Healthcare Support Worker

We are seeking an enthusiastic, compassionate and motivated Health Care Support Worker to join our Vascular Team. This is a key role supporting both inpatient and outpatient pathways, working closely with Vascular Surgeons, Vascular and Lymphoedema Clinical Nurse Specialists, Vascular Scientists/Sonographers and the administrative team.

The post holder will support the smooth daily running of consultant-led, nurse-led and vascular scanning clinics. This includes preparing and supporting patients for assessments and procedures, assisting with mobility and transfers, promoting comfort and reassurance, and ensuring clinics run efficiently. The role will also include maintaining stock levels, supporting documentation, and providing ward liaison to help facilitate timely patient reviews and discharges.

This is a dynamic and varied role within a high-turnover specialty, where multi-tasking, good communication and a caring approach are essential. You will be supported by an experienced and friendly multidisciplinary team and encouraged to develop skills and confidence within the vascular specialty, with opportunities for further training and progression.

Main duties of the job

Work with a level of autonomy to support the smooth running of vascular clinics, including preparing patients and safely assisting with transfers from bed or wheelchair to examination or scanning couches. Mandatory manual handling training will be provided.

Prepare clinical areas and scanning rooms prior to clinic sessions, ensuring dressings trolleys are stocked, equipment is set up, and consumables are replenished. Maintain stock levels, report equipment faults and organise repairs as required. Act as a link person for allocated responsibility areas as agreed with the line manager.

Learn and support the delivery of clinical tasks such as Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) measurements, use of intermittent compression devices for lymphoedema management, and removal/reapplication of simple wound dressings and non-compression bandaging.

Support patients to dress and undress for examinations, providing reassurance and promoting dignity at all times. Observe and monitor patients during and after procedures, escalating concerns to the registered team promptly.

Perform routine observations such as blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, weight, height and blood glucose, and accurately record findings. Recognise and report any abnormal observations using NEWS scoring and escalate to the registered nurse or medical team.

Please see attached job description and person specification for full details of roles and responsibilities

Person specification

Education and Training

Essential

• oGCSE pass in Maths and English Language or equivalent

Experience

Essential

• oExperience of working in a healthcare setting

Desirable

• oExperience of working within the NHS

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• oAbility to work as part of a team in a multi-disciplinary environment
• oAbility to act on own initiative within parameters set by service
• oAbility to prioritise, organise own workload and to work to set deadlines

Desirable

• Previous wound care experience
• Previous Salisbury hospital IT experience

About the employer

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust (SFT) is an innovative hospital with a proud heritage and over 250 years of experience behind us. Here we're driven to deliver an outstanding experience for everyone and have been well regarded for the quality of care and treatment we continue to provide for our patients and also our staff.

We are an acute Trust, rated "Good" by the CQC, with a track record of high performance providing regional and super regional specialist services such as: Burns, Plastics & Reconstructive Surgery, Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory, Wessex Rehabilitation, Spires Cleft Centre and the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre. We have about 470 beds and employ over 4000 staff.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. We think working here is pretty rewarding. You can access a range of NHS discounts, receive a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme. On-site benefits include car parking (fee applies), leisure centre, day nursery and holiday play scheme.

Salisbury is an attractive place to live and work and really gives you the best of everything. With easy access to London and local airports, the city of Southampton is only a short train or car journey away or if you prefer the sea, Bournemouth is also accessible. Don't just take our word for it, why not explore what Salisbury has to offer by visiting www.experiencesalisbury.co.uk