Senior Healthcare Support worker -Pre Op Assessment

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Senior Healthcare Support Worker for Pre-Operative Assessment. The role delivers high-quality, hands-on patient care under indirect supervision within a multidisciplinary team.

Expect to perform clinical observations, support nurses, and escalate concerns as needed while maintaining accurate records and adhering to infection prevention and governance requirements. The post offers NHS Band 3 pay scales and opportunities for development.

Qualifications

• Effective and appropriate communication, written and verbal.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Able to meet physical and developmental demands.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, compassionate, person-centred care, ensuring patients are treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity at all times.
• Support patients with activities of daily living, promoting independence, comfort and wellbeing in line with individual care plans.
• Participate in the assessment and monitoring of patients, recognising and escalating concerns promptly to registered healthcare professionals.
• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective and coordinated care.
• Contribute to maintaining a safe, clean and supportive environment that promotes patient safety, infection prevention and positive patient experiences.

Skills

Communication skills

Written and verbal communication

Independence

Physical demands

Education

Level 3 (SCQF – 6): City and Guilds 3

NVQ 3

Experience equivalent to the above qualifications

Job description

Employer Bristol NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Bristol Town Bristol Salary £25,760 - £27,476 dependant on experience Salary period Yearly Closing 07/10/2026 23:59

Senior Healthcare Support worker -Pre Op Assessment

Band 3

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1 st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job overview

This role is primarily focused on the delivery of high-quality, hands-on patient care under indirect supervision, supporting registered nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team. The post holder is responsible for carrying out a range of clinical observations and delegated care activities, contributing to patient assessments, promoting patient independence and ensuring care is delivered safely and in accordance with Trust policies.

The role requires a good level of clinical competence, effective communication skills and the ability to recognise changes in patient condition and elevate concerns appropriately. In addition to direct patient care, the post holder contributes to maintaining a safe clinical environment, supporting new staff and learners, maintaining accurate records and ensuring compliance with infection control, health and safety and information governance requirements.

Overall, the role combines direct patient care, clinical observation, teamwork, professional accountability and patient support, with increasing autonomy as competence and experience develop.

Main duties of the job

• Obtain consent prior to providing care.
• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and the multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain accurate records relating to communication and patient care.
• Escalate concerns about patients to registered clinical staff.
• Participate in team discussions and meetings.
• Work effectively as part of a team.
• Support new/ trainee Healthcare Support Workers.
• Demonstrate respect for privacy, dignity and confidentiality
• Deliver delegated care in line with care plans.
• Use knowledge, experience and understanding to make decisions within own area of responsibility.
• Carry out a range of clinical observations and procedures.
• Participate in patient assessment and delivery of holistic care.
• Practice within Trust policies, procedures and scope of competence.
• Promote health education in line with local and national policies.
• Maintain own professional competence and mandatory training requirements.
• Ensure care supports patient wellbeing, protection and safety.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, compassionate, person-centred care, ensuring patients are treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity at all times.
• Support patients with activities of daily living, promoting independence, comfort and wellbeing in line with individual care plans.
• Participate in the assessment and monitoring of patients, recognising and escalating concerns promptly to registered healthcare professionals.
• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective and coordinated care.
• Contribute to maintaining a safe, clean and supportive environment that promotes patient safety, infection prevention and positive patient experiences.

Education and Qualifications

• Level 3 (SCQF – 6): - City and Guilds 3
• NVQ 3
• Experience equivalent to the above qualifications

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal Able to meet the physical and developmental demands of the role *
• Ability to work with minimum supervision to a high standard
• Able to meet the physical and developmental demands of the role

Experience

• Working within the healthcare setting
• Experience working as a Health care support worker in NHS

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Suzanne Fry Job title ward manager Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01173427599

Lisa Duxbury - ward manager - [e-mail] 01173427599