Healthcare Support Worker - Colchester | East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Colchester is seeking Senior/Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) to provide high-quality patient care and embark on a career in healthcare. The role offers pathways for career progression into nursing and allied health professions, with flexible training and development opportunities. Applicants must attend an Assessment Day on 20th November 2025 and be prepared to start by 2nd February 2026.

Benefits

Generous pension scheme

27 days annual leave

NHS discounts

Health and Wellbeing programme

Qualifications

• 18 years or older to commence work due to shift requirements.
• Ability to provide references covering the last three years.
• Satisfactory DBS check and meet Occupational Health requirements.

Responsibilities

• Attend an Assessment Day at Colchester on 20th November 2025.
• Commit to a start date of Monday, 2nd February 2026 for HCSW Academy starters.
• Provide high-quality patient care.

Skills

Patient care

Communication

Shift work

Job description

Role Overview

Are you passionate about patient care and looking to start or develop your career in healthcare? We are recruiting Senior/Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) at Bands 2 & 3, offering fantastic opportunities for career progression into nursing, allied health professions, or specialist areas such as theatres.

Our recruitment approach focuses on supporting your professional growth through Apprenticeship programmes that develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to deliver high-quality patient care.

We have opportunities across all areas of the Trust, and we welcome applications from individuals with or without prior healthcare experience who are eager to build a career in the NHS.

Recruitment Pathways

Our assessment day is designed to establish your skills and experience, and to signpost you to the right pathway. If successful you will be offered one of the following pathways:

• Recruitment to band 3 for those with relevant previous experience and/or qualifications, and the opportunity to complete a level 3 apprenticeship
• Recruitment to band 2 to upskill you into clinical care, and the opportunity to complete either a level 3 apprenticeship, or join our level 2 HCSW Academy
• Recruitment to a band 2 in our HCSW Academy for those new to care or with little prior experience (Please see attached Apprentice Flyer)

Requirements

Applicants must be able to meet & provide the following:

• Attend an Assessment Day at Colchester - 20th November 2025 (location TBC)
• HCSW Academy Starters will need to commit to a start date of Monday, 2nd February 2026
• Have residency status that allows you to work. Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for these roles.
• Meet pre‑employment requirements including ability to provide references to cover the last three years / satisfactory DBS check & Occupational Health requirement
• As you will be working shifts including nights you must be 18 or older at commencement

About ESNEFT

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

Benefits and Support

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offers a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (e‑PR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best e‑PR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

Additional Information

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

This advert closes on Wednesday 12 Nov 2025