Ambulance Care Assistants

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in Milton Keynes seeks compassionate and resilient Ambulance Care Assistants. This pivotal role involves driving patients, assisting with mobility, and ensuring safe and dignified transport to medical appointments. Candidates need a valid driving license for manual vehicles, physical fitness for patient support, and a commitment to training. Join a dedicated team that values patient care and enhances the patient experience during transport to healthcare facilities. Competitive benefits include generous holiday entitlement and NHS pension enrolment.

Benefits

27 days holiday entitlement, increasing with service

Automatic enrolment into NHS Pension Scheme

Occupational Health support

NHS discounts in over 200 stores

Access to professional development programs

Qualifications

• Physical fitness required to lift and move patients.
• Willingness to complete ongoing training and professional development.
• Valid driving license suitable for manual long wheel‑base vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Drive patients safely across Hampshire.
• Assist with mobility, including lifting patients into vehicles.
• Deliver exceptional care and customer service.
• Plan journeys considering appointment timings and routes.
• Perform daily vehicle checks.

Skills

Compassion

Resilience

Ability to lift and move patients

Effective communication

Driving skills for manual vehicles

Job description

We understand that some applicants may choose to use AI tools to assist with completing their application. While this is not against our guidelines, it is important that your application remains an accurate and honest reflection of your own skills, experience, and achievements. Please ensure that any content generated or supported by AI truly represents you and your capabilities, as this will form the basis of our assessment throughout the recruitment process.
Do you have the compassion to reassure a patient living with dementia on their way to a hospital appointment? Can you stay calm and focused when traffic threatens to delay your next collection? Are you resilient enough to support someone coping with a life‑limiting illness? If so, you could be the perfect fit for our team. Our Ambulance Care Assistants play a vital role in patient care, ensuring every journey is safe, comfortable, and dignified. You'll provide support and reassurance to patients travelling to and from hospital appointments, treating everyone with kindness and empathy. This is a hands‑on role that involves:

Responsibilities

• Driving patients safely across Hampshire
• Assisting with mobility, including lifting and helping patients into vehicles
• Delivering exceptional care and customer service
• Taking patients to and from medical appointments with dignity
• Moving and lifting patients who need help
• Driving a long wheel‑base vehicle with manual transmission
• Working shift work from 05:30 to midnight, both alone and with a colleague
• Full‑time role of 37.5 hours per week
• Planning journeys, considering appointment timings and routes to ensure an efficient service
• Performing daily vehicle checks (oil, water, fuel, tyre pressure, lights, warning devices)
• Entering vehicle defects into the defect book and recording on the computerised system
• Administering ‘ambulance nursing’ to a suitable skill level, including oxygen administration
• Using patient‑moving equipment such as stretchers, wheelchairs and secure systems
• Risk‑assessing patient moving procedures, considering medical and cultural needs
• Maintaining effective communication with patients, colleagues and services to provide an efficient service
• Operating communication systems supplied by the Trust
• Participating in the PTS rota to cover shifts and duties as required
• Completing induction and core skill training (First Aid, Core Driving, Conflict Management, etc.)
• Wearing and maintaining personal protective equipment following Trust policies
• Accurately recording information using computerised or hard‑copy systems, and submitting as required
• Completing incident reporting paperwork, including injuries to patient, self or vehicle
• Participating in the Trust’s response to major incidents and other operational duties
• Working in line with the Ambulance Competency Framework and appraisal scheme

Qualifications & Requirements

• Complete an interview and pre‑employment fitness assessment
• Demonstrate how you meet the Person Specification and embrace the values of SCAS in current or previous roles
• Show willingness to complete ongoing training and ongoing professional development
• Physical fitness required to lift and move patients
• No medical background necessary
• Ability to work flexible shift pattern, including weekends and nights
• Valid driving licence suitable for a manual long wheel‑base vehicle
• Commitment to following Trust policies, procedures and statutory duties

Benefits

• Holiday entitlement of 27 days, rising to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, plus an additional 8 bank‑holiday days (pro‑rata for part‑time)
• Automatic enrolment into the NHS Pension Scheme
• Access to continual professional development within SCAS and the wider NHS
• Occupational Health support and direct access to the Employee Assistance Programme and Health and Wellbeing Team
• NHS discounts in over 200 stores
• Ability to join staff networking groups as a member, ally or for interest

Corporate Induction

All new starters must attend the Corporate Induction in person. This induction is held over one and a half days from our educational centres in Newbury (Berkshire), Bicester (Oxfordshire) or Whiteley (Hampshire). Specific details will be sent once your start date has been confirmed. Depending on your role, additional training may follow the induction.

Equal Opportunity

We actively welcome job applications from candidates who have a disability or who are members of the BAME, LGBTQ+ and Armed Forces community, including Reservists, Veterans, Spouses and Cadets. Applicants who are eligible will be invited for interview and/or assessment where appropriate. Any requests for reasonable adjustments will be accommodated without prejudice.
We are proud to have a workforce that reflects the diverse community we serve.

We have two ACA courses in April and May from our Education centres in Whiteley and Newbury. If successful you will be added to a waitlist for pre‑employment checks and course placement. There are no deferral options for this opportunity. We ask candidates to review the detailed application instructions linked on scasjobs.co.uk/benefits. We aim to schedule interviews and fitness assessments for early February and anticipate a smooth and efficient recruitment process.