Apprentice Senior HCA Support Worker (Theatres)

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Newcastle upon Tyne; Sur place; GBP 21 000 - 24 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Apprentice Senior HCA Support Worker for the Cardiothoracic Theatres at Freeman Hospital. The role offers a structured apprenticeship with progression from Band 2 to Band 3 on successful completion.

You will assist with theatre preparation, intra-operative duties and ward-based support, with full training provided. The position involves shift work in a 24/7 department with potential on-call commitments.

Qualifications

• Be aged 18 or over and eligible to work in the UK.
• Provide evidence of required English and maths qualifications when applying.
• Experience in a healthcare environment is advantageous but not essential.

Responsabilités

• Assist with preparation and setup of theatres for operating lists.
• Contribute to administrative, clinical, cleaning and housekeeping duties.
• Act as floor circulator and assist scrub practitioner.
• Participate in surgical counts and instrument checks.
• Maintain high quality care and safe environment in line with policies.
• Maintain accurate patient records and ensure infection control standards.

Formation

GCSE English & Maths at Grades 9-4 or A*-C (Level 2)

GCSE English & Maths at Grades 3-2 or Level 1

Basic IT skills

Communication skills

Description du poste

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Apprentice Senior HCA Support Worker (Theatres)

The closing date is 02 November 2026

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a motivated, flexible and dynamic Apprentice Healthcare Assistant to work within Cardiothoracic Theatres at the Freeman Hospital.

Cardiothoracic Theatres comprises of 5 operating theatres that undertake all aspects of adult and paediatric cardiothoracic surgery, transplantation, ECMO, Ventricular assist devices and cardiothoracic emergencies.

Short listed candidates should possess current and relevant clinical skills, experience within cardiothoracic surgery is desirable as well as having already completed the Care Certificate via the Healthcare Academy.

• Interview Date Thursday 26 November 2026

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Main duties of the job

• Assist with the preparation and setting up of the theatres in readiness for the operating list
• Contribute to administrative, clinical, cleaning and housekeeping duties as required within the theatre department
• Act as a floor circulator within theatres and support the scrub practitioner
• Actively participate in surgical counts and checking of surgical instruments
• ensuring high quality care and a safe environment for patients, ensuring that working practices conform to theatres, trust policies and procedures
• Maintain accurate and legible records of care in line with trust policy
• Maintain a culture in which infection control is intrinsic to care delivery and is monitored in line with trust policy.

Successful applicants will work under the direction of a Registered Nurse/ODP to perform a range of delegated clinical duties and assist in the safe care of patients within the intra-operative environment. You will assist with the preparation and setting up of the theatres in readiness for the operating list and contribute to administrative, clinical, cleaning and housekeeping duties as required.

About us

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:

• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Freeman Hospital
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.

For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Job responsibilities

Apprenticeship PostsYou will need to be able to meet all the eligibility requirements as prescribed by the apprenticeship criteria to undertake the role.

To be eligible for an apprenticeship you must:

• Be aged 18 or over (due to the nature of the shifts and role)
• Have the right to work and remain in the UK.
• Have lived in the UK for at least 3 years.
• Provide original evidence of required English and maths qualifications.

Further information:

• You will not be considered if you have an equivalent or higher qualification in the same or a very similar subject.
• You must not be engaged in any other funded training or education programme.
• We cannot sponsor applicants during or on successful completion of the apprenticeship so please ensure you meet visa status eligibility.
• We cannot accept applications from student visa applicants.

Further details can be found on the UK Government website.

Experience of working in theatres would be an advantage but not essential as full training will be provided however knowledge of working in a health care setting would beadvantageous. You will need to have a willingness to learn with excellent communication skills, IT skills will beadvantageous. The department works 24/7 with various shift patterns in place; this role may require a commitment to on call.

The successful applicants will remain a Band 2 for the duration of the apprenticeship. Upon successful completion of apprenticeship will progress to Band 3.

Job Purpose

• Throughout the apprenticeship the post holder will gain experience working in the Team within the Trust
• The successful candidate will develop the required skills to assist the Registered Practitioners and Assistant Practitioners in the day to day delivery of patient care in the Peri-operative setting, to ensure a consistently high quality service to the Trust
• The successful candidate will complete the Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship within 18 to 24 months. (Upon successful completion of the Apprenticeship Band 3 is granted)
• To abide by Trust policies and procedures.
• Maintain patients privacy and dignity at all times and provide care in a compassionate and sensitive manner.
• Be an effective part of the multi-disciplinary team contributing to the departmental objectives.
• Contribute to housekeeping and other departmental duties as required, eg general tidiness, pre-determined stock levels are met and clinical equipment is clean, working and stored correctly.
• Assist with administrative and clerical duties as required.

Person Specification

Apprentice Band 3 Meets All Criteria

• Ability to carry out routine elements of assessment to enhance the patient journey, following an initial assessment by a Registered Practitioner.
• Understanding of confidentiality
• Basic IT skills
• Engage positively in all education and assessment activities related to the apprenticeship framework
• Ability to initiate emergency action when required e.g. Cardiac arrest, Fire
• Ability to plan, prioritise own and delegated work tasks and activities
• English and Maths at Level 1 or equivalent (GCSE 3-2, or D-E or Functional/Key Skills at Level 1)
• An understanding of confidentiality issues
• Previous work experience in a healthcare environment
• English and Maths at level 2 or equivalent (GCSE 9-4 or A*- C or functional skills level 2)

JD & PS Apprentice Band 2 to Band 3

• Basic IT skills
• GCSEs in English and Maths at Grades 3-2 (or D-E or Level 1 Functional/Key Skills)
• An understanding of confidentiality issues
• Previous work experience in a healthcare environment
• GCSEs in English and Maths at Grades 9-4 (or A*-C or Level 2 Functional/Key Skills)

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.

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust