Job summary
- Main area
- Nursing Assistant
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 30 hours per week
- Job ref
- 179-7179331-25-M
- Employer
- West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- West Suffolk Hospital
- Town
- Bury St. Edmunds
- Salary
- £24,169 - £25,674 Papr
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Nursing Assistant- Medical Wards AAU and G10
NHS AfC: Band 3
Job overview
#BeKnown By us. By our patients. By our community.
Do you want to make a difference on people’s lives?
We are looking for individuals with or without healthcare experience to join our diverse and friendly organisation.
No Experience? No problem, you don’t need any previous experience to work as a Nursing Assistant! We will provide all the training you need and equip you with the skills required to start your career in healthcare.
Experienced in healthcare? We have opportunities to work in varied roles across the organisation enabling you to build on your career and meet your professional goals. This is a great opportunity to develop your Nursing Assistant career and make a real difference to the lives of those who use our services.
We encourage applications from all backgrounds. We have permanent, full and part-time roles available, across a variety of medical and surgical wards.
The closing date for this vacancy may change if we receive a strong response.
Certificate of sponsorship
Please note that Certificate of Sponsorship is not available for this role as it does not meet the criteria for sponsorship, please visit Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK for more information on eligible roles.
Main duties of the job
Working under the direction of the registered health care professional, as a member of the multi-disciplinary team
planning and organising own workload in conjunction with other staff members. Support service development to meet
the evolving needs of the NHS ensuring efficient and effective use of all resources. Provide effective high-quality
patient/customer care. Monitor and maintain Trust Quality standards.
Working for our organisation
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical Practice:
• Working under the direction of a registered healthcare professional, participate in the personal care of
patients and prioritising workload appropriately and developing competencies that safeguard practice and
effectiveness in role.
• The Healthcare Support Worker -Care Maker will undertake high quality, caring and compassionate personal
care and associated duties under the direction and supervision of the registered professional and working
as part of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Undertake operational duties which include:
o Transporting specimens
o Collecting drugs/instruments/ case notes/instruments
o Escort duties
o Document information relating to personal care, onto HIS under the direction of a registered Nurse
o Maintain and monitor stock levels on the ward/department.
o Participate in meetings and handover to discuss patients progress and care
o To safely transport patients
o Provide support to patients and relatives.
o Provide support when required to the ward/community Team
o Undertake Cavendish Care Certificate as required
Planning and organisational duties
• Provide assistance to patients and relatives according to their individual needs.
• Support patients with feeding providing education and support
• Assist registered healthcare professional with skin inspections and catheter care
Communication and Key Working relationships
• Maintain accurate and timely records, ensuring all entries are legible, accurate and completed within
defined timescales.
• Effective verbal communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure safe high quality
care is provided to all patients
• Provide general non-clinical advice, information and guidance to patients, relatives and visitors
• Assist with dietary needs of the patients as required
• Maintain effective working relationships with ward colleagues particularly those highlighted within the
organisational chart above.
• Display a pleasant and supportive manor when addressing patients/relatives/carers and colleagues alike
• Maintain basic administration tasks, answering telephone when required and the taking of messages and
passing on of relevant information
• Maintain effective communication skills when liaising with patients, staff and visitors, using tact and empathy
to receive and pass on information ensuring confidentiality is maintained
Patient/Service user related tasks and duties
• Work as part of a team delivering care that focuses on the direct needs of the individual
• Assists with washing, bathing, showering, hair and oral care:
• Assists with dressing and undressing.
• Applies lotions and creams appropriately during the provision of skin care.
• Assists with nutritional requirements
• Assists with toileting, which may include the use of bedpan, commode or lavatory.
• Assist in maintaining and monitoring cleaning standards within the clinical area ensuring general
fixtures/fittings and specialist equipment are cleaned accordance with guidelines
• Comply with the Trusts Infection Control Policy
• Ensure sensitivity in relation to the emotional, cultural and religious beliefs/needs of individual patient’s
relatives and /or carers.
Responsibility for Finance
• Participate in ensuring effective use of all financial resources in providing and delivering an effective service
• Responsible for maintaining stock control
• Identify cost savings in order to support the department annual CIP targets
• Liaise with Estates and Works Departments in respect of all maintenance issues
• Complete daily checking of equipment and returning of equipment to loan store.
Responsibility for Human Resources
• Adhere to Trust policies/ procedures and guidelines
• Undertake Mandatory Training updates
• Undertake role specific training for onward development of the role including working towards an apprentice
• Ensure compliance with Mandatory training requirements in accordance with Trust Policy
Responsibility for Health & Safety
• Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 – the post holder is required to fulfil a proactive role
towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the
taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of
care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
• All staff have a duty of care to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults, babies and children
• Awareness of the Trust vulnerable adult and Child Protection Policy/ Guidelines
Responsibility for Teaching
• Provide advice and give support to adults and relatives in relation to health promotion.
• Act as a role model and participate in the support during training of other healthcare assistances.
For further details / informal visits contact:
- Name
- Jennifer Chandler
- Job title
- Unit Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01284 713032
Person specification
- NMC Registration
- BLS & ILS trained
- Preparation for Mentorship
- A1 Assessor course
- Willingness to share knowledge
- Awareness of current political/professional issues
- Demonstrates awareness of the 6C’s, Trust values and Patients First Service Standards
- Demonstrates an awareness of the importance of keeping the clinical environment safe and clean
- Knowledge of the Data Protection Act
- Previous acute experience within the NHS
- Demonstrates experience managing deteriorating patients
- Previous acute experience within the NHS
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to work under pressure
- Ability to work to clear guidelines and within role boundaries
- Proficient IT skills
- Communicates clearly in writing, verbally and using the telephone
- Accurate with attention to detail
- Proficient in accurate, objective documentation and clinical hand- over of patients
- Able to recognise and manage deteriorating patients and to escalate concerns
- Knowledge of Ambulatory Care Centre and clinical pathways
- Cannulation competent
- Venipuncture competent
- Proficient with E-Care
- IV Drug administration trained
- Knowledge of Ambulatory Care same day emergency care Centre and clinical pathways
- Team worker, who is able to prioritize effectively
- Flexible approach to working hours and duties
- Awareness of own limitations
- Ability to use initiative, referring key decisions as appropriate and understanding aim limitations
- Attention to detail
- Polite, respectful and professional attitude and behaviours towards staff members, patients and relatives
Person specification
Education & Qualification
Essential criteria
- National Care Certificate or be willing to undertake and complete within 12 weeks or starting
Desirable criteria
- Care Certificate
- Functional Skills level 1 Maths & English
- Previous experience of being a HCSW (Nursing Assistant)
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Communicates clearly
- Able to work as a team
- Able to work on own initiative, following direction/supervision
Experience & Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Experience working in a healthcare, social care organisation/setting or service industry requiring people contact.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working within a health care environment.
- To demonstrate a range of procedures and practices, base level of theoretical knowledge
- Ability to work in a multi-agency team
- Ability to work alone or in small team
- Ability to work with staff from a diverse range of backgrounds
Personal qualities
Essential criteria
- Professional outlook and positive attitude.
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jennifer Chandler
- Job title
- Ward Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
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