Palliative Care Assistant - Specialist Community Nursing Team

NHS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A major healthcare provider in Greater London is seeking a compassionate Palliative Care Assistant to support patients with life-limiting conditions in their homes. The ideal candidate will possess understanding of caregiving challenges, effective communication skills, and a commitment to ongoing learning. Responsibilities include assessing patient needs, building relationships with families, and collaborating with the multidisciplinary team. Comprehensive benefits and competitive salary in line with NHS standards are offered.

Benefits

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Pension scheme with employer contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Discounts in Trinity shops

Qualifications

• Willingness to learn new skills and adapt.
• Experience in caregiving and community care.
• Ability to recognize patient condition changes.

Responsibilities

• Support patients in their homes with life-limiting conditions.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and the multidisciplinary team.
• Use observation skills to assess patient and family needs.

Skills

Understanding of life-limiting illness challenges

Effective communication skills

Electronic record keeping

Education

Care Certificate (or commitment to complete)

Full driving license

Job description

Palliative Care Assistant - Specialist Community Nursing Team

Salary: AfC Band 3 £30,546 - £32,207 pa (inclusive of HCA) dependentonexperience

Hours: 37.5 hours/week

Length of Tenure: Permanent

Interview Date: Monday 19 January 2026

Royal Trinity Hospice provides specialist palliative care in the community across central and southwest London. Our specialist community nursing team supports patients with life-limiting conditions and specialist palliative care needs wherever they call home.

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Palliative Care Assistant (PCA) to join our team. PCAs play a vital role in supporting the team with the assessment, review and support of patients and families on the community caseload. They act as the eyes and ears of the registered clinicians responsible for the patient caseload and visit patients independently or jointly with the registered clinicians.

Main duties of the job

• Use listening and observation skills to identify patient and family needs
• Communicate effectively via face-to-face, phone, or video
• Be willing and flexible to work across different clinical teams within the hospice to cover gaps in service (Please note that this is not a traditional hands on care assistant role)
• Build strong relationships within the multidisciplinary team
• Share clear, concise observations with clinical colleagues

About us

• We match Agenda for Change/NHS terms and conditions for maternity, paternity and long-term sickness pay
• Length of service for those joining directly from another CQC regulated organisation (NHS, social care, hospice) is recognised in annual leave, maternity, paternity and long-term sickness pay
• A pension scheme is offered with employer contributions of up to 7.5% or a continuation of your existing NHS pension
• A generous 27 days annual leave increasing to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, plus bank holidays (any bank holidays worked will be given back in lieu)
• Cycle to work scheme and interest‑free season ticket loans available
• Free eyesight test for DSE users and a contribution towards the cost of glasses
• 25% store discount in Trinity shops
• Life assurance cover
• Lots of opportunities to attend exciting and high-profile events e.g. a staff lottery to attend our regular biannual Gala dinner; participating in Royal visits, and the annual summer garden party
• Regular ballots for donated free tickets and prizes
• Access to courses of free counselling

Job responsibilities

Overall Purpose of the role:

To support patients in their own homes to live as fully as posisble with their life‑limiting condition. The PCA will be the eyes and ears for the Registered Professionals who hold responsibility for the patient’s care. The PCA will use excellent communication and listening skills to enhance patients' psychological wellbeing; be adept at recognising when patients' conditions change and report this to the relevant member of the specialist Multidisciplinary team.

To communicate effectively with patients, their families, carers, using a variety of methods (e.g. face to face, telephone, or video) to build trusting professional relationships

Communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team within the hospice and in the external community

Use listening and observational skills to understand the needs of patients, families, and carers

Develop excellent working relationships with the different members of the team offering community services

Manage conflict and challenging situations effectively and or recognises when to escape concerns to a senior team member when needed.

To recognise a change in patients condition and communicate this effectively to the relevant clinician and to the wider interdisciplinary team as appropriate and document accurately in patients notes

Understands impact that own communication and approach may have on the wellbeing of the patient, family carer and other professionals

Contributes to multidisciplinary planning and decision‑making meetings and attends decision making meetings as directed by the Community team

Ensure the values and culture of the organisation are projected in all communications

For more information please find Job Description, Person Specification attached.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Understanding of the challenges of caring for people with life‑limiting illness
• Ability to perform routine assessments and interventions, with willingness to learn new skills
• Competent in electronic record keeping and IT systems
• Commitment to ongoing learning and development
• Care Certificate completed or commitment to complete within 6 months
• Possess a full driving licence

Experience

• Experience and knowledge of care giving
• Able to work without direct supervision
• Able to recognise changes in a patient's condition
• Experience of caring for dying patients
• Community care experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

£30,564 to £32,207 a year includes high cost area supplements (HCAS)