Healthcare Assistant (King Edward Ward - Chemotherapy OPD)

Main area Chemotherapy Outpatients Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time – 37.5 hours per week (5 days per week; Monday-Friday) Job ref 193-7386161PCG

Employer Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Royal Berkshire Hospital Town Reading Salary £24,937 – £26,598 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 26/10/2025 23:59

Healthcare Assistant (King Edward Ward – Chemotherapy OPD)

NHS AfC: Band 3

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”

Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements. The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’.

We areCompassionate in our thoughts, words and actions

We areAspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate

We areResourceful and responsible in the way we work and live

We areExcellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, we value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills, and experiences to the Trust. When completing your application, we encourage you to highlight your individual achievements and strengths, showing us how they align with the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools during the process, please be mindful that AI-generated responses can often lack the personal detail and relevance needed to demonstrate your suitability for the role. AI generated content is discouraged by the Trust and may diminish the candidates chances of success.

Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.

Job overview

Band 3 Healthcare Assistant (King Edward Ward – Chemotherapy OPD)

We are seeking a compassionate and motivated Healthcare Assistant to join our dynamic Chemotherapy Outpatients team.

You should be passionate about delivering high standards of care to cancer patients in an outpatient setting.

This is a patient-facing role where you will play a vital part in supporting individuals undergoing cancer treatment in a calm, professional, and compassionate environment.

This role is predominantly based in Royal Berkshire Hospital, but the service does also cover units atBracknell Healthspace and West Berkshire Community Hospital, Thatcham.

This role is Monday-Friday; 08:30-16:30 – hours can, however, be negotiated where necessary.

Informal visits/chats are highly encouraged – for further information please contact Ward Sisters:

Main duties of the job

To provide high-quality, compassionate care and practical support to patients attending the Chemotherapy Outpatients Unit.

The Healthcare Assistant works under the supervision of registered nurses and contributes to the safe, efficient delivery of cancer treatment services, supporting patients physically and emotionally throughout their visit.

The post holder will provide high quality essential care to patients under the supervision of a Registered Practitioner in a caring, compassionate and sensitive manner:

· Acting always in the patient’s best interests.

· Protecting and maintaining the patient’s privacy and dignity at all times.

· Providing individualised care for a diverse group of patients respecting personal beliefs and preferences.

· Alert the Registered Practitioner and/or Ward/ Department Manager to any change or concern relating to the welfare of the patient in a timely manner.

· Undertake specific clinical skills relevant to clinical area following training and assessment of competence, e.g. performing vital signs, venepuncture.

· Provides enhanced levels of care to patients requiring additional supervision and support to ensure their personal safety and wellbeing needs are met.

Working for our organisation

We are one of the largest hospital foundation trusts in the country, and currently touch the lives of half a million patients in the west of Berkshire every year by providing high quality acute medical and surgical services for our local communities. The Trust strives to provide high quality, compassionate care for our patients and their families.

Our values:

• Aspirational
• Resourceful

The town of Reading sits on the River Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford, and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work, and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

As part of the induction process, all new Healthcare Assistants will be supported to complete the nationally recognised Care Certificate (attached document refers) developed by Health Education England, Skills for Health and Skills for Care (2015).

This fantastic opportunity will allow you to gain formal recognition for the skills and knowledge you develop within the first 12 weeks of employment within the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1/ Provide safe, compassionate, and patient-focused care under the supervision of registered nurses.

2/ Support the clinical team in delivering effective cancer treatment in an outpatient environment.

3/ Maintain high standards of infection control, cleanliness, and health & safety at all times. Assist with stock management, demonstrating resourcefulness and avoiding disruptions to patient care.

4/ Recognise and escalate concerns related to patient wellbeing or treatment reactions.

5/ Protect patient dignity and confidentiality, always acting with professionalism and discretion.

6/ Contribute to a positive team environment, demonstrating flexibility, cooperation, and respect.

7/ Participate in ongoing training and development, maintaining up-to-date knowledge relevant to cancer care and chemotherapy support.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Care Certificate
• QCF level 2 or Level 3 in Health or Health and Social Care
• T Level in Health
• GSCE or equivalent – Maths and English

Experience

• Experience as Healthcare Assistant within an acute hospital environment or equivalent setting
• Previous experience of working within relevant specialty

We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship.You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

• Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on your work, life balance
• Annual leave – 27 days for new starters, plus bank holidays. Increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years NHS service. Pro rata for part time staff
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Money Advice Service
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave for eligible staff
• On-site nursery (based at RBH)
• Full educational library services
• Cycle to work scheme, lockable storage for cycles
• Bus to work scheme
• Excellent rail and bus links
• A huge range of Health Service Discounts at hundreds of big brands from holidays to gadgets and restaurants to retail.

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system (TRAC). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information. All new appointments to the Trust, with the exception of executive positions, are subject to a 6 month probationary period.

The Trust may close any vacancy prior to the advertised closing date due to the high level of responses we receive for some of our vacancies.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke free environment. A smoke free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust’s sites.

The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Name Taylor Carlisle Job title SACT Ward Manager Email address taylor.carlisle@royalberkshire.nhs.uk Telephone number 0118 322 7464 Additional information

SACT Ward Managers via:

Taylor Carlisle – taylor.carlisle@royalberkshire.nhs.uk / 0118 322 7464

Kirti Pun – kirti.pun@royalberkshire.nhs.uk / 0118 322 7464