Job summary

Are you compassionate, caring and communicative? Would you like to be the best you can be or grow your career in a world-class teaching hospital? We believe our Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) role offers this opportunity and our tailored training programme supports you whether you have experience OR if you are new to care. [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is one of the largest acute teaching trusts in England and provides a wide range of healthcare services to some 1.9 million people living in Southampton and South Hampshire. Our Healthcare Assistants help our nurses and doctors at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], by offering the highest standards of personal care and support to our patients.

Main duties of the job

As a Healthcare Support Worker, you'll work under the guidance of a Registered Nurse or healthcare professional on one of our busy adult or child wards or outpatient areas. You will help our nurses and doctors at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], by offering the highest standards of personal care and support to our patients. Previous healthcare experience is desirable but NOT essential.

About us

A Healthcare Support Worker at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is not just a job, it's a career opportunity. Our HCSW's receive top industry training and development, with a tailored career programme and amazing links to support nursing or higher healthcare apprenticeships. Benefits include: minimum 35 days paid holiday, one-week intensive induction, guaranteed contracted hours, access to extra shifts, mentoring team, central hospital location, generous pension, NHS discounts, and more.

Job responsibilities

• Washing and dressing patients and aiding in their personal hygiene
• Assisting patients to access and use toilet facilities
• Serving meals and helping to feed patients
• Helping patients to safely move around
• Assisting with bed making, cleaning tasks, errands, or general duties
• Collecting pathological specimens e.g., Urine, faeces, sputum
• Making patients and their families feel comfortable

Development: After completion of foundation induction you will attend extended induction (1 study day per month for 5 months) to learn additional skills for Senior Healthcare Assistant, including physiological measurement, maintaining skin integrity, and local specific skills like cannulation, catheterisation and ECGs.

Person Specification

Essential

• Completed care certificate or ability to complete within 6 months of appointment
• Capable of attaining NVQ level 3 in care with acute units corresponding to specialty or equivalent experience
• Completed secondary education
• Ability to move and handle patients and equipment
• Evidence of empathy, patience and dependability
• Ability to deal with a range of difficult situations
• Be able to take instruction / directions and work within the confines of the role
• Ability to cope with fluctuating demands and pressures of the role
• Capable of completing core HCSW competencies and additional specific competencies related to area of work within 12 months of appointment

Desirable

• Previous experience in an acute hospital setting
• Previous experience in the volunteer sector
• Previous experience as a Teaching Assistant
• Previous experience as a Nursing Home Carer

Additional information

Salary: £25,272 a year (Agenda for Change Band 2). Contract: Permanent. Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time. Location: Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD. Reference: 188-FTHCSW030526. Date posted: 06 May 2026. Closing date: 20 May 2026.

Sponsorship: This vacancy does not meet the Home Office threshold for sponsorship and requires candidates to complete a 9-month training period. We are therefore unable to accept applications from candidates who do not have the right to work in the UK or where candidates do not have at least 9 months remaining on their visa from the start date of the new role.

Employer details

Employer: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]. Address: Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD. Website: https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/home.aspx.

Contact

For questions about the job, contact HR Recruitment at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] or [contact hidden].