Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust offers an Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker role, providing on-the-job training to progress from Band 2 to Band 3. You will gain a Level 3 Healthcare qualification and Care Certificate during the programme.

The apprenticeship takes place at our hospital site in Southmead, with training days in our Learning and Research Centre. Start date is 2027-02-05 and the closing date is 2026-12-05.

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 or equivalent is essential.
• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in Health & Social Care is desirable.
• Experience in care role would be advantageous but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care under supervision.
• Assist patients with daily living tasks while maintaining privacy and dignity.
• Support registered practitioners in delivering nursing care and documenting care.
• Assist with feeding, mobility and basic health checks as required.

Skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Customer care skills

Team working

Patience

Physical fitness

Education

GCSE Maths & English (grade 4)

NVQ Level 2 or equivalent Health & Social Care

Job description

The Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker is a core member of the team delivering direct care to patients and supporting registered practitioners to deliver high-quality, compassionate health care to people in accordance with assessed needs and a care plan.

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 the 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.

Training

• This apprenticeship position is a Band 2 to Band 3 development role for candidates who have Level 2 Functional Skills (maths & English) and wish to begin an apprenticeship to gain a level 3 qualification in Senior Healthcare Support


• Experience in a care role would be an advantage but not essential


• If you have already completed a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, then this vacancy may not be suitable for you due to a duplication of content

On successful completion of your apprenticeship, you will gain:

• Senior Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship (Level 3)


• City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare


• Functional Skills Level 2 - maths and English (if applicable)

Apprenticeship Training will take place at our hospital site in Southmead. Off-the-job hours will be allocated at the start and include training days (1 day per month) in our Learning and Research Centre.

What happens at the end

• The ‘Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker’ training role supports ‘new to care’ candidates developing into a Band 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker role


• On successful completion of this apprenticeship, you could progress onto higher level apprenticeship opportunities, including the Student Nursing Associate or 4-year Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

Skills

• Communication skills


• IT skills


• Customer care skills


• Team working


• Patience


• Physical fitness

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths & English (grade 4) - essential


• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent Health & Social Care (grade Pass) - desired

Key details

• Wage: £24,465 a year


• Working week: Shift patterns across the weeks which may include evenings, nights and weekends. Exact days and shifts to be confirmed.


• Hours: 37.5 hours per week


• Duration: 1 Year 6 Months


• Start date: 2027-02-05


• Closing date: 2026-12-05


• Apprenticeship standard: Senior healthcare support worker (level 3)


• Training provider: SOUTH WEST ASSOCIATION OF TRAINING PROVIDERS LIMITED

About the employer

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 will create 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.