Apprenticeship and Trainee Healthcare Support Worker
Job Description
Job summary
Start a new rewarding career in 2025 as a Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) at University Hospital Bristol and Weston (UHBW)!
Are you new to health care and looking for a training and development post leading to a Senior HCSW role?
Working as a HCSW at UHBW is an immensely rewarding job. UHBW is more than a workplace, it is a community. Be part of an organization that offers stability and career development opportunities.
No matter your background, this is your opportunity to start a fulfilling career that truly matters. We are looking for enthusiastic, compassionate and hard-working individuals that also believe in our Trust Values: Supportive, Respectful, Innovative & Collaborative.
Previous care experience is not essential, but a kind caring nature and excellent communication skills are required. You will also need to have the desire and dedication to study, learn and grow in a healthcare environment.
We offer two training pathways to a Senior HCSW role:
1. Level 3 Apprentice HCSW is a 27 month apprenticeship. To be shortlisted for this role, it would be desirable to have Maths and English qualifications at GCSE A*-C / 4-9 or Functional Skills Level 2 or equivalent.
2. Trainee Senior HCSW is a Band 2 to Band 3 development role for candidates who have a level 3 qualifications (e.g. A levels, NVQ Level 3) as well as the Maths & English qualifications at GCSE A*- C or equivalent.
Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for these posts.
Main duties of the job
This advert is for HCSW roles working with adult patients based in Bristol only. If you are interested in working in Weston or the Children's hospital, please apply to the relevant advert. It is essential that you are able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service. The service provides support over a 24 hour period, 7 days per week, and 52 weeks a year. You will need to be able to work long shifts (12.5 hours) on week days, weekends, evenings, nights and bank holidays where needed.
You will be involved with direct patient care whilst maintaining the privacy and dignity of adult patients. Working alongside a registered Nurse to provide the essentials of nursing care, helping your patients (both male and female) with daily living tasks, including washing, going to the toilet (hygiene & continence) or helping with their meals (nutrition).
Helping with mobility needs and providing pressure area care.
Providing emotional support to patients and their families.
One to one observation for patients who present a high risk due to clinical condition.
Ensuring that the ward environment is clean and safe.
When you become a senior HCSW you will also be taking and recording patients' vital signs, identifying and escalating changes to a patient's condition to the registered nurse.
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 15,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England.
UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job responsibilities
If you meet the essential criteria, your application will be shortlisted and you will be invited to our monthly assessment centres.
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
- Able to complete appropriate documentation accurately
- Demonstrate an awareness of healthcare work and policies and procedures
- Committed to providing high quality patient care
- Ability to work with minimum supervision to a high standard
- IT skills, basic word, Email, keyboard skills
- Ability and willingness to undertake appropriate training within given time frames
- Flexible and adaptable to change, able to work a range of shifts and moving across wards/unit dependant on clinical need
- Able to demonstrate calm, caring patient manner / attitude
- Enthusiasm and commitment to working within the healthcare setting
- Able to meet the physical and developmental demands of the role
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing care in a healthcare or social setting
- Be able to work as a member of a team
- Experience of time management and prioritising work
- Understands and committed to a caring approach to patients & relatives
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- One of the following; Level 3 (SCQF - 6): - City and Guilds 3 ? NVQ 3 ? BTEC National Diploma ? Experience equivalent to the above qualifications
- Level 2 Functional skills in English and Math's, or equivalent
- Completion of Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support (that maps to the Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Health Care Support Worker) ? Equivalent experience
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Address
Bristol Royal Infirmary
Upper Maudlin St
Bristol
BS2 8BJ
