Senior Healthcare Support Worker, Day Surgery (ASH)

Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS benefits & discounts

Job summary

Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Senior Healthcare Support Worker for the Day Surgery Unit. The role involves direct patient care under supervision, pre/post-operative support, and maintaining patient comfort and dignity within the theatre pathway.

The post requires Band 3 HCSW competencies, ability to perform basic observations, and effective communication with multidisciplinary teams. UK residency and DBS considerations apply.

Qualifications

• English and Maths required at functional level.
• Care Certificate in Acute Care required or obtainable.
• Level 3 Health and Social Care qualification preferred or required by local policy.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with personal care and hygiene needs.
• Promote patients' privacy and dignity in ward/department.
• Assist patients with continence and nutritional needs as per care plan.
• Record vital signs and basic observations such as BP, pulse, temperature and NEWS.
• Support admission, transfer and discharge processes.
• Maintain infection prevention and control standards.
• Assist with clinical tasks within competency level, including wound care where trained.

Skills

Effective communication

IT skills

Caring and Compassionate

Empathy and understanding

Patient centred care

Venepuncture

Cannulation

ECGs

Education

Functional English & Maths

Care Certificate in Acute Care

Level 3 Health and Social Care

Job description

Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Healthcare Support Worker, Day Surgery (ASH)

The closing date is 17 November 2026

Working as a Senior Healthcare Support Worker in a Day Surgery Unit ward within the hospital setting.

Carry out assigned tasks involved with direct patient care whilst maintaining the privacy and dignity of patients. This will be whilst demonstrating excellent care, compassion and communication, and in support of and supervised by a Registered Nurse/Midwife or Nursing Associate, incorporating:

• Admitting patients and preparing patients to Theatre lists
• Discharging the Local anaesthetic patients
• Moving & Handling of patients to support independence
• Infection Prevention and Control
• Safeguarding of adults and children
• Taking and recording vital signs or other parameters such as height/weight
• Cannulating or blood taking
• Removing cannulas
• Taking specimens/samples of any kind
• ECGs or setting up cardiac monitoring
• Deal with oxygen administration in any capacity

Main duties of the job

Main duties for a Band 3 Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) in a Day Surgery Unit include:

• Supporting patients through the pre-operative and post-operative pathway
• Assisting nurses and the multidisciplinary team with patient care
• Carrying out and recording basic observations such as blood pressure, pulse, temperature, oxygen saturation, and NEWS scoring
• Helping with patient admission and discharge processes
• Providing personal care, reassurance, dignity, and emotional support
• Preparing patients for theatre and assisting with safe patient transfers
• Monitoring patients after surgery and escalating concerns appropriately
• Maintaining infection prevention and control standards
• Stocking equipment and ensuring clinical areas are clean and organised
• Completing documentation accurately and maintaining confidentiality
• Supporting mobility, nutrition, hydration, and comfort needs
• Assisting with clinical tasks within competency level, such as wound care, cannula removal, urine testing, or ECGs depending on local training
• Communicating effectively with patients, relatives, nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists, and recovery staff
• Participating in mandatory training and Band 3 competency development programmes

About us

Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest provider of acute hospital services to Surrey residents, serving a population of 410,00 people and employing approximately 4,800 staff.

Our vision is to provide an outstanding experience and best outcomes for patients and the team. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to deliver our workforce plan.

We work in partnership with Royal Surrey Hospital NHS Foundation Trust through a collaborative Group Model, supporting joined-up services, workforce flexibility and development opportunities.

St Peter's Hospital delivers complex medical and surgical care, maternity and emergency services. Day and Orthopaedic Surgery, Ophthalmology and Outpatient services are delivered at Ashford Hospital. Additional services are delivered at Woking Community Hospital.

Our Values provide us with the behaviours we respect and can commit to. By living our values through our everyday interactions, we can build a stronger, more resilient, and forward- thinking organisation, guiding us to achieve success and make a positive impact on how we deliver our services.

We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits & discounts.

For more information about careers at ASPH visit:www.asph-careers.org

Certificate of Sponsorship

In line with UKVI requirements, Band 2, Band 3 and Band 4 roles are not eligible for sponsorship.

Please note only certain roles at Band 5 & above are eligible for sponsorship.

Job responsibilities

• Assist patients with personal care and hygiene needs
• Promote patients privacy and dignity both in the ward/department and across the Trust
• Assist patients with their continence needs
• Assist in the meeting of patients nutritional needs. Ensure that assistance is provided to patients who require it at mealtimes and patients who are of nutritional risk have a red tray
• Where identified in the plan of care, ensure food and fluid intake and output are accurately documented on appropriate charts
• Assist in skin and pressure area care. Under the supervision of registered nurses/nursing associates, ensure patients are helped to mobilise and/or move position to promote comfort and protect skin integrity
• Assist patients with safe mobilisation according to their plan of care and where appropriate seek help from other members of the ward/department team
• Utilise appropriate moving and handling aids to reduce the risk of injury to the patients, others and themselves
• Assist in supporting therapeutic recreational activities for patients as appropriate
• Assist registered staff in the taking and recording of vital signs as per the patients plan of care, including urinalysis and blood glucose testing.Monitor the Day Surgery Unit environment ensuring all clinical areas are kept clean at all times by following the correct infection control policies and procedures
• Responsible for the cleanliness, tidiness and stocking up of equipment, equipment trolleys, storerooms and clinical areas
• To have a responsible attitude to the economical use of resources
• Assist with the stripping, cleaning and making of trolley and beds
• Recognise potentially distressing situations with patients, relatives or the multidisciplinary team and support staff accordingly
• Communicate to the nurse/midwife in charge changes observed in a patients condition, whether physical or overall health and well-being
• Escort patients from the ward/department to other areas within the hospital, as required, in accordance with the Healthcare Support Worker Code of Conduct, maintaining their privacy and dignity at all times
• Be aware of and contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse and report any suspicions of abuse to nurse/midwife in charge or appropriate other (Matron, safeguarding team)
• Assist a Registered Nurse/Midwife/Nursing Associate with patients End of Life care as required. This would include following their individualised care plan for the dying, and also performing the Last Offices (care of the deceased patient)
• Recognise and respect all aspects of diversity in a non-discriminatory, inclusive manner
• Attend annual updates on fire and take appropriate action on discovering/suspecting a fire
• Attend annual updates on basic life support procedures and take appropriate action in the event of a deteriorating patient or cardiac arrest
• Where required, undertake the additional skills of venepuncture and cannulation duties under senior supervision following completion of training and evidence of competency
• As required, accurately record ECGs on completion of training, reporting back to Registered Nurse/Midwife/Nursing Associate

Qualifications

• Functional level of English and Maths
• Care Certificate in Acute Care achieved through the NHS
• Level 3 Health and Social Care qualification

Experience

• Previous experience working as a health care support worker within the NHS for a minimum of six months.
• Working as part of a team
• Previous experience training and supporting new staff

Knowledge

• Trust vision, values and behaviours and strategic objectives
• Understanding of the role of the Healthcare Support Worker in the hospital setting.

Skills

• Effective communication
• Required IT skills
• Caring and Compassionate
• Empathy and understanding
• Ability to provide excellent patient centred care
• Extended skills such as venepuncture, cannulation and undertaking ECGs

Other requirements

• Able to demonstrate that you are honest, reliable and trustworthy
• Treat patients, visitors, colleagues with respect
• Ability to be flexible to meet the needs of the patients, the team, the service and the Trust. This could include shift work during a 7-day working pattern.
• Residing in UK with a valid right to work documentation to work in UK.

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.

Employer name

Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust