Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship

Job overview

The Royal Marsden is a centre of excellence with an international reputation for ground-breaking research, complex major surgery and pioneering the very latest in cancer treatments and technologies.  We are offering an exciting opportunity to join the nursing    team on Smithers Ward as an Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW).  This apprenticeship is designed for individuals looking to begin their career in healthcare, gain hands-on experience, and achieve a Level 2 Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship alongside the Care Certificate.

Smithers Ward is a mixed-sex 19 bed inpatient ward beds plus a four bedded day care surgical/medical unit caring for a diverse range of patients with oncological diagnoses. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic with the vision and passion to help optimise high quality patient care. Being a good team player you will work together with the ward managers and clinical team colleagues to help foster good communication and improve processes to enhance the patient pathway.

What we’re looking for: You don’t need prior healthcare experience – just a genuine interest in caring for people, a positive attitude, and a commitment to learning. We are looking for someone who is: •    Compassionate, reliable, and a good communicator. •    Eager to develop new skills and complete all required training. •    Able to work effectively as part of a team in a busy clinical environment.

Main duties of the job

The Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) will work under the supervision of registered nurses and the shift co-ordinator to deliver high-quality, compassionate care to patients, with a particular focus on those receiving cancer treatment. This role is designed to support learning and development, providing structured training through the Care Certificate and Level 2 Apprenticeship programme, while contributing to the safe and effective running of the clinical area.

What we offer: •    A structured training programme with full support from our experienced staff. •    Completion of the Care Certificate and Level 2 Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship. •    Hands-on experience in a specialist oncology setting. •    The opportunity to build a career within the NHS, with progression into a permanent Band 3 Healthcare Support Worker role on successful completion of the apprenticeship. Join us If you’re passionate about starting a rewarding career in healthcare and want to make a difference every day, we’d love to hear from you.

Meets all government criteria for apprenticeship funding, including appropriate visa status, required period of UK residency, and no prior learning or experience at a level that would prevent funding approval.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification:

All duties will be carried out under the guidance and supervision of the shift coordinator and registered nursing staff. Clinical Responsibilities – Patient Care

• Work towards completion of the Care Certificate standards
• Monitor and record patients’ vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, oxygen saturation) under direct supervision and report abnormal results and concerns to nursing staff.
• Accurately measure and record height and weight.
• Undertake delegated clinical tasks relevant to the area (e.g., ECGs, urinalysis, MRSA screening, documentation in digital health records) once competency has been achieved and approved.
• Assist patients with nutrition, including menu completion and feeding support, in collaboration with ward hosts/hostesses.
• Apply infection prevention and control practices, attending all mandatory training and be willing to challenge others poor practice where necessary.
• Escort patients and their belongings between wards/departments,

As an Apprentice HCSW, you’ll work under the supervision of experienced nursing staff to: •    Deliver safe, compassionate care to patients, including those receiving cancer treatments. •    Support patients with daily needs such as nutrition, hygiene, and comfort. •    Assist with clinical tasks (e.g. ECGs, vital signs, infection control) once trained and assessed as competent. •    Help maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming ward environment. •    Provide a warm welcome to patients and their families, supporting them throughout their stay. •    On successful completion of the apprenticeship you will transition into a Band3 HCSW role.  As a Band 3 HCSW you will carry out a range of clinical duties with minimal/no supervision, including, for example, blood pressure monitoring, oxygen saturation levels, body temperature, pulse rate and respiration rate, glucose monitoring, collection and testing of urine samples/faecal samples/sputum samples and wound swabs ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care at all times. NB: this list is not exhaustive and will vary depending on the area of work.