Job Overview
Please note that we are unable to provide Sponsorship for our Healthcare Assistant and Support Worker roles.
The Band 2 Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) plays a vital role in supporting the delivery of high-quality, safe, and compassionate care to patients attending the Emergency Department (ED). Working under the supervision of registered Nurses and as part of the wider multidisciplinary team, the post holder will contribute to the effective running of the department by supporting patients with their fundamental care needs and assisting clinical staff in delivering timely care.
The Emergency Department is a fast‑paced and often challenging environment, caring for patients of all ages with a wide range of acute illnesses, injuries and complex needs. The HCSW is expected to demonstrate flexibility, resilience and professionalism while maintaining dignity, privacy and respect for all patients at all times.
Key Responsibilities
* Assist with personal care, supporting patient mobility and undertaking routine observations as delegated.
* Maintain a safe and clean clinical environment, and ensure patients are kept informed and supported during their ED journey.
* Support patient flow by assisting with transfers, restocking clinical areas, and responding promptly to patient needs.
* Implement care plans under the supervision of a registered nurse to meet patients’ physical, social and psychological needs.
* Act as a patient advocate and assist during examinations when required.
* Minimise the risk of harm to patients, staff and visitors by following the Trust risk‑management policy.
* Support the Trust’s referral process to the Smoking Cessation service.
* Help eliminate avoidable infection by adhering to Infection Control policies.
* Demonstrate high standards of hand hygiene and promote these standards to staff, patients and relatives.
* Explain procedures to patients first to obtain informed consent and involve them in care decisions, and accurately record vital signs.
About the Trust
We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 695,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: ‘People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference’.
We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called ‘We care’. It’s about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day‑to‑day. We’re looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.
COVID‑19 Vaccination
NHSEI has always been clear that staff have a professional duty to get vaccinated and remain our best line of defence against COVID-19. As such NHS organisations, including Primary Care, are encouraged to continue engaging with and supporting staff to inform their decisions in order to drive vaccine confidence, protect themselves, patients and everyone else.
Application Notice
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Contact
For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Laura Fox, Job title: ED Matron, Email address: laura.foc21@nhs.net
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