Job overview

Start a new rewarding career as an Apprentice Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) at Weston General Hospital(WGH)! 

Are you new to healthcare and looking for a training/development post leading to a Senior HCSW role?

Working as a HCSW is an immensely rewarding job. WGH is more than a workplace, it's a community. Be part of an organisation that offers stability and career development opportunities.

No matter your background, this is your opportunity to start a fulfilling career. We are looking for enthusiastic, compassionate and hard-working individuals that also believe in our Trust Values: Supportive, Respectful, Innovative & Collaborative.

Previous care experience is not essential, but a kind caring nature and excellent communication skills are required. You will also need to have the desire and dedication to study, learn and grow in a healthcare environment.

Level 3 Apprentice HCSW is a 27 month apprenticeship. To be shortlisted for this role, it is desirable to have Maths &  English qualifications at GCSE A*-C/4-9 or Functional Skills Level 2 or equivalent.

Please note, this role does not currently meet the salary requirement for certificate of sponsorship. From the 9th April 2025, the minimum salary required for a Skilled Worker visa became £25,000 per year. While this role may be offered at a higher point on the pay scale depending on relevant NHS experience, most new starters are appointed at the bottom of the band, which does not meet the new salary threshold.

Main duties of the job

This advert is for Apprentice HCSW roles working with adult patients based in Weston only. If you are interested in working in Bristol or the Children's hospital, please apply to the relevant advert. It is essential that you are able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service. The service provides support over a 24 hour period, 7 days per week, and 52 weeks a year. You will need to be able to work long shifts (12.5 hours) on week days, weekends, evenings, nights and bank holidays where needed.

You will be involved with direct patient care whilst maintaining the privacy and dignity of adult patients. Working alongside a registered Nurse to provide the essentials of nursing care, helping your patients (both male and female) with daily living tasks, including washing, going to the toilet (hygiene & continence) or helping with their meals (nutrition).

· Helping with mobility needs and providing pressure area care.

· Providing emotional support to patients and their families.

· One to one observation for patients who present a high risk due to clinical condition.

· Ensuring that the ward environment is clean and safe.

When you become a senior HCSW you will also be taking and recording patients’ vital signs, identifying and escalating changes to a patient’s condition to the registered nurse.

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 15,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England.

UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.