Job summary
New to care? We don't care! We have confidence in the fantastic training package we have developed which will teach you everything you need to know about being one of our wonderful Healthcare Assistants. Just bring along your caring approach, supportive attitude, great communication skills and empathetic nature and you really will thrive here in our Hospitals.
You will start by spending the first few weeks on our bespoke Care Certificate training programme which will help you develop all the initial skills that you need to do the role. So then, once you have completed it and step out onto the ward/area you will work on, you can be confident in your abilities - proudly holding your Care Certificate for all to see.
In return, we offer you such an opportunity to join one of our many friendly and dedicated teams where you will learn, grow and flourish, supported all the way, nurtured and developed by our award winning Education Team.
We promise you that you will make a difference to our patients every single day and we know that's what will really motivate you. We will be proud of you, you will be proud of you and you will be so valued here.
****Unfortunately we cannot accept those who need sponsorship to work in this role ****
Main duties of the job
Being a Healthcare Assistant is a wonderful role - and we know this because our teams tell us all the time. You will play a vital role in the care of our patients, helping with the day-to-day needs of patients through the provision of help with personal care, meals and mobility, as well as performing medical checks such as taking temperatures, pulse and respiration rate.
Sometimes the role will be tough, you will see and be involved in some difficult things involving our patients, be rushed off your feet and deliver some very direct personal care. We don't want to shy away from that and we do know that this part of the role isn't for everyone. That is why we run such a robust interview and assessment process to make sure that you understand the role, as much as we need to assess you to check you have all those fabulous skills, attributes, resilience and the caring nature we need.
We have over 10,000 staff in our organisation, all working towards the same aim which is to ensure our patients receive the very best care. We can't promise you will meet them all, but you will work with dozens of different people all performing different roles so you have the chance to learn so much. We offer you such an opportunity to join one of our many friendly and dedicated teams where you will learn, grow and flourish, supported all the way, nurtured and developed by our award-winning Education Team.
About us
If you have always aspired to work for the NHS caring for our patients and working alongside highly motivated teams, then you are going to love this role. We'll invest in you and your development by supporting you, ensuring you stay up keep up to date with all clinical competencies and from day one you will be supported to achieve Level 2 or 3 in healthcare if that's what you want to do, as well as meet the government standards for care within the NHS.
We also proactively support you if you want to go on to become a registered nurse with opportunities to apply for nurse training at one of our partner education providers, University of Central Lancashire or University of Bolton (subject to entry requirements).
We are a teaching hospital so there is a strong educational focus here, however, we also know that some people are very content to undertake a role and thrive in it without feeling the need to undertake additional study. That is ok too, there is never any pressure on any colleagues, we are led by you and will support you in whatever way works best for you.
As you would expect, we do work on a shift basis - our patients need our care and attention 24 hours a day 7 days a week so everyone gets involved working different shifts to ensure our patients receive the best care. Typically, you would usually work a four shift system; early, late, twilight and nights.
We cannot wait to welcome you to one of our interview and assessments days to show us what you are made of!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Sometimes the role will be tough, you will see and be involved in some difficult things involving our patients, be rushed off your feet and deliver some very direct personal care. We dont want to shy away from that and we do know that this part of the role isnt for everyone. That is why we run such a robust interview and assessment process to make sure that you understand the role, as much as we need to assess you to check you have all those fabulous skills, attributes, resilience and the caring nature we need.
We cannot wait to welcome you to one of our interview and assessment days to show us what you are made of!
We also proactively support you if you want to go on to become a registered nurse with opportunities to apply for nurse training at one of our partner education providers, University of Central Lancashire or University of Bolton - subject to meeting university entry requirements.
**We know you will understand how important record keeping and ability to undertake calculations are in the role, so if you do not have a Grade D or above in English and Maths we will assess your literacy and numeracy skills as part of the recruitment process.**
If you have got overseas qualification you can prove your qualification comparability to UK GCSE throughUK ENIC.
Amongst the many other benefits you can enjoy are:
27 days paid holidays per year (rising to 33 days), pro rata for part time staff in addition to 8 bank holiday
Enhanced rates of pay for weekend and bank holidays working
The opportunity to join the NHS Pension scheme
Uniform provided
Child care vouchers and preferential rates for an on-site nursery
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. Demonstrable numeracy and literacy skills in line with Level 1/Grade D/Grade 3 or above
Desirable
2. GCSE Maths & English grade C or above / Grade 4 - 9 OR Functional skills level 2 numeracy and Functional Skills level 2 literacy skills
3. Level 2 QCF diploma (Qualification Credit Framework) in healthcare / NVQ level 2 in healthcare
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
4. Effective communication skills - written and verbal
5. Proven ability to remain calm under pressure
6. Proven ability to demonstrate compassion/empathy/help others
7. Effective team player
8. Demonstrable ability to follow instructions
9. Effective customer service skills
10. Effective understanding of confidentiality
11. Proven ability to be flexible in your approach
12. Ability to deal with people from all backgrounds
Desirable
13. Previous experience working in a care environment