University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Health Care Assistant

The closing date is 02 October 2025

Job summary

Team Bickleigh are looking for a full or part time, Band 2,Health Care Assistant to join our friendly and supportive team. Bickleigh Ward is a 26 bed Cardiology ward that specialises in Interventional Cardiology. You will have opportunities to access local cardiology training and competencies as well as Trust wide development opportunities.

We are looking for a hard working, driven and compassionate individual to help care for our patients and to help us meet all their needs via a holistic approach. The individual must have a passion for caring for others and work well within a team.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

The main duties of this role include;

  • Undertake Personal care
  • Basic patient assessments
  • Adhering to infection prevention and control policies
  • promote health education
  • Demonstrate care and compassion to patients, carers and relatives
  • Contribute to maintaining a safe environment for patients.

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care.

The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY.

If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Details

Date posted

25 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 a year Per Annum Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

216-LD-M7291921

Job locations

Bickleigh Ward, Derriford Hospital, Terrence Lewis Building Level 8.

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Develop the skills to obtain consent prior to giving care in accordance with Trust policies.

2. Under supervision follow individual patient care plans and report any changes immediately to the Registered Practitioner.

3. Demonstrate care and compassion to patients, carers, and relatives to help ensure high-quality person-centred patient care is delivered at all times.

4. Undertake basic patient assessment whilst providing personal care and feeding back to the Registered Practitioner to ensure high standards of care, in particular relating to skin integrity and the alertness of the patient.

5. Practice safe standards of care to patients following Trust guidelines and policies and be able to concentrate for periods throughout the day with occasional interruptions.

6. Ensure care is given in accordance with the infection prevention and health and safety policies and procedures.

7. Ensure that the patients bed space is clean, tidy, and accessible and that the person has what they need within easy reach.

8. Develop the skills to actively facilitate self-care and independence with patients.

9. Undertake personal care duties.

10. Supporting with toileting, bathing, dressing, and feeding. Recording oral fluid balance and nutrition.

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Develop the skills to obtain consent prior to giving care in accordance with Trust policies.

2. Under supervision follow individual patient care plans and report any changes immediately to the Registered Practitioner.

3. Demonstrate care and compassion to patients, carers, and relatives to help ensure high-quality person-centred patient care is delivered at all times.

4. Undertake basic patient assessment whilst providing personal care and feeding back to the Registered Practitioner to ensure high standards of care, in particular relating to skin integrity and the alertness of the patient.

5. Practice safe standards of care to patients following Trust guidelines and policies and be able to concentrate for periods throughout the day with occasional interruptions.

6. Ensure care is given in accordance with the infection prevention and health and safety policies and procedures.

7. Ensure that the patients bed space is clean, tidy, and accessible and that the person has what they need within easy reach.

8. Develop the skills to actively facilitate self-care and independence with patients.

9. Undertake personal care duties.

10. Supporting with toileting, bathing, dressing, and feeding. Recording oral fluid balance and nutrition.

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Be able to work well within a team
  • Demonstrable experience of time management and prioritising work

Desirable

  • Demonstrable experience of providing care in a healthcare or social setting
  • cardiology experience

Qualifications

Essential

  • oTraining and qualifications are provided to enable the HCSW to comply with mandatory HCSW standards where you will obtain either: Vocational Qualification at Level 2 or equivalent relevant demonstrable experience. Note that if you are new to care, training will be provided to NVQ Level 2 or equivalent.

Desirable

  • Level 2 QCF Diploma in Clinical Healthcare support oor oLevel 2 NVQ in Healthcare Health & Social Care oOr oLevel 2 in Health & Social Care (NVQ, QCF, RQF) oGCSE A*- D in English Language, or equivalent (e.g. Certificate in Adult Literacy at Level 1) oGCSE A* - D, or equivalent in Mathematics (e.g. Certificate in Adult Numeracy at Level 1)

APptitude and abilities

Essential

  • Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
  • Able to complete appropriate documentation accurately

Desirable

  • Demonstrate an awareness of healthcare work and policies and procedures.
Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Be able to work well within a team
  • Demonstrable experience of time management and prioritising work

Desirable

  • Demonstrable experience of providing care in a healthcare or social setting
  • cardiology experience

Qualifications

Essential

  • oTraining and qualifications are provided to enable the HCSW to comply with mandatory HCSW standards where you will obtain either: Vocational Qualification at Level 2 or equivalent relevant demonstrable experience. Note that if you are new to care, training will be provided to NVQ Level 2 or equivalent.

Desirable

  • Level 2 QCF Diploma in Clinical Healthcare support oor oLevel 2 NVQ in Healthcare Health & Social Care oOr oLevel 2 in Health & Social Care (NVQ, QCF, RQF) oGCSE A*- D in English Language, or equivalent (e.g. Certificate in Adult Literacy at Level 1) oGCSE A* - D, or equivalent in Mathematics (e.g. Certificate in Adult Numeracy at Level 1)

APptitude and abilities

Essential

  • Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
  • Able to complete appropriate documentation accurately

Desirable

  • Demonstrate an awareness of healthcare work and policies and procedures.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Bickleigh Ward, Derriford Hospital, Terrence Lewis Building Level 8.

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Bickleigh Ward, Derriford Hospital, Terrence Lewis Building Level 8.

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Ward Manager

Rebecca McKerracher

rebecca.mckerracher@nhs.net

01752439163

Details

Date posted

25 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 a year Per Annum Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

216-LD-M7291921

Job locations

Bickleigh Ward, Derriford Hospital, Terrence Lewis Building Level 8.

Derriford Hospital

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Supporting documents

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