Healthcare Support Worker - medical and surgical specialties

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust; Royal Tunbridge Wells; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is seeking compassionate Healthcare Support Workers to enhance patient care in medical and surgical specialties. This role offers a comprehensive training program, career development opportunities, and the chance to work within a dynamic healthcare environment. Applicants should be dedicated to providing high-quality care and may start at Band 2 or Band 3 based on their qualifications.

Benefits

27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays

Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme

Blue Light card eligibility

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Essential to hold a Care Certificate or join at Band 2 initially.
• Experience in a caring environment preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills required.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with essential patient care, ensuring comfort and dignity.
• Monitoring and recording vital signs.
• Providing catheter care and specimen collection.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal Skills

Basic ICT Skills

Education

Nationally approved Care Certificate

NVQ/Diploma level 3 in Healthcare

Functional skills in English and maths at level 2

Job description

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Healthcare Support Worker - medical and surgical specialties, Royal Tunbridge Wells

Client:

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

Location:

Royal Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

EU work permit required:

Yes

Job Reference:

c1457639db74

Job Views:

5

Posted:

02.06.2025

Expiry Date:

17.07.2025

Job Description:

Job overview

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is pleased to announce exciting opportunities for individuals to join our dedicated nursing teams as Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs).

Who We Are Looking For

We welcome applications from individuals who:

• Are committed to delivering high-quality patient care
• Have some healthcare experience and wish to develop their career within the NHS

Care Certificate Requirement

Applicants who hold a Nationally Approved Care Certificate may join at Band 3. Those without a Care Certificate will initially join at Band 2 and will be required to complete the certificate within six months.

Please Note

• We are not currently recruiting for Paediatric or Midwifery services.
• This is a face-to-face event
• Walk-in applications will not be accepted on the day.
• We are unable to offer certificates of sponsorship for Band 2 Healthcare Assistant/Support Worker roles, as they do not meet the UK Visas and Immigration criteria.

Main duties of the job

Healthcare Support Workers play a vital role in delivering frontline patient care. Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting with essential patient care, ensuring comfort and dignity
• Monitoring and recording vital signs
• Providing urinary catheter care and specimen collection
• Supporting the wider clinical team in delivering high standards of care

This role provides an excellent foundation for those aspiring to progress into Registered Nursing, Nursing Associate, or Allied Health Professional roles within the NHS.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a supportive, inclusive, and diverse team that upholds the Trust’s core PRIDE values.
• Benefit from professional development opportunities and career progression pathways.
• Gain hands-on experience in a dynamic healthcare environment.
• [Hear directly from our team in this video.](HCSW recruitment MTW - YouTube)

Application Guidance

To apply, please ensure your supporting statement includes:

·Your understanding of the importance of Healthcare Support Workers in delivering patient care

·The personal qualities and skills you bring to the role

·A full employment and education history

If you are committed to delivering high-quality care and are eager to build a career in healthcare, we encourage you to apply and become part of our dedicated team.

Working for our organisation

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?

We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)

All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date has been agreed.

Following your corporate induction, you will attend the Trust’s Clinical Induction Programme for Healthcare Support Workers, which starts on the first day of employment. The programme is full-time, lasts for two weeks, and involves travelling to both Trust sites. It includes two supernumerary shifts in the clinical area (an early and a late shift), with all other days being classroom-based from 9am to 5pm.

Please note, we are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for Band 2 healthcare support worker roles as they do not meet the UK Visas and Immigration criteria.

Please find below a link to the government website for eligibility criteria:

Person specification

Qualifications

• Nationally approved Care Certificate (completed in the healthcare setting)
• Hold an NVQ/Diploma level 3 in Healthcare or level 3 Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship or equivalent experience
• Functional skills in English and maths at level 2 or GCSE grades A*/9 – C/4

Experience

• Experience of dealing with the public
• Experience of working in a caring environment, either in health, social, or voluntary services

Skills

• Able to communicate accurately and effectively with patients and colleagues, verbally and in writing
• Can understand and communicate factual information accurately
• Good interpersonal skills
• Basic ICT skills
• Able to deal with the public in person and on the telephone
• Able to support and reassure patients and their families/carers
• Able to follow instructions and complete assigned tasks
• Able to deliver patient care under the indirect supervision of the Registered Nurse
• Can demonstrate practical skills to others