Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Job summary
Do you have experience working with children and young people? Do you have a childcare qualification (NVQ level 3) or other healthcare experience? If so, we could have the perfect job for you.

We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic and dynamic to join our busy Children's Day Care team and our Outpatients department. Day Care is a 16 bedded unit with a mixture of surgical and medical patients. We care for patients from 3 months to 16 years under a variety of teams, therefore a flexible working approach is a valuable quality. Due to supporting the wider team within the Children's Hospital, we are flexible with increasing the number of patients that pass through the unit. The unit also has patients who attend but do not require a bed for reviews, scans etc. Day Care is open from 07:15-19:45 Monday - Friday with adhoc weekend shifts to work as extra by choice.

We are also looking to recruit into our Outpatients Department, 08:00-18:00 Monday to Friday. Within our outpatients departments we have several clinics running that will need assisting with a variety of clinical needs for the patients. Full-time and part-time hours available.

Main duties of the job
This role will involve caring for children and teenagers with the support of a registered nurse and being responsible for some house-keeping duties. You will assist the multidisciplinary team in meeting the needs of patients and families. This includes preparing a patient for theatre and ensuring their safe recovery whilst providing relevant information and safety netting advice for a efficient discharge, closely supported by the nursing team.

Communicate effectively with patients, families/carers, recognising there may be a need to utilise alternative methods of communication. Where there are barriers to understanding, arranging access to information, support and other services may be required.

Prepare patients, families/carers and the environment for procedures. This includes supporting the wider team depending on the clinical need, for example distracting the child, helping with equipment and supporting/reassuring patients and their families/carers.

Be involved in the allocation of rooms, stock orders and how the department is organised. Several clinics run simultaneously that you will be required to assist working with the multidisciplinary team. This will involve taking heights and weights of the children, urinalysis, assisting with the doctors and phlebotomists.

We take pride in our duty of providing seamless care and having excellent and welcoming team.

About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.
In 2023 NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles
Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.

Details
Date posted: 10 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 3
Salary: £24,937 to £26,598 a year
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 321-NOTSS-8147351-B3
Job locations: Children's Hospital, JR, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description.
For informal visits or any other information, please contact Amy Dowson, Deputy Sister (amy.dowson@ouh.nhs.uk) or Lucy Knight, Ward Sister (lucy.knight@ouh.nhs.uk). Josephine Hart. Ward Sister (Josephine.hart@ouh.nhs.uk). Tel 01865 234148.

Person Specification
Clinical

• Essential: Significant experience of the NHS and/or health/child care and an interest in the speciality with knowledge of wider issues relating to health care
• Essential: Clear understanding of professional accountability, delegation and professionalism related to the role of a band 3 worker
• Essential: Makes a positive contribution as a team player and demonstrates awareness of importance of working as part of a team.
• Essential: Able to communicate effectively with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Desirable: Up to date knowledge and insight into specialist area.

Values and Behaviours Education

• Essential: To demonstrate literacy and numeracy.
• Essential: Motivated to develop knowledge and skills and to undertake self development.
• Essential: Evidence of level 2 Apprenticeship or Diploma in Health related subject.
• Desirable: Evidence of Level 3 Diploma or Apprenticeship in Health related subject or working towards
• Desirable: Evidence of the Care Certificate or commitment to achieve on joining Trust. Understanding of the Code of Conduct for Health Care Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England

Clinical Practice Planning

• Essential: Able to prioritise and to organise and motivate oneself and others to achieve delegated tasks.
• Essential: Flexible approach to shift patterns and unit needs which may involve working in different areas or cross site working
• Essential: Able to effectively and appropriately escalate concerns to reduce risk and promote patient safety.

Improving Quality

• Essential: Demonstrate understanding of confidentiality and awareness of key policies legislation in order to maintain information governance.
• Essential: Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults
• Essential: Demonstrates ability to question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.

Personal Qualities

• Essential: Flexible, adaptable. organised with good time management skills
• Essential: Excellent interpersonal skills with tact, diplomacy, empathy and understanding
• Essential: To support and orientate new staff and contribute to their development acting as a role model.
• Essential: Essential IT skills in order to access required systems such as electronic patient records.

Values and Behaviours

• Essential: Able to demonstrate the ability to put patients at the heart of what you do and recognising different needs by encouraging a spirit of support, integrity, respect and teamwork
• Essential: Shows pride in the quality of care they provide for patients and learning from successes and setbacks.
• Essential: Evidence of commitment to the Oxford University Hospitals' vision and values.

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: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Children's Hospital, JR, Headley Way, Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Ward Manager Lucy Knight, Lucy.Knight@ouh.nhs.uk, 01865234148

Supporting documents
Privacy notice: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice