Job summary
Working Part time: 30 hours per week
Are you looking to join Team Countess as a Health Care Support worker?
We have permanent and training posts available:
I have an NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care, or I have the equivalent experience in the health care role?
We can recruit you to our Band 3 workforce if you have an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care, or hold the equivalent experience required, subject to a successful interview and pre-employment checks you can join our band 3 workforce. The equivalent experience will be 2-year NHS substantive employment, or a member of our Countess of Chester Bank Team within a health care assistant role, or 3 years' experience in another health care setting, caring for equivalent patients.
Do not have an NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care, or have none / not enough equivalent experience in the health care role?
If this is you, upon starting your role, you will enter a six-month training post. During this period, your wage will be aligned to the National Living Wage. You will be expected to complete and be signed off on the required clinical skills, the Care Certificate, and our practical assessment documentation. Once all elements are successfully achieved, your pay will progress to Band 3.
We will support you in completing your NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care in partnership with Cheshire College. This 24-month programme will be delivered on site, and you will begin the course at the earliest available opportunity.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic individuals who want to help Team Countess provide Safe, Kind and effective care to join us.
The right candidate will be provided with a 7-day Healthcare Assistant Induction, introducing you to the Trust and ensuring that you settle into your new role.
Successful candidates will be provided with resources and guidance to ensure completion of the national mandatory Care Certificate within 6 months of appointment.
Please see attached the Job Description for full list of duties & responsibilities for this role.
About us
The Trust's services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 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 Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. 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.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
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. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. 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.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
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
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent or working towards
- Numeracy & Literacy skills
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
- Provide evidence of achieved competency in key clinical skills
- Have an understanding of NHS Services
- Basic IT skills
- Basic understanding of NHS issues
- Previous experience of maintaining accurate records and working as part of a team
Desirable
- Understanding of quality & change in the clinical setting
- Expectation that the Care certificate qualification will need to be completed within 6 months of starting if not already attained.
- Willingness to complete ward based Band 3 training competencies
- Previous experience of working with children.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent or working towards
- Numeracy & Literacy skills
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
- Provide evidence of achieved competency in key clinical skills
- Have an understanding of NHS Services
- Basic IT skills
- Basic understanding of NHS issues
- Previous experience of maintaining accurate records and working as part of a team
Desirable
- Understanding of quality & change in the clinical setting
- Expectation that the Care certificate qualification will need to be completed within 6 months of starting if not already attained.
- Willingness to complete ward based Band 3 training competencies
- Previous experience of working with children.
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.
