We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations.
Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.
Health Care Assistant - Emergency Department
NHS AfC: Band 2
Main area Emergency Department. Grade NHS AfC: Band 2. Contract Permanent. Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Rotation to nights). Job ref 409-7547310
Site Southport Hospital. Town Southport. Salary £24,465 per annum. Salary period Yearly. Closing 09/11/2025 23:59. Interview date 21/11/2025
Interviews for this position will be held on Friday 21st November 2025.
Job overview
If you have a caring and compassionate approach, and want to join a motivated, friendly and supportive team, we are keen to hear from you. We require staff who have a genuine interest in helping care for acutely unwell patients as part of a multi-disciplinary team, as well as having excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Successful applicants will be supported through a supernumerary period and will become proficient in providing basic care as well as other day to day responsibilities.
Main duties of the job
* We pride ourselves on delivering consistently high standards of care for patients and their families to ensure the very best outcomes.
* Work closely with all members of the team to ensure competent safe delivery of care and achievement of specific role dependant duties that are within your scope of training and competence.
* Communicate compassionately and effectively with patients and their families whilst maintaining confidentiality.
* Deliver personal care to patients whilst maintaining their privacy and dignity and support with patient rehabilitation.
* Provide safe, clean and friendly care and recruit to our SCOPE values.
Working for our organisation
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9,000 dedicated staff across 21 sites. We are committed to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services
Acute Care: Emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all sites.
Primary Care: Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services: Adult community services for St Helens, wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire; inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital for rehabilitation; urgent care at the Urgent Treatment Centre in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services: Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital for over 4 million people across Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* Work as part of a team and duties will be delegated by the registered healthcare professional.
* Act within the scope of your training and competence, knowing who to ask for help and support if you are not sure.
* Work within agreed ways of working, following relevant Trust standards, policies and protocols.
* Communicate compassionately and effectively with individuals and their families, carers and health care practitioners using a range of techniques, maintaining confidentiality and using tact, empathy, persuasion and reassurance.
* Observe, assess and respond to patients’ personal care needs appropriately, escalating concerns to nursing staff as required.
* Organise self in general work tasks or when delivering patient care with supervision where needed from Senior Health Care Assistant and/or nursing staff.
* Undertake personal care duties and support activities of daily living, e.g. mouth care, personal hygiene and toileting needs, demonstrating person-centred care.
* Safely deliver care duties including handling of patient equipment (such as hoists and wheelchairs).
* Under supervision of a registered healthcare practitioner, undertake delegated procedures within the limits of required training and measured competence where appropriate (e.g., patient moving and handling, personal care).
* Support patients’ feeding, diet and nutritional needs and accurately record intake and output; report changes to nursing staff.
* Ensure patient property is managed as per Trust policy.
* Monitor levels of supplies and order supplies for the department as appropriate.
* Demonstrate duties to new starters and contribute to the learning environment.
* Work in line with Trust policies and procedures; contribute to maintaining a safe, healthy working environment.
* Follow the principles for implementing a duty of care, always acting in the best interest of individuals to avoid harm.
* Work in partnership with individuals, carers/families and the wider healthcare team.
* Maintain and develop your own skills and knowledge through development and learning activities; prepare for appraisal and document personal development.
* Participate in team handovers.
Person specification
Our Values
* We are Kind
* We are Open
* We are Inclusive
Qualifications
* Completion of Trust Care Certificate within 4 months of appointment
* Basic literacy and numeracy skills
* NVQ level 2 Health and Social Care or equivalent
* Care Certificate (equivalent to level 1)
Knowledge and Experience
* Knowledge of personal care and related procedures
* Experience of working in a team
* Experience of working in a patient care/health related role
Skills
* Ability to communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats
* Good interpersonal skills
* Able to work within a team
* Able to accept direction and guidance
* Aware of own limitations
* Able to prioritise own workload and manage time effectively
* Flexible, adaptable and responsive to change
* Reliable and professional
* Ability to cope in stressful and challenging situations
* Inclusive and non-judgmental
* Punctual, motivated and committed
* Effective role model demonstrating Trust values
* Basic IT skills
Other
* Frequent, moderate effort for several short periods during the shift such as manual handling patients and supporting personal care
* Occasional requirement for concentration with few competing demands for attention
* Aware that developing resilience to distressing situations is necessary without losing the ability to care compassionately
* Aware of the process for accessing staff health and wellbeing support
* Occasional exposure to distressing situations including care for patients with chronic conditions or end of life care
* Able to carry out direct personal care as required on ward or department
* Frequent exposure to blood or body fluids
* Occasional exposure to patients with challenging behaviours
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome all applications irrespective of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and under-represented groups.
Disability Confident Leader: We commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job.
The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for feedback. We strive for continuous improvement in our practice.
Flexible Working: We actively support flexible working patterns. All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment, and there is no limit on the number of requests.
Working for Team MWL: We offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave (pro rata), NHS discounts, and access to Staff Health and Wellbeing programmes.
The Trust is non-smoking across all sites. Smoking policies are in place and failure to comply could lead to disciplinary action.
You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Plagiarism, including AI-generated content, will be checked.
Certificate of Sponsorship: Check eligibility for sponsorship before applying.
eVisa Update: Successful candidates with certain visas will be issued an eVisa; details will be provided during the process.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check: Some posts require DBS checks; applicants may need to pay DBS costs where applicable.
Flexible Working: We encourage discussing flexible working options at interview.
Please contact Recruitment for any disability adjustments during the application process.
Additional Information: Review the Trust Values and Behaviours: We are KIND, OPEN, INCLUSIVE. An applicant guide is available in supporting documents.
Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL soon.
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 Disclosure to the DBS may be necessary.
Name: Ffion Rutt. Job title: Ward Manager. Email: ffion.rutt@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk. Telephone: 01704 704218
#J-18808-Ljbffr