Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Royal Devon; Exeter; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 3 Senior Neonatal Healthcare Support Worker in Exeter. You will join the 24‑hour neonatal service, providing compassionate, family‑centred care under the guidance of neonatal nurses.

The role emphasises supporting babies and families, assisting with feeding and observations, and developing specialist competencies within a high‑quality neonatal team.

Qualifications

• Compassionate, enthusiastic and motivated to develop neonatal care.
• Willing to learn and undertake specialist competencies for the role.
• Flexible to work as part of a 24-hour neonatal service including days, nights and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct care to babies and support parents and families.
• Support feeding and monitoring observations (temperature, respiratory rate, etc.).
• Maintain a safe, clean and welcoming neonate environment.
• Assist registered nurses and medical staff during procedures and investigations.
• Develop additional neonatal clinical skills as competency allows.

Skills

Compassionate

Excellent communication

Enthusiastic

Teamwork

Job description

Come and join our Neonatal Team in Exeter

Are you passionate about making a difference to babies and their families at one of the most important and sometimes most challenging times in their lives?

We are looking for an enthusiastic, compassionate and motivated Band 3 Senior Neonatal Healthcare Support Worker to join our friendly and supportive team within our 26 cot Local Neonatal Unit (LNU) at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

We are extremely proud to have achieved UNICEF Baby Friendly Gold accreditation, recognising our commitment to providing the highest standards of care and support for infant feeding and parent–baby relationships.

Our neonatal service provides care for babies requiring a range of neonatal care, and our support workers are a valued and integral part of the multidisciplinary team.

You will work alongside an experienced neonatal team to provide safe, high-quality and family-centred care.

About the Role

More detail about the role

We are looking for someone who is compassionate, enthusiastic, motivated and keen to develop their skills within neonatal care.

We would particularly welcome applicants who:

• Have previous clinical care or healthcare experience.
• Have neonatal experience or experience caring for babies and families – desirable, but not essential.
• Are compassionate and understand the importance of family‑centred care.
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Are enthusiastic about supporting infant feeding and parent–baby relationships and maintaining our UNICEF Baby Friendly Gold standards.
• Are willing to learn and undertake the specialist clinical competencies required for the role.
• Can work calmly and effectively within a busy clinical environment.
• Are flexible and able to work as part of our 24‑hour neonatal service, including days, nights and weekends.

Working under the direction of our registered neonatal nurses, your role will include supporting the delivery of individualised care, helping parents to become confident in caring for their baby, supporting feeding and undertaking a range of observations and clinical activities appropriate to your role and competencies.

This can include:

• Providing direct care to babies and supporting their parents and families.
• Supporting parents with their baby's everyday care and helping them develop confidence before going home.
• Supporting breast, bottle and nasogastric feeding following appropriate training and competency assessment.
• Undertaking and recording observations including temperature, respiratory rate, pulse, oxygen saturations and weight.
• Developing additional clinical skills such as blood glucose monitoring, blood sampling and other neonatal‑specific competencies.
• Supporting registered nurses and medical staff during procedures and investigations.
• Maintaining a safe, clean and welcoming neonatal environment.
• Providing compassionate support to families who may be experiencing an emotional and stressful time.

The team

This is an exciting opportunity to become part of a team where family-integrated care is at the heart of what we do.

We recognise that admission to a neonatal unit can be an overwhelming experience for families. Our aim is not only to provide excellent care to babies, but to work in partnership with parents – helping them feel involved, informed and increasingly confident in caring for their baby.

For the right person, this role offers an excellent opportunity to build a career within neonatal care, developing both your clinical skills and your experience of supporting babies and families.

Working Pattern: The role involves working as part of our 24‑hour neonatal service, including long shifts, nights and weekends according to service requirements.

As an inclusive employer, the Royal Devon values diversity and is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We believe in fostering a sense of belonging and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. We recognise the advantages of having a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to close vacancy when sufficient applications have been received.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was established in April 2022, bringing together the expertise of both the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation TrustandNorthern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.

About Us

Stretching across Northern, Eastern and Mid Devon, we have a workforce of over 15,000 staff, making us the largest employer in Devon. Our core services, which we provide to more than 615,000 people, cover more than 2,000 square miles across Devon, while some of our specialist services cover the whole of the peninsula, extending our reach as far as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

We deliver a wide range of emergency, specialist and general medical services through North Devon District Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). Alongside our two acute hospitals, we provide integrated health and social care services across a variety of settings, including community inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and within people’s own homes. We also offer primary care services, a range of specialist community services, and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC).

Our state‑of‑the‑art equipment, leading technologies and strong links to local universities put us at the forefront of research and innovations, enabling us to provide world‑class care to our local communities.

It has never been a more exciting time to join the Royal Devon, as you will help to shape our services as we continue along our integration journey.

Looking after you is important to us.

We strive to help our staff create a healthy work‑life balance through flexible working schemes and our family friendly policies.

If you are starting out in the NHS, you’ll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.

You will benefit from access to our own comprehensive occupational health services, including counselling, onsite wellbeing activities and groups.

We will work together to maintain a culture that develops and supports you and your team.

This might include funding for a care certificate, a degree or leadership qualifications. Or it might include days off to study, engage in CPD or rotational placements to help you hone your skills. Wherever you are heading in the NHS, we will help you get there.

Salary is not the only financial benefit

You will have access to an extensive range of staff discounts on shopping, fitness and leisure options and you can spread the cost of technology and home appliance purchases from major retailers. You will also have access to other benefits including:

• National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
• Salary sacrifice options including our OFSTED rated outstanding nursery onsite at Exeter
• Car lease schemes.
• The NHS Pension scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
• Cycle to work scheme

These are just a few of the benefits available – if the role is something you are interested in, we would love to hear from you.

• Salary Band 3: £25,760 - £27,476 per annum pro rata
• Frequency Annual
• Vacancy Reference 185-82942-14190
• Contract Type Permanent
• Closing Date 21 September, 2026
• Job Category Healthcare Assistant
• Staff Group Additional Clinical Services