Trainee Healthcare Support Worker

NHS; Hereford; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization is seeking candidates for a 6-month paid placement as a Healthcare Support Worker in Herefordshire. This role includes working towards a Care Certificate while receiving mentorship and training. Candidates must be over 18 and willing to work various shifts. Benefits include career progression opportunities and paid annual leave.

Benefits

Paid annual leave

Flexible work through partner Trusts

Dedicated training and mentorship

Qualifications

• Ability to support patients emotionally and physically during care.
• Must demonstrate passion for care and compassion in practice.

Responsibilities

• Learn to care for people within Mental Health.
• Take basic observations and update patient records.
• Support patients with everyday activities.

Skills

Basic English

Basic Maths

Compassionate care

Job description

Job summary: During your placement, you'll work towards achieving the widely recognised Care Certificate with the training you need to become a Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW). Also known as Healthcare Assistant (HCA). Throughout, you'll have supportive supervision from your mentor/Ward Manager.

Once you've graduated as a HCSW, you can progress your career by accessing further training. This career path may lead to potential roles such as Senior Healthcare Assistant to Assistant Practitioner or Nursing Associate, enabling further career avenues such as a Nurse or Midwife.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust provides a range of services across community hospitals, recovery units and within the wider community. As one of only six Global Digital Exemplars in Mental Health, the Trust is the county's main provider of community nursing, therapy and mental health services.

You will join a 6-month paid supervised placement programme.

Work towards your Care Certificate whilst receiving weekly pay, paid annual leave and all the other great benefits NHS Professionals offers our bank members. Once you have successfully completed the programme you will be able to work flexibly at any of our partner Trusts.

Pay Rates:

• Days: £12.21
• Saturdays/Nights: £17.22
• Sunday/Bank Hols: £22.34

Main duties of the job

During your placement, you'll learn to care for people within Mental Health.

All whilst working towards achieving the widely recognised Care Certificate with the training you need to become a Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW). Throughout, you'll have supportive supervision from your mentor/Ward Manager.

As a trainee HCSW in Mental Health, you'll learn key skills, such as:

• Taking basic observations, explaining treatment, and updating patient records.
• Supporting patients with everyday activities, including assisting at mealtimes.
• Providing emotional support and reassurance to patients and their families.
• Monitoring patients' physical and mental health and keeping accurate records.
• Supervising patients to ensure their safety, managing common emergencies, and performing risk assessments.
• Working individually and as part of a team, supporting registered Nurses and other healthcare practitioners in providing patient care.
• Comply with Trust and local policies and procedures including Safeguarding, Infection Prevention and Control.

Please note that we require:

• You must be over the age of 18 before the planned classroom training week.
• You work at least 30 hours a week across earlies, late's and nights during the programme.
• You have a passion for care and can demonstrate the six enduring values that underpin compassion in practice.

About us

Here at NHS Professionals, we run England's largest NHS staff bank and are experts at putting people in places to care. Every year we help thousands of dedicated and highly skilled NHS workers enjoy better career opportunities, more flexible shifts, and a healthier work-life balance across our partnered Trusts.

Benefits of joining HCSWD

• Career Progression
• Work this week, get paid next week
• Paid annual leave and build holiday allowance
• Provide care, safety, and welfare for patients
• Join the NHS family and become a part of the healthcare team
• Dedicated training and supervised shifts with support from your ward / area and skilled mentors.

About the Trust

Rated Good in their most recent CQC report, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust provides a range of services across community hospitals, recovery units and within the wider community. As one of only six Global Digital Exemplars in Mental Health, the Trust is the county's main provider of community nursing, therapy and mental health services.

Whats next?

• Attendance of Assessment Day - Thursday 9th October 2025
• Attendance of 4 FREE classroom training days Planned for 3rd - 6th November 2025. Plus Safety Intervention Training 2nd - 5th December.

After the programme

Once you have completed your placement and the Care Certificate 15 Standards, you can work as a HCSW or HCA for the Trust at any of their locations, and at any of our NHS Professionals partner Trusts, through the bank.

As your first step in healthcare with the NHS, this could provide you with the opportunity to progress your career by accessing further training outside of the programme. In time, you could become a Senior Healthcare Assistant. After that, you could then apply to train as an Assistant Practitioner or Nursing Associate, enabling further career avenues such as a Nurse, Podiatrist or Midwife.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential:

• Basic English and Maths skills are required, otherwise no specific qualifications are required.

NHS Professionals is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.