Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare Support Worker (Nursing Associate Apprenticeship Pathway)
The closing date is 29 November 2026

Job summary
Nursing Associate Apprenticeship at Cambridge University Hospitals
Already working as a Healthcare Support Worker or interested in building a career in nursing?
The Nursing Associate Apprenticeship could be your next step.
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to support people with the right values, commitment and potential to develop rewarding careers in nursing.
The Nursing Associate Apprenticeship combines workplace learning, academic study and clinical development, allowing you to earn while you learn and develop towards a recognised professional qualification.

Your route to the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship
You must have completed a minimum of six months' HCSW experience at CUH before commencing the NAA apprenticeship, alongside meeting the required apprenticeship, academic and Right to Work eligibility criteria.

Applying externally?
If successful, you will initially join CUH as a Healthcare Support Worker and complete a minimum of six months' HCSW experience at CUH before progressing towards the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship.
This period is an important part of your preparation, giving you the opportunity to develop fundamental care skills, gain experience within CUH and prepare for apprenticeship study.
Progression onto the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship remains subject to confirmation that all apprenticeship, university and Right to Work eligibility requirements have been met.

Main duties of the job
We are looking for people who are:

• Passionate about delivering excellent patient care
• Caring, compassionate and reliable
• Motivated to learn and develop
• Confident working as part of a team
• Ready for the challenge of combining work and study
• Committed to developing their nursing career at CUH

If you are ready to develop your skills, challenge yourself and take the next step in your nursing career, we would like to hear from you.
If you have not yet completed the CUH HCSW induction, including the Care Certificate and required competencies, you will be appointed at Band 2. Upon successful completion, you will progress to Band 3 and remain at this band throughout the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship, if successful.
Please note that all interviews for this post will be conducted face-to-face only; virtual interviews cannot be accommodated. If you are unable to attend, please let us know in advance so we can explore whether an alternative arrangement may be possible. Failure to notify us of your unavailability may result in your application being withdrawn, with no further consideration given.
For full details, please refer to the HCSW job information pack in the downloads section of this advert and the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship via the following links:
? CUH Careers: Nursing Associate Apprentice? watch this Video

About us
Come Nurse with us...
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.
You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Details
Date posted: 13 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 2
Salary: £25,272 to £27,476 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 180-F-269049
Job locations: Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Please note you may be required to undertake a short functional skills screening as part of your interview assessment. You will need to pass this in order to proceed to a Conditional Offer. This is applicable if you are not currently working as a Support worker at CUH.
Already a CUH Healthcare Support Worker? Please email cuh.nursingapprenticeship@nhs.net for an alternate application process. *Current CUH employees who are not working in an HCSW role, as well as Staff Bank HCSWs, should follow the external application route.

Visa and Right to Work (RTW) requirements
Applicants must meet Visa and RTW employment eligibility criteria. Recruitment Services will undertake and confirm formal Right to Work checks.
Alongside this, prior to commencing the university cohort start date, applicants who require a visa, must hold a valid visa covering the full duration of the apprenticeship programme.
The Nursing Apprenticeship Team, working with the Higher Education Institution (HEI) and Right to Work Team where appropriate, will confirm whether the applicant meets the relevant apprenticeship funding eligibility requirements.
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 29th November 2026. Interviews are due to be held on 14th December 2026.
Please note this vacancy has been capped at 250 applications. Once this limit is reached the vacancy will automatically close.

Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Holds National Care Certificate or willingness to undertake within the first 3 months of appointment
• Holds Functional Skills Level 1 Maths and English or GCSE equivalent or undertake and achieve a pass following completion of level 1 functional skills assessment
• Demonstrates a commitment to further learning and development

Desirable

• Level 3 award in health care

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working in an environment under pressure
• Experience of working within a team
• Experience of communicating with individuals from a range of different backgrounds
• Experience of attention to detail - eg for recording in patient records
• Experience in the public sector

Desirable

• Experience of working within a health care environment
• Experience working in a healthcare, social care organisation/setting or service industry requiring people contact

Knowledge
Essential

• Understands the job role and specific knowledge in relation to tasks included in the job description or be prepared to undertake training to be able to gain appropriate knowledge
• Understand the level of competencies to be completed such as wound observation and dressings, venepuncture, removal of peripheral cannula, stoma bag changing, ECG's and reports any issues to the Registered practitioner
• Have the knowledge to or be prepared to undertake training to be able to complete clinical and vital signs observations on patients.
• Understands and complies with HCSW mandatory induction standards and code of conduct
• Awareness, understanding and compliance of policies and practices e.g. Escort Policy, Prevention and control of infection and Health and Safety.
• Promote the importance of maintaining confidentiality
• Recognise the extent and limitations of own and others competence
• Use own initiative recognising when to escalate concerns to a senior member of staff
• Demonstrate awareness of the needs of area specific patient group
• Understanding of the anxiety and distress of some patients and relatives
• Basic anatomy and physiology

Desirable

• Awareness of National and local priorities and initiatives

Skills
Essential

• Good communication skills (written and verbal)
• Able to work as a team
• Able to carry out well defined routine tasks
• Able to work on own initiative, following direction/supervision by a Registered Healthcare Practitioner
• Able to relate well with patients/relatives/ visitors/colleagues/the multi-disciplinary team and wider Trust staff
• Committed to delivering high standards of patient care.
• Friendly, open, empathetic and compassionate
• Professional outlook and positive attitude. Able to meet the flexible needs of the role and duty roster.

Desirable

• Prepared to undertake coaching role for other HCSW's
• IT skills

Additional Requirements
Essential

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.

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.
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.

Employer details
Employer name: Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.cuh.nhs.uk

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Nursing Apprenticeship Administrator, Conor Browne, cuh.nursingapprenticeship@nhs.net, 01223274844

Supporting documents
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