Healthcare Assistant - Paediatrics

Somerset Nhs Foundation Trust; South Cheriton; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

NHS pension scheme

Generous annual leave

Job summary

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Health Care Assistant to join the Paediatrics team at Yeovil District Hospital. You will work with nurses and the multidisciplinary team to deliver compassionate, child-centred care for patients aged 0-18, across ward and outpatient settings.

The role includes flexible shifts days/nights/weekends, with opportunities to support families and contribute to safeguarding and care planning within a busy paediatric service.

Qualifications

• Evidence of secondary education
• Numeracy and Literacy level 1
• Desirable: Basic Life Support
• Desirable: Care certificate

Responsibilities

• Assist nursing staff in the assessment, care and treatment of children and young people.
• Provide compassionate, family-centred care and support to families.
• Perform patient observations and take measurements as trained (temperature, BP, SpO2, etc.).
• Assist with feeding, hydration monitoring and accurate recording of intake/output.
• Maintain accurate patient records and ensure confidentiality.
• Support safeguarding and raise any concerns promptly.

Education

Evidence of secondary education

Numeracy and Literacy level 1

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for a caring, compassionate and motivated Health Care Assistant to join our Paediatrics team at Yeovil District Hospital. As an integral member of the ward and outpatient team, you will work alongside Registered Nurses and other healthcare professionals to provide high-quality care and support to babies, children and young people aged 0-18 years. You will play a vital role in supporting children and their families throughout their healthcare journey, helping to deliver safe, effective and patient-centred care. This rewarding role involves assisting with a wide range of clinical and non-clinical duties, ensuring patients' dignity, wellbeing and safety are maintained at all times. The post includes a flexible shift pattern covering days, nights, weekends and bank holidays in line with service requirements.

Main duties of the job

• Support Registered Nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team in delivering high-quality patient care.
• Assist children and young people with activities of daily living, ensuring privacy, dignity and comfort at all times.
• Undertake clinical observations including temperature, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, urinalysis, weight and height measurements, reporting findings appropriately.
• Provide emotional support and reassurance to children and families, including supporting patients during investigations and procedures.
• Assist with feeding, hydration monitoring and accurate recording of fluid intake and output.
• Support the delivery of care plans and promptly report any concerns or changes in a patient's condition.
• Maintain accurate patient records using both paper and electronic systems.
• Escort patients to departments such as X-ray and Theatre when required.
• Help maintain a safe, clean and welcoming environment for children and their families.
• Participate in safeguarding responsibilities, ensuring the welfare and protection of children and young people.
• Support the induction and supervision of new staff and students as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to promote outstanding patient care and positive patient experiences.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work. We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset?

Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London. The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Job responsibilities

As a Health Care Assistant within the Paediatrics Service, you will assist nursing staff in the assessment, care and treatment of children and young people with acute, chronic and complex healthcare needs. You will be responsible for providing compassionate, family-centred care while working within the scope of your competence and under the direction of Registered Nurses. The role includes supporting patients and families through potentially challenging and distressing situations, providing comfort, reassurance and age-appropriate distraction techniques. You will assist with a variety of clinical tasks, including patient observations, specimen collection, blood glucose monitoring, ECG recording, simple wound care, stoma care and other delegated duties following appropriate training. You will contribute to care planning by communicating effectively with patients, families and colleagues, ensuring accurate documentation and timely reporting of any concerns. Maintaining patient confidentiality and adhering to Trust policies and procedures will be an essential part of your role. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, a professional and respectful approach, and the ability to work effectively as part of a busy multidisciplinary team. You will need to be adaptable, organised and able to prioritise your workload while maintaining high standards of care. We welcome applications from individuals who have evidence of secondary education, numeracy and literacy skills, an understanding of healthcare environments and safeguarding principles, and a genuine commitment to providing outstanding care for children and young people. Previous experience working with children or within a healthcare setting would be beneficial. This is an excellent opportunity to join a dedicated team committed to delivering outstanding care and making a positive difference to the lives of children, young people and their families.

Qualifications

Essential

• Evidence of secondary education
• Numeracy and Literacy level 1

Desirable

• Basic life Support
• Care certificate

Experience

Essential

• N/A

Desirable

• Previous experience of working in a children's unit.

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Understanding of a health or social care setting.
• Basic knowledge of NHS legislation to include COSHH/Health and Safety/Infection
• Control/Clinical Waste Management/Manual Handling/Confidentiality and the Data Protection Act.
• Understanding of Safeguarding issues.

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.