Apprentice Administrative Assistant

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 12,000 - 16,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is offering a Business Administrator apprenticeship over 15-18 months, providing training to achieve a Level 3 Business Administrator qualification. The programme is delivered in a blended model online and at our Learning and Research centre on the Southmead campus.

You will receive monthly lessons, 1:1 tutor support, access to a workplace mentor, and the End Point Assessment delivered by Innovate Awarding, with a Pass or Distinction.

Qualifications

• Prior clerical or administrative experience (not necessarily NHS specific).
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Excellent IT and keyboard skills—Outlook 365/ all Microsoft packages.

Responsibilities

• Providing high-quality administrative support, including handling correspondence, telephone enquiries, post, document scanning and the production of simple reports.
• Organising meetings, booking rooms, preparing agendas and papers, coordinating attendance, taking minutes and maintaining action logs.
• Identifying scheduling conflicts or administrative issues and escalating when necessary.
• Maintaining divisional records and data systems with GDPR compliance.
• Supporting roster administration for senior nursing staff and payroll deadlines.
• Assisting with HR activities, including minute-taking for investigations and confidential documentation.

Skills

Good communication

IT skills

workload management

Education

GCSE Maths & English (Grade C/4)

Tools

Outlook 365

Job description

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

Experience

Essential criteria

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

You will complete the Business Administrator apprenticeship which is a 15-18 month learning programme consisting of:

• 15-month training and support to develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to gain a Level 3 Business Administrator qualification.
• We are a registered training provider here at Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and as such your learning is delivered in a blended model both online and at our Learning and Research centre on our Southmead campus.
• You will be supported to complete monthly lessons, assignments, skills assessments and 1:1 support with a dedicated tutor/assessor.
• You will have access to a workplace mentor to support you to put your learning into practice.
• The End Point Assessment delivered by Innovate Awarding – graded Pass or Distinction.

Eligibility

• Over the age of 16
• Have lived in the UK/EEA for the past 3 years.
• Have the right to work and reside in the UK.
• Not be currently working towards any other government funded training programme.
• Hold GCSE Maths and English at minimum of Grade C/4.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of a busy NHS division, supporting Senior Leaders and contributing to the delivery of high-quality healthcare services. No two days are the same. From coordinating meetings and maintaining key records to supporting projects and producing accurate documentation, you will play an important role in ensuring the smooth running of divisional operations.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities Include

• Providing high-quality administrative support, including managing correspondence, telephone enquiries, post, document scanning and the production and distribution of simple reports.
• Organising meetings, including booking rooms, preparing agendas and papers, coordinating attendance, taking accurate minutes and maintaining action logs.
• Identifying scheduling conflicts or administrative issues, taking appropriate action or escalating where necessary.
• Maintaining divisional records and data systems, ensuring information is accurate, up to date and handled in accordance with Trust policies, Information Governance requirements and GDPR.
• Supporting roster administration for senior nursing staff, ensuring records are maintained accurately and submitted within payroll deadlines.
• Providing administrative support to service improvement initiatives and divisional projects, including monitoring actions, maintaining documentation and coordinating meetings.
• Assisting with HR-related activities, including supporting investigations and formal meetings through minute-taking and administration of confidential documentation.
• Managing and prioritising a busy workload, using initiative to resolve routine issues and contribute to the continuous improvement of administrative processes and services.
• Maintaining confidentiality, professionalism and high standards of customer service whilst supporting the Senior Management Team and wider Division.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. 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.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. 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.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

• GCSE in English Language and Maths grade A-C (Grade 4 and above) or equivalent level

Desirable criteria

• ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence)
• Typing qualification

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Excellent IT and keyboard skills- Outlook 365/ all Microsoft packages
• Ability to manage workload, organise tasks and meet deadlines with minimal supervision

Desirable criteria

• Familiarity with use of NHS systems such as Trac, Allocate/rosters, Power BI
• The ability to use AI/Copilot tools efficiently

Experience

• Prior clerical or administrative experience (not necessarily NHS specific)
• Experience handling confidential or sensitive information in accordance with GDPR
• Experience supporting with meeting management, including managing dairy entries, preparing papers, upkeeping action logs, minuting.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in a healthcare setting
• Experience supporting project work or data entry

Personal qualities

• Excellent organisational skills
• Prioritising own workload and working to tight deadlines
• Professional and polite manner
• Reliable, motivated and able to use own initiative

Application Information

• 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 to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.