Healthcare Assistant

Recovery Focus; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 27d

Pension 4.5%

Life cover 3x salary

Sick pay

Birthday leave

Professional fees reimbursement

GP access 24/7

Recognition awards

Refer a friend £500

Cycle to work

Blue Light discounts

Will writing service

Job summary

Waythrough is seeking a Healthcare Assistant to support the clinical team in delivering high-quality care and health interventions. You will work in a multidisciplinary setting, contributing to assessments and care planning while promoting harm reduction and patient safety.

The role requires compassion, reliability and the ability to work independently or as part of a team. Willingness to learn delegated clinical procedures is essential, with emphasis on confidentiality and infection control.

Qualifications

• Maths and English qualifications.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements.
• Knowledge of infection prevention and control principles.
• Awareness of challenges of drug and alcohol misuse.
• Ability to carry out delegated clinical procedures after training.
• Strong communication, organisational, and record-keeping skills.

Responsibilities

• Support service user care plans, assessments, and clinical reviews.
• Undertake clinical procedures within your training level (observations, vaccination, ECGs, etc.).
• Monitor and support community detoxification programmes.
• Deliver harm reduction advice and overdose prevention.
• Support Hepatitis C testing and referrals.
• Conduct healthcare assessments for service users.
• Work across outreach services and community interventions.
• Maintain clean, safe clinical environments and infection control.
• Record service user information accurately and maintain confidentiality.
• Support clinical audits and service improvement.

Skills

Maths and English qualifications

Good IT skills

Confidentiality & data protection

Awareness of drug & alcohol misuse

Strong communication & record-keeping

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Health & Social Care

Job description

Healthcare Assistant

Location: Recovery Steps Cumbria - Carlise & Penrith

Working Hours: 37 Hours
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £25,877.80 - £34,240.03

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band.

About Waythrough

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England.

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change.

As a Healthcare Assistant, you will support the clinical team in delivering high-quality care and health interventions to service users. Working within a multidisciplinary environment, you will provide practical healthcare support, contribute to assessments and care planning, promote harm reduction, and help individuals improve their overall health and wellbeing. You will play an important role in ensuring service users receive safe, person-centred care while maintaining high standards of confidentiality, professionalism, and infection control.

Key Duties

• Support service user care plans, assessments, and clinical reviews.
• Undertake clinical procedures within your level of training and competency, including health observations, venepuncture, vaccinations, ECGs, and Fibroscans.
• Monitor and support community alcohol detoxification programmes.
• Deliver harm reduction advice, including overdose prevention, wound care awareness, and naloxone education.
• Support Hepatitis C testing and referrals for treatment.
• Conduct healthcare assessments for new and existing service users.
• Work across outreach services, needle and syringe programmes, and other community-based interventions.
• Maintain clean, safe clinical environments and follow infection prevention and control procedures.
• Accurately record service user information and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Support clinical audits and contribute to continuous service improvement.

About You

You are a caring, compassionate, and proactive individual with a genuine desire to support vulnerable people and improve health outcomes. You are comfortable working both independently and as part of a team, with the ability to manage clinical tasks safely and professionally.

You will ideally have:

• Maths and English qualifications.
• NVQ Level 2 in Health & Social Care (or equivalent).
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• An understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements.
• Knowledge of infection prevention and control principles.
• The ability to carry out delegated clinical procedures following training and competency assessment.
• Awareness of the challenges associated with drug and alcohol misuse and the impact on individuals and communities.
• Strong communication, organisational, and record-keeping skills.

Desirable:

• Training in phlebotomy and vaccination administration.
• Experience using clinical databases or electronic patient record systems.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)
• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%
• Life assurance (3× annual salary)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay
• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave
• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications
• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme
• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals
• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus
• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership
• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good
• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year

Inclusion and accessibility

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support.

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email our recruitment team: [e-mail]

Closing Date:

2026-11-02