Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Safety, Health & Environment Apprentice

The closing date is 16 September 2025

Job summary

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week

As a Safety, Health and Environment Technician Apprentice the role will be part of the Health & Safety team working closely with the Risk, Estates and Capital projects teams. The role will work with many different teams across the trust to help deliver the best patient care and experience in the safest way.

The post holder will learn how to provide professional safety advice, help assess risk, carryout audits of clinical and non-clinical areas, assist in the delivery of safety training and carry out DSE assessments.

The post holder will support the development, implementation and compliance of the trusts Fire & safety policy and requirements. Assisting to develop, review, and check the implementation of safe systems of work, develop and review risk assessments, investigate incidents and present findings to the management team will form part of the role.

There will be opportunities to work on your own to resolve queries and other times as part of a team. The apprenticeship will look to develop the skills and technical understanding to inspire colleagues to show how safety, health and environmental management can help deliver the best patient experience as well as protecting staff.

Main duties of the job

1. Assist the management team in the development, management, implementation and monitoring of the Safety, Health and Environmental Management System by updating systems in line with changes in legislation or best practice, delivering training.

2. Learn how to provide expert advice to Service Managers and Estates Officers on the interpretation of Health and Safety legislation and guidance, to the capital development programme and other modifications to premises.

3. Record, provide and present monthly reports based on analysis of the relevant Health, Safety, and training data to meet the internal requirements for service assurance and completion of actions arising to satisfy external legislator and enforcement body requirements.

4. Support the Health and Safety Management Team by providing Health, Safety, Environmental advice and essential training support.

5. Assist with Preparing and maintaining records relating to safety, health and environmental matters that comply with legal and workplace requirements and are accessible to those who are authorised to use them.

6. Recognise where decisions have a financial cost and assisting to develop a budget seeking cost effective alternatives when required.

7. The post holder may be required to work overtime as required by the needs of the service and it may also be necessary to return to work at short notice to cover any emergencies that may develop outside of normal working hours.

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 5916 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 411,000. This includes 361,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

Details

Date posted

04 September 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£12.21 an hour per hour

Contract

Apprenticeship

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

210-2025-582

Job locations

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH21UL


Job description

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSEs A- C in English, Maths & Science

Desirable

  • IOSH qualification
  • DSE assessor
  • Teaching qualification
  • Basic Fire safety qualification
  • First Aid at Work

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Awareness of Health & safety

Desirable

  • Previous role involved specific Health & safety responsibilities.
  • Experience working within a Healthcare workplace
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • GCSEs A- C in English, Maths & Science

Desirable

  • IOSH qualification
  • DSE assessor
  • Teaching qualification
  • Basic Fire safety qualification
  • First Aid at Work

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Awareness of Health & safety

Desirable

  • Previous role involved specific Health & safety responsibilities.
  • Experience working within a Healthcare workplace

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH21UL


Employer's website

https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH21UL


Employer's website

https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Health & Safety Manager

Liam Telford

liam.telford@nhs.net

01244364379

Details

Date posted

04 September 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£12.21 an hour per hour

Contract

Apprenticeship

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

210-2025-582

Job locations

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH21UL


Supporting documents

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