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Healthcare Support Worker

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Healthcare Support Worker – Emergency Department | NHS Jobs

Employer: University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Salary: £25,760–£27,476 per year (pro rata)
Pay Band: Band 3, with progressive Band 2 to Band 3 entry
Location: University Hospital Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full-time or part-time
Closing Date: 29 October 2026
Job Reference: 188-HCSW021026

Visa Sponsorship: Available for consideration. The employer welcomes applications from candidates who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship and will consider them alongside other applications. Sponsorship is not guaranteed, and applicants must meet the relevant eligibility requirements.

About the Role

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting Healthcare Support Workers to join its Emergency Department, providing compassionate, high-quality care to patients who need urgent medical attention.

This is a permanent opportunity for healthcare professionals with relevant experience who want to develop their clinical skills while working alongside registered nurses, doctors and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

The position offers a progressive Band 2 to Band 3 pathway for eligible applicants. Candidates joining at Band 2 must complete a nine-month training period, with a pay increase upon successfully progressing to Band 3.

Applicants already working in a Band 3 Healthcare Support Worker role within the NHS will have their experience and responsibilities assessed against the required competencies. Candidates who meet these requirements may be matched to their current pay and banding.

Important: Acute hospital experience as a Healthcare Support Worker is required. The Trust indicates that successful candidates are most likely to be currently working as Band 3 Healthcare Support Workers.

Key Responsibilities

As a Healthcare Support Worker in the Emergency Department, your duties will include:

  • Taking and recording patient observations.
  • Assisting with ECGs and other clinical procedures.
  • Supporting patient assessments and ongoing monitoring.
  • Helping patients with mobility, movement and transfers.
  • Assisting with patient admissions, transfers and discharges.
  • Collecting specimens for laboratory testing.
  • Maintaining clinical equipment and monitoring stock levels.
  • Providing reassurance and emotional support to patients and their relatives.
  • Delivering personal hygiene care to patients from different backgrounds and age groups.
  • Working closely with nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals.
  • Following care standards, clinical procedures and instructions within the scope of your role.

The Emergency Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Successful candidates must be flexible and prepared to work shifts according to service requirements, including weekends and bank holidays.

Working Hours and Shift Patterns

The role may involve a combination of:

  • Morning shifts, potentially starting at 7 am and finishing around 3 pm.
  • Short and long day shifts, generally lasting 8–12 hours between approximately 7 am and 8 pm.
  • Evening shifts finishing around 8 pm.
  • Night shifts, typically running from approximately 7 pm to 7 am the following day.

Applicants should be comfortable working different shifts across the Monday-to-Sunday rota.

Essential Qualifications and Requirements

To be considered for this position, applicants should demonstrate the following:

  • Completion of the Care Certificate, or the ability to complete it within six months of appointment.
  • Capability to achieve NVQ Level 3 in Care, with acute-unit competencies relevant to the specialty, or equivalent experience.
  • Completion of secondary education.
  • Ability to move and handle patients and equipment safely.
  • Empathy, patience, reliability and a commitment to patient-centred care.
  • Ability to manage challenging situations professionally.
  • Willingness to follow instructions and work within the responsibilities of the role.
  • Ability to cope with changing workloads, demands and pressures.
  • Commitment to completing core Healthcare Support Worker competencies and additional role-specific competencies within 12 months of appointment.
  • Awareness of and adherence to Care Certificate standards.

Applicants should have relevant healthcare experience, particularly in an acute hospital environment.

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Desirable Experience

Experience in any of the following areas would be beneficial:

  • Acute hospital settings.
  • Voluntary or community organisations.
  • Teaching assistant roles.
  • Nursing homes or residential care environments.

Candidates should also demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills and a willingness to work collaboratively with colleagues.

Training and Career Development

University Hospital Southampton offers learning and development opportunities to help staff progress in their healthcare careers.

Eligible Band 2 entrants will follow a development programme designed to support progression to Band 3, subject to successful completion of the required training and competencies.

The Trust also notes that some Healthcare Support Workers progress to Nursing Degree Apprenticeships. This is a potential development opportunity rather than a guaranteed part of the role.

Salary and Employee Benefits

The advertised salary is £25,760–£27,476 per year, pro rata, under the NHS Agenda for Change pay scheme.

Other benefits highlighted by the employer include:

  • A minimum of 35 days of paid annual leave, pro rata.
  • Access to a generous NHS pension scheme.
  • NHS staff discounts.
  • Flexible working requests considered in line with service requirements.
  • Learning and professional development opportunities.
  • Opportunities to develop experience in emergency and acute healthcare.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is a large acute teaching trust in England. The employer reports a CQC rating of Good and highlights positive results in the national NHS Staff Survey for staff engagement and recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

Visa Sponsorship and Right to Work

Skilled Worker sponsorship applications are welcome. The advert confirms that candidates who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship will be considered alongside other applicants.

However, applicants considering the progressive Band 2 entry route should pay particular attention to the additional right-to-work requirement.

Candidates joining at Band 2 must already have permission to work in the UK covering the full nine-month training period. If their current visa does not provide at least nine months of remaining permission from the start date, the Trust states that it cannot progress their application through this route.

See also Social Worker

This requirement should not be confused with the advert’s separate statement welcoming applicants who require Skilled Worker sponsorship.

Candidates should confirm their eligibility for the appropriate entry route and discuss any sponsorship requirements with the employer before applying.

Trust Values

Applicants are expected to demonstrate the Trust’s core values:

  • Patients First: Prioritising patient needs, safety and compassionate care.
  • Working Together: Collaborating effectively with colleagues and other healthcare professionals.
  • Always Improving: Seeking opportunities to improve care quality, skills and professional practice.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

The position requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check in accordance with the applicable legislation.

Applicants who have lived outside the UK for 12 months or more, continuously or cumulatively, during the previous 10 years may also need to provide criminal record certificates from the relevant countries when applying for UK entry clearance under the applicable immigration requirements.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit their applications through the official NHS Jobs vacancy page before the closing date.

See also Support

Closing date: 29 October 2026

The Trust warns that the vacancy may close earlier if it receives a large number of applications. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply promptly.

Please note that candidates who applied for this vacancy and were unsuccessful within the previous three months are advised not to submit another application.

When preparing your application, highlight your actual healthcare experience, patient-care skills, clinical competencies and examples of working effectively within a team. The employer specifically advises applicants to personalise their applications using their own skills and accomplishments rather than relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content.

Recruitment contact:
Aoife Stroud, Sister
Email: Aoife.Stroud@uhs.nhs.uk

Source

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust via NHS Jobs.

Job reference: 188-HCSW021026.

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