Healthcare Support Worker Theatres
Band 2
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
Main duties of the job
We have an exciting opportunity for Healthcare Support Worker to work in our Theatre departments at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS).
Whether you are an experienced Healthcare Support Worker or just starting out – if you are caring, compassionate and looking for a new challenge, then we’ll have a role for you! Apply to join the team at UHS and take the next steps in your healthcare career.
Working for our organisation
University Hospital Southampton is one of England’s largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.
Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.
We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.
At UHS we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognising that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti‑racist, anti‑discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.
Southampton General Hospital – Centre block theatres
About the team:
We cover a wide variety of specialities such as: Orthopaedics, Neuro, Paediatrics, ENT, Cardiac and mixed general surgical fields. We are a regional specialist centre and do many pioneering procedures.
We have the highest ratio of staff to patients in the hospital and team working is key to our success. The circulating role in theatre is vital to delivery of our service and you would be directly assisting the surgical team during the operation. We support training in the initial phase of learning the role doubled up with an experienced member of staff and become independent when ready.
We encourage and assist staff through obtaining their functional skills level 2, level 3 health care and onwards to a Nursing or Operating Department Practitioner apprenticeship.
We are looking for individuals with the ability and attitude to grow and develop into a valued member of our team. Whatever level of skill or experience you currently have, if you can demonstrate drive and potential, our comprehensive induction and in‑house training teams will help you to reach your full potential.
All applicants MUST be fully flexible to cover a variety of shifts including early, late, long days and nights – as our services operate 24 hours, 365 days a year.
Princess Anne Hospital
About the team:
We specialise in Obstetric & Gynaecology (benign & oncology services, fertility treatment) and breast surgeries and pride ourselves with having a multi‑disciplinary team offering services to women and newborn. You will be working with a variety of teams of highly competent and reliable nurses, ODP’s and HCA’s, complimenting the different consultants working in the department.
We are a friendly unit with 4 operating theatres, which provide a 24/7 emergency services for obstetric and gynaecology conditions and elective services for obstetric, benign and oncology gynaecology and breast surgery, including reconstruction.
There is an attached Recovery and Day Surgery Unit which has 6 recovery beds and 15 day‑surgery beds which are open from 7:30-10 pm.
We’re recruiting HCAs across all theatre departments at UHS and will allocate you to your department after successful interview.
This vacancy does not meet the Home Office threshold for sponsorship and requires candidates to complete a 9‑month training period. We are therefore unable to accept applications from candidates who do not have the right to work in the UK or where candidates do not have at least 9 months remaining on their visa from the start date of the new role.
Due to a high volume of applications, the Trust reserves the right to close this advert early.
Person specification
Trust Values
* Patients First
* Always Improving
* Working Together
Qualifications, knowledge and experience
* Completed care certificate or ability to complete within 6 months of appointment.
* Completed secondary education.
* Ability to move and handle patients and equipment.
* Evidence of empathy, patience and dependability.
* Ability to deal with a range of difficult situations.
* Be able to take instruction/directions and work within the confines of the role.
* Ability to cope with fluctuating demands and pressures of the role.
* Requirement to be aware of and adhere to the care certificate standards; https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/care-certificate
* Capable of completing core HCSW competencies and additional specific competencies related to area of work within 12 months of appointment.
* Previous experience in: Acute hospital setting. HCA experience. Volunteer sector Teaching Assistant Nursing home carer Experience in a caring role.
* Understanding of acute hospital environment and the role of HCA.
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.
Our commitment to equality
Equality remains at the centre of our policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice, giving all employees equal opportunity to develop, apply for promotions, and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work‑life balance.
UHS actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development, and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.
How and why we use your information
The Trust is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.
The European General Data Protection Regulations enhances individuals’ rights and safeguards all of their data in place under the DPA.
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.
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