As a career coaching professional with over 25 years’ experience, I’m often asked how to craft the perfect CV to secure a role in the NHS. One of the roles that plays a vital part in the hospital environment is the Hospital Porter. A Hospital Porter supports the movement of patients, equipment, medical supplies, and materials around hospital wards, departments and clinics. National Careers Service+1 Typical duties include transferring patients between wards and departments, delivering meals and clean linen, disposing of clinical waste, moving furniture and medical equipment safely, and delivering records, samples and pharmacy supplies. National Careers Service+1 In terms of salary, many NHS hospital porter roles fall under Band 2 of the Agenda for Change pay scale, with salaries around £21,000-£24,000 a year depending on location and shift enhancements. NHS Scotland Jobs+2NHS Jobs+2 Recognising the importance of this role—ensuring the smooth logistical operations of wards, supporting patient movement and hospital flow—is your first step to showcasing the value you bring.
Why this role matters and how to frame it in your CV
When you’re applying for a hospital porter job with the NHS or an NHS-contract partner, you must reflect the key requirements of the job description in your CV. The job description typically emphasises reliability, physical fitness, ability to work under pressure, excellent communication skills, teamwork and flexibility. Indeed+1 Because the role interacts with patients, establishes hospital flow and supports multi-department operations, the recruiter wants someone dependable, resilient and committed.
In your introductory profile statement on your CV, you should emphasise your understanding of the importance of patient safety, logistics and high-standards in a fast-moving hospital setting. Speak directly to the recruiter: you know that facilitating timely patient movement, supporting clinical colleagues, and ensuring equipment and linen are delivered correctly all contribute to a hospital’s ability to deliver excellent patient care.
CV Template Example – Structure & Content
Below is a suggested structure for your CV as you apply for a Hospital Porter position. Use it as a template and tailor each section to your own achievements and experience. I’ll also give you some phrasing suggestions.
1. Header
2. Professional Profile / Personal Statement
Write 3-4 lines summarising who you are, your key attributes and your aim. For example:
“Reliable and physically fit logistics support professional with experience in busy healthcare or industrial environments. Skilled at patient transfer, equipment movement and ward-based support, committed to high standards of patient care and safety. Seeking to apply my strong teamwork, communication and time-management skills as a Hospital Porter with [Trust Name].”
Ensure you include keywords: hospital porter, patient transfer, equipment movement, hospital logistics, teamwork, NHS. These become important for scanning and search-friendly CVs.
3. Key Skills / Core Competencies
List 6-8 bullet points of your core strengths, including both soft and hard skills. For example:
4. Professional Experience
List in reverse chronological order, including current/most recent job first. For each role include: job title, employer, location, dates (month/year), and 3-5 bullet points focusing on achievements and responsibilities. Use action verbs and measurable outcomes where possible. Example entry:
Hospital Support Assistant – XYZ Healthcare Ltd, London
Jan 2022 – Present
Tailor each bullet to reflect the key job description items: moving patients, delivering supplies, teamwork, hospital logistics and shift flexibility.
5. Education and Qualifications
List your relevant education (e.g., GCSEs, A-levels, Functional Skills) and any relevant training or certifications (e.g., manual handling, first aid, infection control, portering induction). For example:
6. Additional Information
Here you can highlight:
7. Closing Statement
Finish with a line reaffirming your aim:
“I am committed to delivering exceptional support in a hospital environment and look forward to contributing positively to your team at [Trust Name].”
Advice for Graduates
If you’re a recent graduate looking to apply for a hospital porter role, your strength may not lie in years of direct experience, but rather in transferable skills, enthusiasm, reliability and your ability to learn fast. In your Personal Statement, highlight any experience working in teams, customer service, volunteering, sports (to show fitness/stamina) or any role where you helped others. Use bullet points to show you have the core competencies: teamwork, communication, shift flexibility, reliability and physical fitness. Even if you’ve never moved a stretcher before, show you understand the hospital environment, the importance of patient flow, and you’re ready to learn.
Advice for Middle and Senior Management Applicants
If you’re already working in portering, logistics or hospital services and are aiming for a more senior role (for example Shift Supervisor Porter, Team Lead or Portering Services Coordinator), your CV needs to reflect leadership, process improvement, team supervision and operational control. In your Professional Profile highlight: “Experienced portering team lead with X years managing shift rota, training new porters, improving ward move efficiency, ensuring compliance with infection control and health & safety.” Use key achievements: “Reduced patient transfer delays by 20% through revised workflow” or “Implemented new equipment tracking system cutting move times by 30%”. Use keywords: team leadership, operational management, portering services, hospital logistics, NHS band 3/4 management. Also include experience of training staff, supervising rotas, liaising with clinical teams, handling budgets or resource planning if appropriate. Ensure the role you are applying for (even though it’s “porter” category) is clear that you bring management capability and are applying for a role that expects that higher level of responsibility.
General Tips – Do’s and Don’ts on a CV
✅ Do’s:
❌ Don’ts:
Encouraging Final Words
You’re aiming to present yourself as the candidate who can step into the busy environment of a hospital and be relied upon day in, day out. A well-structured CV demonstrating your understanding of hospital logistics, your flexibility, your reliability, your teamwork, and your commitment to patient care will help you stand out. Whether you’re a graduate, looking for your first role in the NHS, or already in the healthcare environment aiming for a more senior portering or logistics role, your CV is your first impression. Make it count.
If you’d like a personalised, interview-winning CV, or LinkedIn profile that truly reflects your value and gets the attention of recruiters at NHS Trusts, contact me today. I’m Jerry Frempong, your UK-based career coach of over 25 years. Let’s shape your future together.
Book an appointment now to have your CV and LinkedIn improved: https://www.cvlondon.net/book-an-appointment/
