Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Summary

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.  As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients.

Wage

£24,465 a year

Starting Salary - £24,465 Progression to Band 3 pay once Clinical Skills training is complete This training role is designed to support ‘new to care’ candidates developing into a Band 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker role.

Training course

Senior healthcare support worker (level 3)

Hours

Shift patterns across the weeks which may include evenings, nights and weekends. Exact days and shifts to be confirmed.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 December 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

5

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

The Apprentice Senior Healthcare Support Worker is a core member of the team delivering direct care to patients and supporting registered practitioners to deliver high-quality, compassionate health care to people in accordance with assessed needs and a care plan.

Working as a Healthcare Support Worker, you will be involved with direct patient care whilst maintaining the privacy and dignity of patients.

You will be working alongside a Registered Nurse to provide essential nursing care and helping your patients with daily living tasks such as:

• Helping patients feel comfortable and move around
• Monitoring patients and performing basic health checks
• Washing, dressing patients and helping them go to the toilet
• Serving meals and helping to feed patients
• Documenting care provided to a high standard

Once progressed into a Senior HCW (Band 3) role, 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.

This apprenticeship training position will allow you to develop knowledge and skills specific to your needs and your working area. As well as achieving a Level 3 Healthcare qualification, during your programme you will also be supported to obtain your Care Certificate, if not previously completed. 

Where you'll work

Southmead Hospital
Westbury on Trym
Bristol
Bristol
BS10 5NB

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

SOUTH WEST ASSOCIATION OF TRAINING PROVIDERS LIMITED

Training course

Senior healthcare support worker (level 3)

What you'll learn

• Core: Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
• Core: Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed.
• Core: Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe and non-discriminatory person-centred care and support with individuals’ established consent.
• Core: Implement a duty of care, recognising and responding to safeguarding and protection concerns and acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
• Core: Support individuals to make informed and positive lifestyle choices.
• Core: Actively seek out and act on opportunities to support individuals to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices.
• Core: Recognise and respond to changes in an individual’s health and wellbeing.
• Core: Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and well-being.
• Core: Promote and monitor access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan.
• Core: Communicate with individuals, their families, carers and others in the workplace using techniques designed to facilitate understanding.
• Core: Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity.
• Core: Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, using infection prevention and control techniques including hand washing, sanitisation, disinfection and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Core: Maintain the safe supply, storage, use and disposal of supplies and equipment.
• Core: Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals.
• Core: Take appropriate action in response to concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace.
• Core: Perform basic life support techniques.
• Core: Recognise and respond to potential conflict, challenging behaviour or an escalating situation.
• Core: Undertake own training and development activities and contribute to the training and development of others.
• Core: Participate in appraisal to support professional development.
• Core: Reflect on and develop your own practice.
• Core: Record and store information related to individuals securely, including the safe use of technology.
• Core: Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality, duty of confidence and disclosure.
• Core: Participate in and support others with quality improvement activities in the workplace.
• Core: Use investigatory techniques to source evidence to validate and improve the delivery of care and support within own scope of practice.
• Core: Critically appraise sources of information and apply to practice.
• Core: Provide leadership and act as a role model for others within the scope of own role.
• Core: Contribute to mentoring and supervision of others in the workplace within the scope of own role.
• Core: Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment.
• Options 1 and 5: Adult nursing support and children and young people support: Support individuals with activities of daily living to develop and maintain their independence in line with their desired. outcomes and plan of care.
• Options 1, 2 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support and children and young people support: Assist with tissue viability risk assessments and manage pressure areas.
• Options 1 and 5: Adult nursing support and children and young people support: Assist with wound care in line with the care plan.
• Options 1, 2 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support and children and young people support: Obtain and test specimens in line with the care plan.
• Options 1, 2 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support and children and young people support: Provide care and support for individuals and their family during the end-of-life phase.
• Options 1, 2, 5 and 6: Adult nursing support, maternity support, children and young people support and allied health professional therapy support: Contribute to signposting to relevant agencies and, discharge or transfer of individuals between services, in line with their care plan.
• Options 1, 2, 4 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support, mental health support and children and young people support: Recognise and respond to deteriorations in physical health, mental health and wellbeing.
• Option 1: Adult nursing support: Support adults to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing and for managing their own condition.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Assist the midwife with teaching, feeding and hygiene needs of babies-parenting skills and antenatal and postnatal exercise.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Assist health care professionals with antenatal and newborn screening and provide information to parents about immunisation activities.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Provide support to the maternity team by maintaining the supply of resources, instruments and equipment.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Support personal care such as providing care for women with urethral catheters.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Identify the baby and provide wristband or label in line with local security procedures.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Care for the physical needs of babies by undertaking routine healthy baby observations and reporting any abnormalities.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Support parents and carers to meet the developmental, nutritional and hygiene needs of babies.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Work in partnership with families and other support services to support individuals in difficult circumstances, bereavement and loss.
• Option 2: Maternity support: Provide support to the midwife and others in the multi-disciplinary team in an emergency situation during pregnancy, labour, birth or the postnatal period.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Complete pre- and post-operative checklists.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Support the surgical team to maintain the sterile field.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Participate in team briefing, patient sign in, timeout, sign out and debriefing.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Support and monitor the pre-medicated, sedated and unconscious individual.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Measure and record an individual’s body fluid balance.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Move, position and transport individuals and specialist equipment before, during and after surgery.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Prepare the clinical environment and provide surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for the surgical team.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Carry out counts for swabs, sharps, instruments and disposable items and take action if something is missing.
• Option 3: Theatre support: Assist in receiving, handling and dispatching clinical specimens or blood products.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Use strategies and tools to promote mental wellbeing and to support individuals with mental ill health.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Observe, record and report changes and barriers, using proactive approaches to manage behaviour which challenges.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Take an active approach in supporting individuals to manage their condition.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Build, monitor and sustain therapeutic relationships with individuals, carers and their families.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Promote a recovery-based approach that enables the individual to manage their condition.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Enable and empower individuals to actively participate in society and recognise the impact of mental health on them and others.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Identify situations of risk to yourself or others and take action including seeking support.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Involve the individual, carers and family members in risk management processes.
• Option 4: Mental health support: Review and promote your own mental health and wellbeing.
• Option 5: Children and young people support: Support the development of children and young people through therapeutic play and learning.
• Option 5: Children and young people support: Support children and young people through transitions by enabling shared or independent decision making.
• Option 5: Children and young people support: Support parents, families and carers to meet the needs of children and young people.
• Option 5: Children and young people support: Support children and young people before, during or after diagnostic, clinical or therapeutic procedures.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Provide therapeutic support in line with care plans to encourage independence, self-management and skills for everyday life.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Assist with undertaking clinical risk assessments and management plans.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Recognise the impact of mental or physical capacity, health condition, learning disability or overall wellbeing on the therapeutic or clinical task or intervention and when to adapt.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Enable individuals to meet optimum potential.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Facilitate group sessions to support health and well-being of individuals or communities.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Support people to engage in the community and access activities or resources in line with their treatment goals.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Identify, order or fit therapeutic equipment and resources in line with the individual’s care plan.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Use equipment and resources therapeutically in a safe way in line with local policy and procedure.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Demonstrate and teach the safe and appropriate use of therapeutic equipment and resources.
• Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Complete safety checks for therapeutic equipment and resources, following protocols to report issues or make adaptations if appropriate.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Assist and support the multi-disciplinary team in the safe and effective operation and maintenance of the imaging environment.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support the multi-disciplinary team in the safe flow of individuals through the imaging environment, recognising and complying with current legislation and best practice.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Prepare individuals for imaging procedures, including those that maybe pre-medicated, sedated or unconscious.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support and position individuals during imaging procedures, including those that maybe pre-medicated, sedated or unconscious.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support practitioners with the preparation and administration of medicines and contrast agents within the scope of own role.
• Option 7: Diagnostic Imaging Support: Administer medicines supplied by a registered practitioner within the scope of own role.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Insert, flush and remove cannulas in line with local protocols and within the scope of own role.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Provide after care for individuals following imaging procedures.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Assist practitioners in setting up and maintaining aseptic or clean area in the imaging environment.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support the multi-disciplinary team in the safe delivery of an imaging service.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Review and promote the health and wellbeing of self and others, including mental health.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Participate in team briefing, patient sign in, timeout, sign out and debriefing.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Assist with undertaking clinical risk assessments and management plans.
• Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Recognise the impact of mental or physical capacity, health condition, learning disability or overall wellbeing on the therapeutic or clinical task or intervention and when to adapt.
• Core: Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
• Core: Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed.
• Core: Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe and non-discriminatory person-centred care and support with individuals’ established consent.
• Core: Implement a duty of care, recognising and responding to safeguarding and protection concerns and acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
• Core: Support individuals to make informed and positive lifestyle choices.
• Core: Actively seek out and act on opportunities to support individuals to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices.
• Core: Recognise and respond to changes in an individual’s health and wellbeing.
• Core: Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and well-being.
• Core: Promote and monitor access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan.
• Core: Communicate with individuals, their families, carers and others in the workplace using techniques designed to facilitate understanding.
• Core: Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity.
• Core: Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, using infection prevention and control techniques including hand washing, sanitisation, disinfection and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Core: Maintain the safe supply, storage, use and disposal of supplies and equipment.
• Core: Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals.
• Core: Take appropriate action in response to concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace.
• Core: Perform basic life support techniques.
• Core: Recognise and respond to potential conflict, challenging behaviour or an escalating situation.
• Core: Undertake own training and development activities and contribute to the training and development of others.
• Core: Participate in appraisal to support professional development.
• Core: Reflect on and develop your own practice.
• Core: Record and store information related to individuals securely, including the safe use of technology.
• Core: Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality, duty of confidence and disclosure.
• Core: Participate in and support others with quality improvement activities in the workplace.
• Core: Use investigatory techniques to source evidence to validate and improve the delivery of care and support within own scope of practice.
• Core: Critically appraise sources of information and apply to practice.
• Core: Provide leadership and act as a role model for others within the scope of own role.
• Core: Contribute to mentoring and supervision of others in the workplace within the scope of own role.
• Core: Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment.

Training schedule

• This apprenticeship position is a Band 2 to Band 3 development role for candidates who have Level 2 Functional Skills (maths & English) and wish to begin an apprenticeship to gain a level 3 qualification in Senior Healthcare Support
• Experience in a care role would be an advantage but not essential
• If you have already completed a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, then this vacancy may not be suitable for you due to a duplication of content

On successful completion of your apprenticeship, you will gain:

• Senior Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship (Level 3)
• City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare
• Functional Skills Level 2 - maths and English (if applicable)

Apprenticeship Training will take place at our hospital site in Southmead. Off-the-job hours will be allocated at the start and include training days (1 day per month) in our Learning and Research Centre.

More training information

• If you have already completed a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, then this vacancy may not be suitable for you due to a duplication of content
• All applicants (where applicable) must have been resident in the UK for three years prior to commencing their apprenticeship, as set out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Additionally, a visa needs to be in place for the length of the apprenticeship programme
• Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship on this position

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths & English (grade 4)

Desirable qualifications

NVQ Level 2 or equivalent in:

Health & Social Care (grade Pass)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Patience
• Physical fitness