Neonatal Health Care Support Worker

George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust; Nuneaton; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable healthcare provider in Nuneaton is seeking a Neonatal Health Care Support Worker to assist the neonatal nursing team and support families with their newborns. The role requires effective communication, compliance with healthcare policies, and the ability to manage care effectively. Ideal candidates will have a caring approach, knowledge of safeguarding policies, and an eagerness to learn and develop in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Benefits

Inclusive work environment

Support for staff development

Statutory training and performance review process

Qualifications

• Experience working in a healthcare setting preferred.
• Familiarity with clinical documentation and compliance.
• Ability to understand and assist families with newborn care.

Responsibilities

• Assist in providing care to babies and families in a neonatal unit.
• Ensure compliance with healthcare policies and frameworks.
• Support families with infant feeding choices and hygiene needs.
• Participate in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of individuals.

Skills

Communication skills

Time management

Knowledge of safeguarding policy

Ability to support infant feeding

Team collaboration

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• The primary role of the Neonatal Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) is to assist, support and work in collaboration with the Neonatal Nurse and the wider multidisciplinary team to provide a safe and holistic approach to babies and their families.
• Ensure compliance with the Neonatal Support Worker Competency, Education, and Career Development Framework and the Maternity Support Worker Framework, supporting staff development and progression where appropriate.
• Assist with the admission, orientation and discharge of babies and their families.
• Ensure that all clinical documentation is accurately collected, updated, stored and filed in accordance with local information governance.
• Participate in tracking, obtaining and filing clinical records as required, under instruction and in line with local policy and guidance.
• Provide administrative support to the neonatal team.
• Manage own time effectively whilst prioritising care needs for babies and their families under the direction of the nurse.
• Convey an approachable and professional attitude to all babies and their families.
• Communicate effectively with families in all settings.
• Ensure that knowledge of local safeguarding policy and procedure is maintained.
• Maintain the working order of equipment, reporting any concerns, faults or breakages to the appropriate person in a timely manner.
• Report incidents or concerns using the local risk management reporting system and escalated appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Responsibly receive details of daily duties from the nurse, using own discretion when prioritising care under direction and supervision.
• Support babies during clinical procedures, including attending to personal hygiene needs as necessary.
• Support families in their choice of infant feeding and provide awareness of available options.
• Provide evidence‑based support, assistance and advice to mothers who are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
• Support and assist families with artificial feeding in line with local and national policy and guidance.
• Recognise and report any abnormal events or emergencies to the multidisciplinary team in a timely manner.
• Assist with the transportation of blood products if asked, following completion of appropriate training and competency and with awareness of storage requirements.
• Assist in neonatal hygiene needs with disposal of equipment following infection control policy and accurately document fluid balance.
• Undertake routine neonatal observations under supervision and escalated any deviations from the normal range in a timely manner.
• Observe the overall wellbeing of the newborn and escalated any concerns to the named nurse or multi‑professional team promptly.
• Provide practical support to new parents when caring for their newborn, promoting safety in both the hospital and home setting.
• Escort babies and their families between clinical areas as required.
• Undertake newborn blood spot screening following competency, ensuring consent from the mother prior to the procedure, and complete the relevant documentation in the neonatal records.
• Assist or perform capillary blood sampling tests, including blood glucose sampling, following competency.
• Assist with removal of dressings or cannula under direction of the nurse.
• Assist in the nutrition and hydration needs of babies, including oral feeding and nasogastric tube feeding.
• Assist the nurse in delivering babies' care, including promoting public health information and signposting families to local and national services.
• Provide discharge preparation support to families, including teaching practical skills relating to newborn care and health education.
• Ensure cleanliness of equipment in all clinical and non‑clinical areas, and assist the nurse in appropriately preparing for neonatal admission.
• Maintain adequate stock levels in all clinical settings, ensuring equipment availability and escalating any depletion of stock or resources in a timely manner.
• Give regular handover of care to the named midwife of all areas completed during practice.
• Recognise any deterioration in the mental and emotional wellbeing of families and respond appropriately, escalating to the named nurse.
• Be aware of child protection issues and refer concerns to a registered nurse.
• Be aware of current mental health policies and frameworks (e.g., Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Mental Health Act) and their impact on interventions.
• Be aware of perinatal mental health issues and the appropriate referral pathway, escalating concerns within the multi‑disciplinary team and the home or hospital setting.
• Identify own training and development needs.
• Aware of own professional limitations and develop practice through reflection, mentorship and appraisal.
• Attend all statutory and mandatory training as required.
• Participate in annual individual performance review process.
• Be conversant with the local infection control policy.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of individuals and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of our safe recruitment practice, all newly appointed staff must complete a Disclosure and Barring Service application.

In response to NICE guidance and to support the reduction of health harm from tobacco, the Trust has a smoke‑free site policy which applies to anyone on Trust sites. Staff who smoke will be supported to quit or not smoke while on Trust sites.

George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust is committed to creating and sustaining a positive and inclusive working environment for all our employees. We value everyone as an individual, taking pride in that we value employees, job applicants, students, volunteers, patients and visitors as people.