calls in sick, it can be a scramble to find cover. Before Locum’s Nest, we had to run around the site to see if anyone was available to cover shifts, which was challenging because the staff are scattered across the hospital and work a variety of  shifts. It was very intense for the team because the problem is constant. It's never as simple as just asking someone to fill in. We need to ensure they are trained and capable of performing the specific tasks required. This constant juggling act is one of the biggest ongoing challenges we face. 

Q3. What has helped with some of these challenges? 

Locum's Nest has been a game-changer for us. Now, we can post shifts and instantly see if applicants have the necessary training and skills. Our staff frequently check for available shifts, and for most overtime slots, we now get three or four applications. This has removed the need for physically going around the Trust to find cover. Instead, our supervisor can post the shift, and applicants get notifications immediately, allowing us to fill last-minute posts much quicker.

For catering, we've noticed an increase in applicants who wouldn’t have known about the shifts before, as we used to rely heavily on word of mouth. Now, everyone can see all available shifts, making it much easier for everyone involved.

Locum's Nest has also streamlined our administrative tasks. We no longer need to chase paper timesheets at the end of the month or worry about discrepancies. Previously, managing payroll for housekeeping took three days each month, even with just 30 staff members. With 300, it would have been unmanageable without this system. Now, everything is logged, so we don’t lose track of shifts, and it’s much easier to reconcile timesheets with clock-in and clock-out records. There's a clear record of who worked where and when and staff can now see their payment status online using the Locum’s Nest app, reducing the number of queries about pay.

Overall, Locum's Nest has given us much more control and transparency. It’s easier to verify who has worked and ensure they get paid on time, which has significantly reduced the stress and workload for my team.

Q4. Is there a particular feature of Locum's Nest that you find especially beneficial?

Absolutely. The biggest advantage for me is the quick and easy visibility of shift statuses. With the housekeeping WhatsApp group constantly buzzing with updates about staff absences, being able to scroll through and see which shifts are covered is invaluable. It's a real-time saver and provides peace of mind knowing where the gaps are.

Additionally, the system has allowed us to identify staff interests. For example, some staff members frequently apply for food service shifts even though they aren't trained in that area. This has led to conversations about training and growth opportunities, which is fantastic for staff development.

The transparency and traceability of applications are also important, for example, for fair opportunities for shifts. Now, we can review records and address any concerns objectively. It ensures fairness and helps manage expectations.

Also for the team, the ability to have multiple applications for shifts is a significant benefit. It's straightforward and quick, which was a major concern initially. They feared it would be too time-consuming, but they've found it quite the opposite. This ease of use has made a big difference.

Finally, the reduction in administrative burden, especially regarding timesheets, has been a game-changer. We no longer have to manage stacks of paper timesheets, and discrepancies can be resolved quickly with digital records. It's streamlined our processes and saved us a big chunk of time.

Q5. How was the process of getting everyone on board with a new system? 

Overall, it went smoothly. For catering, it was straightforward since it's a smaller group of about 30 people.

Housekeeping was a bit more challenging as it’s a much bigger team. Initially, there was some resistance to the change, which is natural. However, once we explained the benefits and showed everyone how the system works, the team adapted quickly. We assured the team that we would provide the necessary training and support, and this helped alleviate their concerns. As the team started using the system, they saw the advantages firsthand. For example, we now have people applying for shifts who wouldn't normally do so, simply because they can see all the available shifts online. This has significantly widened our pool of available staff.

Q6. So how do you stay on top of everything, the secret sauce to motivation amongst all the moving parts of your role?

I stay on top of everything thanks to the fantastic support I have from my team, the managers, supervisors and all staff members. While there's still some running around, I couldn't do it without them. Their dedication and hard work is what keeps everything running smoothly.

I love my job and thrive on the challenges it presents. When I was first approached about taking on the housekeeping team, I knew nothing about housekeeping, but I welcomed the challenge as it was an exciting new opportunity! We’ve got a big team and to manage this, we've divided responsibilities within the team. We have specialists for food service, cleaning, and training, ensuring that each area gets the attention it needs. This specialisation allows us to be more effective and efficient.

Ultimately, the best part of my job is the variety, the daily challenges keep me motivated and having a supportive team makes it all possible!

Q7. And lastly, totally unrelated to anything above, what is a smell that makes you feel joyful or at peace?

This is a very catering answer, but the smell of freshly baked cookies brings me joy. There's nothing better than that first blast of aroma when they open the oven. It's the best part of the day, and while I can't always eat them, the smell alone is enough to make me happy.

Thank you very much to Eimear for taking the time to share her valuable insights on managing Facilities Support Services. For more updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses, be sure to follow the ASPH catering team on X @cateringasph. Fair warning: their posts are known to induce serious hunger pangs!

Stay tuned for our next blog!