Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker

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Job Overview
Are you looking to gain a prestigious Healthcare qualification whilst working?
Why not join North Bristol NHS Trust and start your healthcare career journey as an Apprenticeship Healthcare Support Worker on our Acute Medical Unit!
The Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker is a core member of the team delivering direct care to patients and supporting registered practitioners to deliver high-quality, compassionate health care to people in accordance with assessed needs and a care plan.

This apprenticeship position is a Band 2 to Band 3 development role for candidates who have Level 2 Functional Skills (Maths & English) and wish to begin an apprenticeship to gain a Level 3 Qualification in Senior Healthcare Support. Experience in a care role would be an advantage but not essential.

If you have already completed a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, then this vacancy is not suitable for you due to a duplication of content.

All applicants (where applicable) must have been resident in the UK for three years prior to commencing their apprenticeship as set out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Additionally, a visa needs to be in place for the length of the apprenticeship programme.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship on this position.
Advance notice of Assessment Centre: Thursday 4th December
Main duties of the job
Working as a Healthcare Support Worker, you will be involved with direct patient care whilst maintaining the privacy and dignity of patients. You will be working alongside a Registered Nurse to provide essential nursing care and helping your patients with daily living tasks such as:

• Helping patients feel comfortable and move around
• Monitoring patients and performing basic health checks
• Washing, dressing patients and helping them go to the toilet
• Serving meals and helping to feed patients
• Documenting care provided to a high standard

Once progressed into a Senior HCW (Band 3) role, you will carry out a range of clinical duties with minimal/no supervision, including for example, blood pressure monitoring, oxygen saturation levels, body temperature, pulse rate and respiration rate, glucose monitoring, collection and testing of urine samples/faecal samples/sputum samples and wound swabs ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care at all times. NB: this list is not exhaustive and will vary depending on area of work.

This apprenticeship training position will allow you to develop knowledge and skills, specific to your needs and your working area. As well as achieving a Level 3 Healthcare qualification, during your programme you will also be supported to obtain your Care Certificate, if not previously completed.

Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
Please see the job description attached for a full list of role responsibilities.

• Obtain consent prior to giving care in accordance with Trust policies.
• Duties are delegated to you in line with care plans.
• Not all duties are routine, and you will need to use your knowledge, experience and understanding to take decisions within your area of responsibility.
• Once in a Band 3 role, you will carry out a range of clinical duties with minimal/no supervision, including for example, blood pressure monitoring, oxygen saturation levels, body temperature, pulse rate and respiration rate, glucose monitoring, collection and testing of urine samples/faecal samples/sputum samples and wound swabs ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care at all times. NB: this list is not exhaustive and will vary depending on area of work.
• Participate in patient assessment providing high-quality holistic patient care and escalating concerns about patients to other clinical staff.
• Practice safe standards of care to patients following Trust guidelines and policies and be able to concentrate for periods throughout the day with occasional interruptions.
• Provide clinical care in accordance with the infection prevention and health and safety policies and procedures.
• Maintain the work environment in line with Trust infection control and patient safety policies.
• Develop the skills to actively facilitate self-care and independence with patients.
• Promote health education specific to the clinical area and in line with national and local policies.
• Maintain accurate records relating to communication with patients, relatives, and members of the multidisciplinary team regarding all aspects of care demonstrating a range of appropriate communication skills.
• Ensuring equipment and stores are well maintained, taking appropriate action if the equipment is faulty.
• Work effectively as part of a team.

Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria

• GCSE grade A-C (grade 4 and above) or equivalent in English
• GCSE grade A-C (grade 4 and above) or equivalent in Maths

Desirable criteria

• One of the following:
  • Level 3 (SCQF – 6): City and Guilds 3
  • NVQ/RQF Level 3
  • BTEC National Diploma
  • OR experience equivalent to the above qualifications
• Willingness to work towards the completion of the Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support (that maps to the Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Health Care Support Worker)

Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria

• Be able to work as a member of a team
• Experience of time management and prioritising work

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a health or social care setting
• Prior experience as a support worker

Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria

• Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
• IT skills, basic word, Email, keyboard skills
• Ability and willingness to undertake appropriate training within given time frames

If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.

North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.

At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.

Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.