Health Care Support Worker Apprentice
DOUGLAS MACMILLAN HOSPICE
STOKE-ON-TRENT (ST33NZ)
Closes in 11 days (Tuesday 2 June 2026)
Posted on 20 May 2026
Contents
Summary
Working as part of our friendly multidisciplinary team, you’ll be responsible for supporting patients nearing the end of their lives, ensuring their care is compassionate, respectful and dignified. This role requires kindness, resilience and a genuine passion for helping others in a sensitive and rewarding environment.
- Wage
-
£15,642.90 a year
- Training course
- Healthcare support worker (level 2)
- Hours
-
37.5 hour per week working Monday - Sunday - 7.5 hour shifts on days. (Nights may be required at 9 hours per shift - apprentices aged18+).
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 22 June 2026
- Duration
-
1 year
- Positions available
-
1
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
- Support patients with personal care needs such as washing, dressing, feeding and toileting
- Monitor patient comfort and report any changes to the clinical team
- Provide emotional support to patients and their families during difficult times
- Maintain accurate and confidential patient records
- Work collaboratively with nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team
- Ensure dignity, respect and compassion are at the heart of all care provided
- Participate in training and development as part of the apprenticeship programme
Where you'll work
Douglas Macmillan Hospice
Barlaston Road
STOKE-ON-TRENT
ST33NZ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
NEWCASTLE AND STAFFORD COLLEGES GROUP
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
Training to take place at Newcastle College (ST5 2GB)
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 3 or above)
- Maths (grade 3 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
About this employer
Dougie Mac provides hospice services to adults, young adults and children living with a life-limiting illness in Stoke-on-Trent, North Staffordshire and the surrounding villages; also offering supportive care for their families and carers.
https://dougiemac.org.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- 35 days of annual leave, rising with length of service
- Options to buy and sell annual leave
- Hospice-paid Healthcare Cash Plan
- Competitive Pension Scheme
- DBS paid for by the hospice
After this apprenticeship
- Could lead to a permanent position for the right person
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NEWCASTLE AND STAFFORD COLLEGES GROUP
The Apprenticeship Hub
apprenticeships@nscg.ac.uk
01782 254287
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000032499.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Tuesday 2 June 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.