Job overview
Now is the time to be part of a healthcare transformation. The new NHS 10-Year Plan puts community care at the centre of service delivery—shifting resources closer to where people live and promoting prevention over hospital admission.
As a member of a community-based NHS trust, you’ll be at the forefront of this change. Work in integrated neighbourhood teams, delivering joined-up care alongside GPs, mental health professionals, social workers, and voluntary services. Benefit from new roles, clear career pathways, apprenticeships, and personalised development support.
The plan also brings new workforce standards: improved flexible working, mental health support, safe workplaces, and strong protections against discrimination. With greater investment in underserved areas and a focus on reducing health inequalities, your work will have local impact and national importance.
Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship and therefore, we are unable to accept applications from candidates that cannot provide documentary evidence of right to work in the United Kingdom. If you feel you qualify for sponsorship via a discounted salary threshold, please contact us via quoting the vacancy reference number and how you feel you qualify for a discounted salary threshold.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant to join our close nit team in Canterbury
Healthcare Assistants provide care to people at home as part of a care plan agreed with local nursing teams.
As a Healthcare Assistant you will:
• Work as part of a team to provide care to local patients and families.
• Monitor the quality of care they're receiving.
• Provide feedback to managers on the quality of care.
Your patients could be any age, but they will often be elderly, while others may have been recently discharged from hospital, be terminally ill or have physical disabilities. As a Band 3 Health Care Assistant you will work as part of a team to keep people safe and well at home.
Due to the community based nature of this role you will need a driving licence and access to a vehicle
Working for our organisation
Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’ve got a passion for delivering high standards of patient care and excellent services to improve the health of our communities. To do this we need outstanding people who share our values compassionate Aspirational Responsive Excellent
We know a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion leads to better patient care and a happier workforce. We pride ourselves in being diverse and welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences
We ask for information about your protected characteristics on our application forms. This isn’t visible to anyone involved with shortlisting or interviewing you, except when you choose to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability. Short listers will see two ticks alongside your application to ensure they apply the principles of the scheme to your submission
The data we collect helps us to ensure we are attracting diversity in our applicants, that all our colleagues have equitable access to career opportunities and supports us on our journey to being a Great Place to Work
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want you to be able to work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Talk to us about a flexible working arrangement that won’t involve sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We’ll support you to work flexibly in a way that will suits us both
See where you can go with KCHFT
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As a community Trust many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. As such you will be asked to confirm you have a full UK driving licence where driving is a requirement of the role to be able to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment, if you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via quoting the vacancy reference number so we can support you further.
The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.
Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.
We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.
At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.
Find out more about the community difference here.
Good luck! We can’t wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.
Person specification
Qualifications, training and experience
Essential criteria
1. You will have either: A Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 3. This could be an NVQ Level 3 apprenticeship, BTEC or equivalent international qualification in healthcare or you will be able to demonstrate the equivalent level of experience.
2. Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C/ 4-9 or equivalent in English and Maths)
3. Full UK driving licence
Desirable criteria
4. You may also have the Care Certificate, but if not, we will support you to achieve this within the first 3 months of starting
5. Recent experience of healthcare/ working as a health care assistant gained through education, work experience or previous employment.
Knowledge and skills
Essential criteria
6. Have an awareness of developments within the NHS
7. Sound communication skills in order to understand and communicate both verbally and in writing
8. Customer focussed approach which is essential to provide patients, clients and their families with the best possible experience
9. You will need to be able to be able to use IT systems and databases
10. You will have knowledge of up to date clinical practice by using up- to- date skills and adhering to evidence-based procedures and clinical effectiveness frameworks. You will fully understand the role and remit of a health care worker.
11. You will understand where to signpost clients and families to alternative services to support behaviour change and improve health.
Employer certification / accreditation badges