Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust invites applicants for a Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship. You will work with a Registered Nurse to deliver essential nursing care while supporting patients with daily living tasks in a compassionate NHS setting.

Essentials include Level 2 NVQ/QCF in Healthcare, GCSE English and Maths, and the ability to work in the UK for the duration of the programme. Sponsorship is not available.

Qualifications

• Essential criteria include Level 2 NVQ/QCF Diploma in Healthcare or willingness to undertake training, with time frames.
• GCSEs in English and Mathematics are required.
• Applicants should be resident in the UK for three years prior to commencing the apprenticeship and have visa/right to work.
• No sponsorship for this position.

Responsibilities

• Work with a Registered Nurse to provide essential nursing care.
• Assist patients with daily living tasks while maintaining privacy and dignity.
• Monitor patients and perform basic health checks and routine observations.
• Document care provided to a high standard and communicate with the team.
• Support infection control procedures and ensure patient safety.

Skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Teamwork

Education

Level 2 NVQ/QCF Diploma in Healthcare

GCSE English

GCSE Mathematics

Job description

Qualifications/Training

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. Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role. 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

Are you looking to gain a prestigious Healthcare qualification whilst working?

You Should

• have been resident in the UK for three years prior to commencing the apprenticeship (as per the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA))
• be in possession of a visa or right to work covering the length of the apprenticeship programme
• have Level 2 Functional Skills (Maths & English)
• not already hold a level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care

Unfortunately we are not able to offer sponsorship on this position.

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job

Working As a Healthcare Support Worker, You Will Be Involved With Direct Patient Care Whilst Maintaining The Privacy And Dignity Of Patients. You Will Be Working Alongside a Registered Nurse To Provide Essential Nursing Care And Helping Your Patients With Daily Living Tasks Such As

• helping patients feel comfortable and move around
• monitoring patients and performing basic health checks
• washing, dressing patients and helping them go to the toilet
• serving meals and helping to feed patients
• documenting care provided to a high standard

Once progressed into a Senior HCW (Band 3) role, you will carry out a range of clinical duties with minimal/ no supervision, including for example, blood pressure monitoring, oxygen saturation levels, body temperature, pulse rate and respiration rate, glucose monitoring, collection and testing of urine samples / faecal samples / sputum samples and wound swabs ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care at all times. NB: this list is not exhaustive and will vary depending on area of work.

This apprenticeship training position will allow you to develop knowledge and skills, specific to your needs and your working area. As well as achieving a Level 3 Healthcare qualification, during your programme you will also be supported to obtain your Care Certificate, if not previously completed.

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

Please see the job description attached for a full list of role responsibilities.

Key Tasks Will Include

• Communicating with the team including participating in team safety briefs
• Ensuring good infection control procedures are being followed
• Supporting patients in their activities of daily living.
• Encouraging and supporting patients independance.
• Assisting with patient documentation
• Participating in all aspects of the patient’s care such as maintaining their privacy and dignity.
• Sitting and talking with patients.
• Helping ensure that patient safety is at the heart of all we do.

We offer excellent training pathways!

If you have no care experience - you will complete our Principles of Care induction programme, which includes the Care Certificate. You will commence your Senior Healthcare Support Worker development programme once you have sufficent experience and are ready to learn the clinical skills required for this role. This will be a minimum of 5 months into your career at NBT*.

If you have at least 6 months care experience - on starting with us, you will go through a Senior Healthcare Support development programme. The length of this training will be determined by your experience, qualifications and readiness to perform clinical duties, but could be in little as 8 weeks*.

• You will need full support from the L&D Team and your line manager to be progressed to the role of Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Person specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential criteria

• Level 2 NVQ/ QCF Diploma in Healthcare or willingness to undertake appropriate training & qualifications within given time frames
• GCSE A*- D, or equivalent in English
• GCSE A* - D, or equivalent in Mathematics

Work Experience

Essential criteria

• Be able to work as a member of a team
• Experience of time management and prioritising work

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a health or social care setting

Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
• IT skills, basic word, Email, keyboard skills
• Ability to work with minimum supervision to a high standard

• 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.

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.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

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.