Theatre Support Worker

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust; Whitehaven; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is looking for a Theatre Support Worker to assist in providing high-quality care for patients in the operating theatre. This role requires strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to contribute effectively to the surgical team. You will support registered practitioners and ensure patient safety during operations. The ideal candidate will have a care certificate and experience in health or social care. A full-time position with training opportunities is available, alongside a motivating and inclusive environment.

Benefits

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

NHS Discounts

Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work

Confidential counselling and information service

Qualifications

• Strong communication and active listening skills.
• Experience working in health or social care.
• Ability to perform clinical observations.

Responsibilities

• Support registered practitioners in patient care.
• Assist in ensuring patient safety during surgery.
• Contribute as part of the perioperative team.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal communication skills

Basic IT skills

Time-keeping and planning skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

National Care Certificate

Level 3 vocational qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Theatre Support Worker

The closing date is 06 January 2026

Band 3 Health Care Assistant, Theatres. Up to 87.5 hours per week available, Full time and part time

Health Care Assistant, Theatres, West Cumberland Hospital (variable working pattern including weekends). An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic Health Care Assistant to join our clinical team within our operating theatre complex at the West Cumberland Hospital. We currently have 7 theatres, covering a variety of specialties: Trauma & Orthopaedics, Vascular, Colorectal, Upper GI, Urology, ENT, Gynaecology, Breast and Obstetrics.

Main duties of the job

To support the registered practitioners in the holistic care of patients having surgery under general, regional and spinal anaesthesia. To contribute to the perioperative team as a circulating member of the scrub team to ensure safety of the patient during their operative period, by participating in the provision of sterile equipment, swab, needle and instruments counts, and the five steps to safer surgery.

The essential criteria for this role includes the requirement to have a care certificate or the willingness and ability to undertake this. For further information, please see the additional information link which can be viewed under the "read this before applying" section.

About us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

The essential criteria for this role includes the requirement to have a care certificate or the willingness and ability to undertake this. For further information please see the attached Care Certificate document attached.

Disclosure and Barring Service:

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.

The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £5.90 = £27.40. Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £5.90 = £55.40. Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

NHS Discounts*

Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*

Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

*Subject to eligibility

Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• National Care Certificate or commitment to complete as part of induction process
• Level 3 vocational qualificationor Short courses and completion of competency workbook equivalent to Level 3 in a range of patient and clinical care duties or Equivalent knowledge and experience in a range of clinical care duties equivalent to Level 3;
• Theoretical knowledge
• Experience of a range of care and related procedures
• clinical observations
• knowledge of data protection legislation and health and safety at work legislation
• National Care Certificate or commitment to complete within 12 weeks of commencing employment
• Numeracy and Literacy Level 2
• Undertaken relevant additional training for Clinical Support Workers

Knowledge & Experience

• Experience of working in health or social care
• Experience of undertaking and recording clinical observations and escalating changes or findings
• Working knowledge of legislation underpinning care provision
• Understanding of the importance of robust, accurate, clear, timely documentation.
• Insight into behaviours and skills of a carer and the need for effective team work
• Knowledge of Safeguarding
• Understanding work-related boundaries.
• Awareness of GDPR and the need for confidentiality
• Familiarity with current NHS and social care policies.
• Clinical policies and procedures
• Evidence of understanding of Trust Business
• Experience of working in the Trust previously

Skills and Aptitudes

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and active listening skills.
• Ability to adopt appropriate styles and methods of communication
• Time-keeping, planning and prioritisation skills
• Basic IT skills to use electronic patient records and other Trust systems
• Analytical and judgement skills to make decisions based on patient / service user interactions, observations and metrics.
• Ability to demonstrate the importance of holistic person centred care and related procedures.
• Ability to use initiative appropriately
• Ability to demonstrate the compassionate values and behaviours needed for dignified care.
• Desire to encourage and support patients to remain as independent as possible
• Ability to deal with a wide range of people at all levels, including clients, carers, family, health and social care colleagues and other professionals
• Caring and empathetic
• Motivated and with a pro‑active approach.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Committed to providing high quality patient care.
• Willingness to undertake job related training and multi‑disciplinary competencies for more effective patient care.
• Personal resilience
• Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure.
• Presents self as courteous, respectful and helpful and understands importance of professional image.
• Reliable, adaptable and dependable.
• Venepuncture

Personal Circumstances

• Willing to work flexible hours including nights, weekends and bank holidays
• Flexible and versatile approach to meet the needs of the service.
• Ability to travel between the sites from which the Trust undertakes its business, or attend meetings or training offs

Other Requirements

• Promote equality and value diversity
• Adhere to Trust Values and professional behaviours.

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 Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum, pro rata