Job Description

Are you passionate about patient care and looking to start or develop your career in healthcare? We are recruiting Senior/Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) at Bands 2 & 3, offering fantastic opportunities for career progression into nursing, allied health professions, or specialist areas such as theatres.
Our recruitment approach focuses on supporting your professional growth through Apprenticeship programmes that develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to deliver high-quality patient care.
We have opportunities across all areas of the Trust, and we welcome applications from individuals with or without prior healthcare experience who are eager to build a career in the NHS.
Our assessment day is designed to establish your skills and experience, and to signpost you to the right pathway. If successful you will be offered one of the following pathways:

• Recruitment to band 3 for those with relevant previous experience and/or qualifications, and the opportunity to complete a level 3 apprenticeship
• Recruitment to band 2 to upskill you into clinical care, and the opportunity to complete either a level 3 apprenticeship, or join our level 2 HCSW Academy
• Recruitment to a band 2 in our HCSW Academy for those new to care or with little prior experience (Please see attached Apprentice Flyer)

Main duties of the job
Applicants must be able to meet & provide the following:

• Attend an Assessment Day at Ipswich - Monday 18th August 2025 (venue tbc)
• HCSW Academy Starters will need to commit to a start date of Monday, 06th October 2025
• Have residency status that allows you to work. Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for these roles.
• Meet pre employment requirements including ability to provide references to cover the last three years/satisfactory DBS check & Occupational Health requirement
• As you will be working shifts including nights you must be 18 or older at commencement

About us
We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.
We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.
We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.
Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.
Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.
We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.
If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.
Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A
Details
Date posted
01 August 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 2
Salary
24,465 to 26,598 a year pro rata, per annum + unsocial hours payments
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time
Reference number
432-HR555-25
Job locations
Ipswich Hospital
Ipswich
IP4 5PD
Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description. Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Previous experience in an healthcare setting

Desirable

• Experience within an acute care setting

Knowledge
Essential

• Awareness of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of patient's relatives and carers.
• Awareness of the nature of the carers role in assisting patients to fulfil basic human needs
• Knowledge of clinical procedures and observations
• Knowledge of relevant legislation

Desirable

• Understanding of risk management, health and safety issues, including safe manual handling.

Qualifications
Essential

• Care certificate achieved or demonstrable relevant skills
• Evidence of completed competencies as part of a professional portfolio

Desirable

• Evidence of functional skills or willingness to undertake
• Willingness to undertake further study

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Previous experience in an healthcare setting

Desirable

• Experience within an acute care setting

Knowledge
Essential

• Awareness of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of patient's relatives and carers.
• Awareness of the nature of the carers role in assisting patients to fulfil basic human needs
• Knowledge of clinical procedures and observations
• Knowledge of relevant legislation

Desirable

• Understanding of risk management, health and safety issues, including safe manual handling.

Qualifications
Essential

• Care certificate achieved or demonstrable relevant skills
• Evidence of completed competencies as part of a professional portfolio

Desirable

• Evidence of functional skills or willingness to undertake
• Willingness to undertake further study