Become a Healthcare Support Worker at UHBW
On this page you will find more information about the role of a Healthcare Support Worker in our Adult, Children and Maternity services, what it is, what you need to do to apply and links to useful information which can help you decide whether this role is right for you.
Prefer to speak to someone? Please email our Talent Acquisition Team on talent@uhbw.nhs.uk
What is a Healthcare Support Worker?
Healthcare Support Workers (HCSW) are a crucial part of the multi-disciplinary team, delivering a high standard of care for our patients from newborn babies to our elderly patients. You will be working with Registered Nurses and helping to provide care and therapy to the patient group in your area of our very diverse trust.
The role of a HCSW is all about patient contact. You will need to have a caring approach, enjoy team working, be an excellent communicator and be capable of delivering high standards of patient care. Our HCSW’s work closely with our clinical teams and in particular with our entire nurses team. As a HCSW, your role will vary each day depending on the ward and the patients in your care.
The role of a Healthcare Support Worker
No two days are the same as a healthcare support worker. You’ll support patients through their treatment, sharing their experiences and making a real difference in their healthcare journey.
It’s a really special role where you’ll be part of a tight-knit team of healthcare professionals and have the privilege of sharing unique life experiences every day. With the ongoing support of your team, and our world-class training and development, you’ll be able progress your career into a variety of healthcare roles.
What matters most in this role is that you have a passion for helping others and enjoy working as part of a passionate team – the qualifications you may have are less important to us.
You’ll be working in a hands-on, fast-paced environment where communication is vital – nowhere else will a compassionate nature have such an impact.
Our Roles
Our Roles
Where can a Healthcare Support Worker role take me?
Being a HCSW is a great starting point in the NHS. It will give you a taste of what a career in healthcare is really like, open your eyes to the different roles you might want to work towards and if you’re thinking about applying for one of our NHS apprenticeships, the skills and experience you’ll gain will help your application really stand out.
What if I have no Healthcare experience?
If you’re just starting out or are looking to change careers, you may be surprised to learn that you’ve probably already got lots of the skills we’re looking for. A caring and compassionate nature is essential to the role but you’ll also need to have good communication skills, be good at problem solving and also be able to make quick decision.
Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeships
Our HCSW apprenticeship is a very popular route into healthcare and we receive a large number of applications. To be shortlisted please ensure that you have completed the application form carefully. Candidates that show a patient focused approach and a desire to study healthcare in the supporting information are very likely to be shortlisted.
What does the training involve?
You will receive training in the work place and off the job, and will be fully supported in your learning by Weston College. Apprenticeship contracts are fixed term for a period of 27 months (NVQ Level 3) if working full time. Previous healthcare experience is not required, but an interest in the role is essential as well as a caring, compassionate attitude. You will need to complete an online Numeracy and Literacy assessment to enable the college to fully support your learning.
When you have successfully completed all of the components of the apprenticeship within the agreed timescale, you will be guaranteed a permanent Healthcare Support Worker position with us at UHBW.
Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship Standards
Senior Healthcare Support Worker Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard
How to apply
We regularly recruit to our Healthcare Support Worker roles at UHBW.
There are no set entry requirements to become a healthcare support worker, but good literacy and numeracy skills are expected, and in some cases GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and maths are required too. You may also need a healthcare qualification such as a BTEC or NVQ for some of our roles.
For some roles, some experience of healthcare or care work may be beneficial – this could be from paid or voluntary work, or through experience you bring in from previous roles.
But academic qualifications aren’t everything. You’ll also need to be caring, kind and willing to really get stuck into the role – it’s a hands-on environment where teamwork, communication and organisational skills are vital.