St Leonard's Hospice

Health Care Assistant

The closing date is 22 February 2026

Job summary

Could you make a real difference to patients and their families at the end of life? Do you want to join the St Leonard's Hospice Team providing excellent care to patients from York and the surrounding area at the end of life?

We have an exciting opportunity for a skilled and compassionate individual to join the Hospice as a Health Care Assistant within the Carer Support team. This is a very rewarding role which provides social and practical support to patients with palliative and end of life care needs whilst their carers attend appointments, go shopping or have a break from the caring role. The support we give to carers is essential in enabling people to remain at home and crucial in supporting people to meet their end of life wishes.

This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours per week between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday. There will be a requirement to work occasional weekends with advance notice to support special requests.

Whilst there are daily communications with the Co-ordinator at the Main Hospice site, you will be provided with the equipment to enable you to carry out your work whilst in the community. As this role is based in the community, it is essential for you to have a driving licence and drive your own car.

Main duties of the job

As a Health Care Assistant, you will work as part of the multi-disciplinary team and would be expected to:

  • Support the needs of the patient several hours at a time, this could be playing cards, listening to music, chatting or even watching TV (whatever the person wants to do!)
  • Provide some hands-on care to the patient
  • Provide excellent communication skills to the patients and their carers and members of the multi-disciplinary team
  • Maintain accurate records of care
  • Work with a dedicated team of professionals, ensuring the needs of the patients and families are met with compassion and excellence

What we need from you:

  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Ability to respond appropriately to emotionally challenging situations
  • No previous care experience is required

What we can offer you:

  • Salary above NHS pay scales
  • Shift enhancements for working unsociable hours
  • Up to 41 days annual leave
  • Continuation of NHS pension and annual leave entitlement (T&Cs apply)
  • Attractive pension scheme (non-NHS)
  • Extensive employee discounts on shops, holidays and lifestyle choices and Blue Light Card discounts
  • Training and development opportunities
  • A supportive and friendly working environment
  • Day shifts which allow you to have a great work/life balance

About us

Our mission is to provide excellent care and support to those living with life-limiting illness and to the people they care about, to enrich their lives and to contribute to the ongoing development of end-of-life care. We do this by placing our patients at the centre of everything we do, and through involving patients and their families in all decisions regarding their care.

We can only achieve this with the help of our amazing colleagues, by developing and recognising their contribution, and by sharing our knowledge and skills through education, audit and research.

We do not have sponsorship status and therefore all our offers are made conditional upon our candidates submitting evidence of their right to work in the UK in conjunction with our other pre-employment checks.

Details

Date posted

03 February 2026

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£25,082 to £26,753 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

HG1491560MaiHCA

Job locations

St Leonard's Hospice

185 Tadcaster Road

York

North Yorkshire

YO24 1GL


Job description

Job responsibilities

This is a hands on role with a need to deliver person centred, individualised care and social support to meet needs of patients and their families. You will be expected to travel to the patients address and stay with them for several hours at a time to allow their carers much needed respite and breaks from their caring role.

With the support of the wider Hospice and other community teams, this vital role will involve lone working to provide essential support to the carers of patients with Palliative Care needs. In allowing regular breaks for carers, at times to suit their needs, we are better able to support patients in meeting their end of life wishes.

Main duties and responsibilities

Professional

1. Develop excellent communications with the patient and their family, to support their needs, passing on all relevant information to a Registered Nurse as appropriate including any changes in the patient or carers condition.

2. Carry out personal care for the patient when required as per patient care plans.

3. Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit and that the inputting of information into systems is completed concisely, accurately, and timely in line with service standards.

4. Support the patients social/ activity needs during visits.

5. Exercise care and economy in the use of property and equipment.

Job description

Job responsibilities

This is a hands on role with a need to deliver person centred, individualised care and social support to meet needs of patients and their families. You will be expected to travel to the patients address and stay with them for several hours at a time to allow their carers much needed respite and breaks from their caring role.

With the support of the wider Hospice and other community teams, this vital role will involve lone working to provide essential support to the carers of patients with Palliative Care needs. In allowing regular breaks for carers, at times to suit their needs, we are better able to support patients in meeting their end of life wishes.

Main duties and responsibilities

Professional

1. Develop excellent communications with the patient and their family, to support their needs, passing on all relevant information to a Registered Nurse as appropriate including any changes in the patient or carers condition.

2. Carry out personal care for the patient when required as per patient care plans.

3. Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit and that the inputting of information into systems is completed concisely, accurately, and timely in line with service standards.

4. Support the patients social/ activity needs during visits.

5. Exercise care and economy in the use of property and equipment.

Person Specification

Personal

Essential

  • Committed to providing a quality and measurable service
  • Awareness and ability to cope with pressured environment
  • Work confidentially and with discretion
  • Be accurate and methodical
  • Honest, trustworthy, reliable and punctual
  • Approachable, team player
  • Flexible to the changing needs of the post
  • Respect for others ethnic or/and religious/spiritual beliefs
  • Enthusiasm

Other requirements

Essential

  • Be prepared to assist with Hospice fundraising activities
  • Vehicle owner with full UK driving licence
  • Enhanced DBS check

Desirable

  • Knowledge of York and surrounding area

Communication

Essential

  • Good written and verbal communication
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Ability to be sensitive and empathetic
  • Able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team

IT

Essential

  • Good basic IT skills
  • Knowledge of Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)

Qualifications

Essential

  • Care Certificate or willingness to undertake training

Desirable

  • NVQ Qualification in Care

Experience

Desirable

  • Experience of palliative care
  • Experience of working as a carer
Person Specification

Personal

Essential

  • Committed to providing a quality and measurable service
  • Awareness and ability to cope with pressured environment
  • Work confidentially and with discretion
  • Be accurate and methodical
  • Honest, trustworthy, reliable and punctual
  • Approachable, team player
  • Flexible to the changing needs of the post
  • Respect for others ethnic or/and religious/spiritual beliefs
  • Enthusiasm

Other requirements

Essential

  • Be prepared to assist with Hospice fundraising activities
  • Vehicle owner with full UK driving licence
  • Enhanced DBS check

Desirable

  • Knowledge of York and surrounding area

Communication

Essential

  • Good written and verbal communication
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Ability to be sensitive and empathetic
  • Able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team

IT

Essential

  • Good basic IT skills
  • Knowledge of Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook)

Qualifications

Essential

  • Care Certificate or willingness to undertake training

Desirable

  • NVQ Qualification in Care

Experience

Desirable

  • Experience of palliative care
  • Experience of working as a carer

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

St Leonard's Hospice

Address

St Leonard's Hospice

185 Tadcaster Road

York

North Yorkshire

YO24 1GL


Employer's website

https://www.stleonardshospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

St Leonard's Hospice

Address

St Leonard's Hospice

185 Tadcaster Road

York

North Yorkshire

YO24 1GL


Employer's website

https://www.stleonardshospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Wellbeing & Outreach Lead

Charlotte Hoban

hr@stleonardshospice.org.uk

01904777742

Details

Date posted

03 February 2026

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£25,082 to £26,753 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

HG1491560MaiHCA

Job locations

St Leonard's Hospice

185 Tadcaster Road

York

North Yorkshire

YO24 1GL


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

St Leonard's Hospice's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)