Ambulance Care Assistant - Hampshire

The Methodist Church in Britain; West Boldon; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full training

Up to 33 days holiday plus bank

NHS Pension Scheme

Career development

Wellbeing support

NHS discounts

Staff networking group

Union representation

Job summary

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Ambulance Care Assistant to transport patients to and from medical appointments. The role focuses on safe lifting, dignified care, and reassuring individuals, including those with dementia or life-limiting illnesses.

Shifts run on a 37.5-hour pattern; training is provided and opportunities exist to progress to frontline or team leader roles within the Trust.

Qualifications

• GCSE grade C/4 or above in Maths or English, or equivalent, or demonstrable experience.
• Previous customer service experience.
• Able to follow clinical and safety guidelines when assisting patients.

Responsibilities

• Take patients to and from medical appointments with dignity.
• Lift, move and assist patients using wheelchairs and stretchers.
• Drive a long wheel-base vehicle safely and legally.
• Plan journeys around appointment times and routes.
• Complete patient records and incident reports accurately.

Skills

Communicate effectively

Safe driving

Dementia care awareness

Teamwork

Education

GCSE Maths or English Grade C/4+

Tools

Terrafix / mobile devices

Job description

This Ambulance Care Assistant post with South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is a patient transport role carrying people to and from medical appointments. The work centres on driving and lifting patients safely, and giving reassurance to people living with dementia or life-limiting illness. Shifts run from 05:30 to midnight on a full-time 37.5-hour pattern, and the role can lead on into frontline, team leader or corporate posts. Physical fitness is essential, and visa sponsorship is not available.

What the job involves

• Take patients to and from medical appointments, treating them with dignity
• Lift, move and help patients into vehicles using wheelchairs, stretchers and carry chairs
• Drive a long wheel-base manual vehicle safely, complying with road traffic law
• Plan journeys around appointment times and routes
• Carry out daily vehicle checks and record any defects
• Give ambulance nursing within training, including oxygen under clinical guidelines
• Risk assess how to move each patient, taking account of medical and cultural needs
• Communicate with patients, colleagues and health services
• Complete patient records, incident reports and other documentation accurately and on time
• Cover shifts as directed through the PTS rota
• Take part in major incident response and other operational duties as directed
• Complete required training and work to the Ambulance Competency Framework and appraisal scheme

What’s required

Qualifications

• GCSE grade C/4 or above in Maths or English, or equivalent, or demonstrable experience

Experience

• Previous customer service experience

Skills & knowledge

• Communicate effectively aurally, orally and in writing
• Use communication and computerised systems such as Terrafix and mobile phones

Checks & eligibility

• Full manual UK driving licence with no more than 3 speeding points and no drink or drug offences
• Right to work in the UK without needing visa sponsorship

Other

• Physically fit to lift and move patients
• Pass a pre-employment fitness assessment
• Able to complete an interview
• Show how you meet the person specification in your application

Nice to have

• Evidence of self-development, CPD or a portfolio
• Previous patient care experience
• Previous shift working experience
• Previous NHS experience
• Basic knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, such as a biology qualification
• Geographical knowledge of the Eastleigh, Basingstoke and Portsmouth operational area
• Demonstrable experience as an ambulance care assistant
• Previous professional manual handling experience

What’s offered

• Full training and access to courses
• Up to 33 days holiday plus bank holidays, pro rata
• NHS Pension Scheme
• Career development within the trust and wider NHS
• Occupational health and wellbeing support
• NHS discounts in over 200 stores
• Membership of the staff networking group
• Access to trade union representation through Unison, Unite, GMB and RCN