Job summary
- Main area
- Ophthalmology
- Grade
- Band 2
- Contract
- 9 months (fixed term)
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 390-SUR-SO-5091
- Employer
- Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Southend
- Town
- Southend on Sea
- Salary
- £23,615 Per Annum (Pro Rata for Part Time)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 01/04/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Healthcare Assistant
Band 2
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is now one of the largest trusts in the country, serving a population of 1.2 million people comprising acute hospital sites at Broomfield in Chelmsford, Basildon and Southend.
We are a well-led, high-performing and innovative organisation determined to provide the best health care services for our local population and working in the best interests of the people we serve.
Job overview
Do you want to make a difference to people’s lives?
We are looking for individuals with or without experience to work in healthcare, to join the NHS family helping people from your local community. Healthcare Support Worker opportunities are available in ophthalmology.
No experience? No problem. We will teach you everything you need to know. To us, it is more important that you are a caring and kind person with a genuine desire to help and support patients and their families. If this sounds like you, then you already have the skills that make a great Health Care Support Worker.
Right from the time you join us, you will have access to learning, development and training opportunities. As you progress in your NHS career you will acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to provide safe and compassionate patient care.
Mid and South Essex is a great place to work, offering a working environment with an inclusive culture that looks after and values our people and creates a sense of belonging. We encourage applications from people who embrace our values and who will enable us to expand our diverse workforce.
The Healthcare Support Worker role can also lead to a range of career opportunities. With the right support, those who want to can undertake the necessary training to become our future nurses, nursing associates and midwives.
Main duties of the job
The Health Care Assistant will function as part of the multi-disciplinary team within the ward or department to provide a seamless service & high-quality care to patients under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse.
It is expected that the Health Care Assistant will continue to develop their own capabilities and knowledge of nursing tasks in line with the Trusts career pathway.
The HCA is expected to undertake care to meet the needs of the patients under the supervision of a qualified nurse, working within the Trust's policies and procedures and the philosophy of the unit. Working collaboratively as part of the unit team.
Working for our organisation
As a Health Care Support Worker, you will be a hugely valuable support to our Nursing and Midwifery teams providing care to our patients. Every day will be different and you will work alongside the rest of the team carrying out a wide range of tasks and assisting with care to support the needs of the patients and their families.
- Examples of what you may do as part of your role
- Washing and dressing patients
- Serving meals and feeding patients
- Helping patients to move around
- Making beds
- Talking to patients and their families
- Monitoring patient condition
- Skills and personal attributes needed
- Caring and kind
- Cheerful and friendly
- Keen to support patients with their personal needs including washing and toileting
- Able to follow direct instructions
- Happy to work in a team but also able to use own initiative
- Have good listening and communication skills
- Be well organised
Full time and part time positions are available, and we are open to discuss flexible working arrangements. This opportunity is available for candidates who have the right to work in the UK. Applications from underrepresented groups including LGBT+, Ethnic Minority or disabled people are particularly welcome.
** We look forward to hearing from you and wish you good luck **
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
-
What we Offer:
- Range of opportunities for flexible working
- Strong team ethos
- NHS salary structure and pension
- 27 days holiday plus days off for bank holidays worked
- Enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours
- Maternity, paternity and adoption leave
- Childcare vouchers
- Wide range of LGBTI+ initiatives
- Health service discounts and online benefits
- Health and wellbeing support
- Discounts on public transport
- Disability Confident Reasonable adjustments
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good literacy demonstrated through minimal spelling and grammatical errors throughout application
- Experience of working with the public
- Must be keen to learn new skills and flexible in the workplace
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of working in a healthcare setting
- Healthcare Certificate
- Good IT skills
- Working within a team and experience of working in an environment with changing demands and priorities
Knowledge and experience
Essential criteria
- Working within a team
- Experience of working in an environment with changing demands and priorities
Desirable criteria
- Experience working in health care setting
- Experience working in ophthalmic setting
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Fiona Stephens
- Job title
- Unit Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01702 435555
- Additional information
ext 4515
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