Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Birmingham, Smethwick, West Midlands
Closes in 14 days (Thursday 21 August 2025)
Posted on 7 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Want to be part of SWB family. Ten new exciting and rewarding roles within our Emergency Department are available. The post holders will be working alongside our multi-disciplinary teams, including nursing, medics, clerical and allied health professionals to deliver excellent patient care.
- Wage
-
£24,465 a year
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
The successful candidate will be paid Agenda for Change Band 2 whilst on programme, and will continue to be paid Band 2 on successful completion of the qualification.
- Training course
- Healthcare support worker (level 2)
- Hours
-
Shift pattern working is required including some evenings and weekends.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 October 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 3 months
- Positions available
-
10
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
Main Duties:
- Contribute to the delivery of care and clinical activity in accordance with agreed plan of care and appropriate policies, procedures and protocols of ward/department
- Report any alteration in patients’/client’s condition including the initiation of emergency action to the qualified clinical nurse
- To be aware of spiritual, cultural and religious needs of patients and to ensure care provided is particularly sensitive to those needs
- Collect specimens of urine, faeces, or sputum as directed by qualified clinical nurse, ensuring its safe storage/transport or disposal as appropriate
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- City Hospital (Birmingham Midland Eye Centre), Dudley Road, Birmingham, B18 7QH
- Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, Grove Lane, Smethwick, B66 2QT
- Sandwell Hospital, Lyndon, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B71 4HJ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE TRUST
Training course
Healthcare support worker (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
- Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed.
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe non-discriminatory person-centred care and support in line with individual’s established consent.
- Implement a duty of care, recognising and responding to safeguarding and protection concerns and acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
- Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and wellbeing.
- Recognise and respond to changes in individuals’ health and wellbeing.
- Perform basic life support.
- Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment.
- Assist the registered practitioner in encouraging individuals to take or use their prescribed medication.
- Promote access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan.
- Support individuals with activities of daily living to maximise independence in line with their desired outcomes and plan of care.
- Contribute to the storage of supplies and equipment.
- Contribute to the cleaning, disinfecting and disposal of materials and equipment.
- Support others with appointments, enquiries and referrals.
- Communicate with individuals using techniques designed to facilitate understanding.
- Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity.
- Act on opportunities to support others to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices.
- Record and store information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, including the safe use of technology.
- Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality.
- Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, using a range of techniques for infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals.
- Take action in response to identified concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace.
- Participate in appraisal and supervision to support ongoing personal development.
- Participate in training and development activities including the Care Certificate Standards.
- Reflect on own practice.
- Contribute to improvement activities in the workplace, for example collecting and logging data for audit.
- Use evidence to make suggestions for improving practice.
- Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
- Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed.
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe non-discriminatory person-centred care and support in line with individual’s established consent.
- Implement a duty of care, recognising and responding to safeguarding and protection concerns and acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
- Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and wellbeing.
- Recognise and respond to changes in individuals’ health and wellbeing.
- Perform basic life support.
- Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment.
- Assist the registered practitioner in encouraging individuals to take or use their prescribed medication.
- Promote access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan.
- Support individuals with activities of daily living to maximise independence in line with their desired outcomes and plan of care.
- Contribute to the storage of supplies and equipment.
- Contribute to the cleaning, disinfecting and disposal of materials and equipment.
- Support others with appointments, enquiries and referrals.
- Communicate with individuals using techniques designed to facilitate understanding.
- Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity.
- Act on opportunities to support others to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices.
- Record and store information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, including the safe use of technology.
- Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality.
- Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, using a range of techniques for infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals.
- Take action in response to identified concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace.
- Participate in appraisal and supervision to support ongoing personal development.
- Participate in training and development activities including the Care Certificate Standards.
- Reflect on own practice.
- Contribute to improvement activities in the workplace, for example collecting and logging data for audit.
- Use evidence to make suggestions for improving practice.
Training schedule
- To undertake the Healthcare Support Worker Level 2 qualification whilst on programme. There will be "off the job learning each week" and the programme will take approximately 12/15 months to complete
- All training will be provided in-house at the Trust
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
Other requirements
The apprenticeship programme is offered through The Apprenticeship Levy Funding and applicants should have access to this funding. All successful applicants will be subject to DBS check. This role includes shifts covering weekends, bank holidays, evenings, nights and early starts.
About this employer
Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust employs over 8000 staff. We understand that work is only one part of life. We are committed to helping our colleagues achieve the best possible work/life balance. We proudly offer supportive, inclusive and family friendly employment and flexible working policies. We have a wide range of professional services and employee networks to help our colleagues be at their best - and find support if they need it.
Company benefits
NHS pension Generous annual leave allowance (starting at 27 days) Flexible working (in line with service needs) On site day nursery, wellbeing services, access to salary sacrifice schemes
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
After successful completion of this apprenticeship, you will continue to work as a healthcare assistant. Further career progression could be offered, such as senior healthcare support worker (Level 3), student nursing associate (Level 5 foundation degree) etc.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE TRUST
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000336195.
Apply now
Closes in 14 days (Thursday 21 August 2025)
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