Healthcare Assistant

Kent Community Health Nhs Foundation Trust; Aylesford; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Band 3 Health Care Assistant to join our Urgent Care Services. You will work with Nurses and Therapists to deliver short-term health, therapy and care support to patients in the community, enabling independence and safe discharge from hospital.

The role offers varied clinical tasks, driving to meet needs, and participation in rehabilitation and assessment processes.

Qualifications

• Customer-focused approach to care.
• Ability to use IT systems and databases.
• Ability to signpost clients to alternative services.
• Full UK/EU driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Baseline observations
• Glucose monitoring
• Urinalysis
• Wound care
• Equipment provision
• Falls prevention interventions
• Support patients to increase independence and rehabilitation goals
• Deliver prescribed care packages and participate in ongoing assessment and evaluation of patient care

Skills

Customer focus

IT literacy

Clinical knowledge

Communication skills

Education

QCF Level 3 / NVQ3 / BTEC in healthcare

Recent healthcare experience

Full UK/EU driving licence

Job description

Closing date: 12 November 2026
Band: Band 3
Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year pro rata per annum
Working pattern: Full-time
Contract: Permanent

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare or working on the Staff Bank within these organisations. Nursing and AHP vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses/AHPs.

Are you passionate about helping people remain independent in their own homes and avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

As part of our Urgent Care Services team, you will play a vital role in providing short-term health, therapy and care support to people across the community. Working alongside Nurses, Therapists and other healthcare professionals, you will help deliver personalised care to patients who are acutely unwell, recovering from illness or injury, or transitioning home following a hospital stay.

This rewarding role offers a diverse workload where you will support individuals to achieve their goals, regain confidence and maximise their independence. From monitoring health needs and supporting rehabilitation programmes to assisting with activities of daily living, you will make a meaningful difference to the lives of patients and their families every day. If you enjoy building relationships, problem solving and seeing the positive impact of your care, you'll thrive in this dynamic and supportive team.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop and utilise a wide range of clinical and rehabilitation skills as part of a multi‑professional team. Working under the guidance of Nurses and Therapists, you will deliver elements of prescribed care packages while contributing to the ongoing assessment, implementation and evaluation of patient care.

• baseline observations
• glucose monitoring
• urinalysis
• wound care
• equipment provision
• falls prevention interventions

following competency-based training. You will also support patients to increase their independence with everyday activities and, where appropriate, assist with delivering individual and group‑based therapeutic interventions.

We're looking for someone who is compassionate, motivated and committed to providing high‑quality patient‑centred care. In return, you'll gain valuable experience across a broad range of clinical settings, work alongside experienced professionals and be part of a service that helps people stay safely at home, recover well and achieve the best possible outcomes.

About us

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is currently undertaking a significant programme of transformation to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated 'Outstanding' by CQC, we deliver high‑quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.

We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.

Job responsibilities

As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non‑EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [e-mail], quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non‑clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Good luck! We can't wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• You will need to have a customer focussed approach
• Provide patients, clients and their families with the best possible experience
• You will need to be able to use IT systems and databases
• You will have the skill to focus on the details with the ability to spot problems. You will know when you are within your own limits and when to elevate
• You will have knowledge of up to date clinical practice by using up-to‑date skills and adhering to evidence‑based procedures and clinical effectiveness frameworks. You will fully understand the role and remit of a health care worker.
• You will understand where to signpost clients and families to alternative services to support behaviour change and improve health

Desirable

• Having an awareness of developments within the NHS would be an advantage.

Qualifications, training and experience
Essential

• You will have either: A Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 3. This could be an NVQ Level 3 apprenticeship, BTEC or equivalent international qualification in healthcare. Or you will be able to demonstrate the equivalent level of experience.
• You'll need to have recent experience of healthcare/ working as a health care assistant gained through education, work experience or previous employment
• Full UK/EU driving licence

Desirable

• You may also have the Care Certificate, but if not, we will support you to achieve this within the first 3 months of starting

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details

Employer name: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Trinity House, Ashford, TN25 4AZ, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/

For questions about the job, contact:

Business Support Manager, Renee Dunford, [e-mail]