Healthcare Assistant Apprentice in Preston

We’re delighted to launch our second intake for Healthcare Assistant Apprentice roles and we cannot wait to help you change your future. We are looking for those of you who are:

• Kind and compassionate
• Love interacting with people
• Want to provide care
• Good at communicating
• Great team players

Your first few weeks will be classroom based while you learn all the primary skills needed to do the role and you’ll achieve our bespoke Care Certificate which is embedded into this apprenticeship. We’ll provide all the training needed so when you step out into the area you will work, you can be confident in your ability to contribute straight away.

It’s important we recruit people with the right personal skills and attributes, so our interviews and assessments will be really practically focused giving you the chance to show us your potential, what you could bring to the role and your willingness to learn. You will make a difference to our patients every single day. Just bring along your caring approach, supportive attitude, great communication skills and empathetic nature and you really will thrive here.

Main duties of the job

Being a Healthcare Assistant is a wonderful and valued role. You’ll play a key role in the care of our patients, helping with the day‑to‑day needs of patients through personal care, meals and mobility, as well as performing checks such as taking temperature, pulse and respiration rate. The role can be challenging; you may see and be involved in some difficult situations. We don’t shy away from this, and we do know that this part of the role isn’t for everyone. For the right people, providing all kinds of support to our patients to meet their needs will be what makes you thrive. We help train you to deal with all aspects of the role and offer pastoral support to everyone.

We have over 10,000 staff in our organisation. You will work with dozens of different people, all performing different roles, giving you the chance to learn so much. We are offering you an opportunity to join one of our many friendly and dedicated teams where you will learn, grow and flourish, supported all the way, nurtured and developed by our award‑winning Education Team.

Working for our organisation

If you’ve always aspired to work for the NHS, to care for people and work alongside motivated teams, then you are going to love this role. We’ll invest in you and your development by supporting you, ensuring you keep up to date with all clinical competencies and from day one you will be supported to achieve qualifications in healthcare as well as meet the government standards for care within the NHS. We’ll support you on a development pathway if you want to go on to progress to a Senior HCA Level 3, a Trainee Nurse Associate Level 4 or a Registered Nurse in the future, with opportunities to apply for nurse training at one of our partner education providers (subject to entry requirements).

We are teaching hospitals, so there is a strong educational focus here, but some people want to undertake a role and thrive without further study. That is fine – there is no pressure to study more. We support you in whatever way works best for you. We work on a shift basis to meet our patients' care needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will usually work a four‑shift system: early, late, twilight and night.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Assist the provision of good quality personalised care in accordance with agreed local and national standards.
• Present a positive image of self, team and the organisation.
• Update patient records in a timely and accurate manner.
• Assist patients to meet nutritional needs in line with their individual care plan.
• Assist to maintain patient safety, conforming to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Assist in maintaining standards of care to improve the patient experience and outcome of care.
• Promote equality in care and practice by recognising, respecting and meeting the needs and choices of individuals.
• Contribute to maintaining a safe, clean, and productive care environment, compliant with standards for hygiene and cleanliness.
• Communicate all relevant information to the Registered Nurses in a professional and timely way.
• Maintain and develop own competence.
• Assist with resolving issues and complaints at local level and then report the outcome to the line manager.

Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrate a good level of communication skills.
• Understand confidentiality and its application.
• Previous experience caring for individuals (including family members).

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals irrespective of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, neurodiversity or veteran status are encouraged to apply for this post.

Background checks

Applicants may be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check. The cost will be recovered from your salary.

Apprenticeship conditions

As this is an apprenticeship, only candidates who have lived in the UK for at least three years may apply, and only if they have no prior experience or qualifications within healthcare. Applicants currently working in the NHS may be subject to Annex 30. Their apprenticeship rate of pay may be at or above their current level for the duration of training.