Skip to main content
Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Healthcare Assistant
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Shift)
Job ref
364-A-9906
Employer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Ardleigh Ward, The Lakes
Town
Colchester
Salary
£24,937 - £26,598 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
01/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Healthcare Assistant - Ardleigh Ward

Band 3

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. 

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. 

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. 

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.  

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

 Join Our Team as a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant!

Location: Ardleigh Ward, Colchester (with flexibility to work across Trust locations)

Hours: 37.5 per week (24/7 service, shift-based)

Are you passionate about delivering high‑quality patient care and making a meaningful difference every day? We’re looking for a dedicated Healthcare Assistant to join our inpatient assessment team and help us provide compassionate, person‑centred care.

 

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all of our job roles.  If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately your application form be rejected from the process.

Please note this vacancy requires a face to face interview with the Recruiting Manager. Applicants that are unable to attend a face to face interview need not apply.

 

Main duties of the job

What You’ll Be Doing

  • Building positive, respectful relationships with patients, families, carers, and colleagues
  • Delivering prescribed nursing care with attention to physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs
  • Supporting patients with daily living activities such as personal care, meals, and mobility
    Helping individuals develop essential life, communication, and social skills to promote independence
  • Monitoring patient health e.g., blood pressure, temperature, respiration, weight, and screening (following training)
  • Participating in the management of challenging behaviour, including de‑escalation and physical intervention where necessary
  • Maintaining clear, accurate records and reporting any concerns or incidents promptly
  • Ensuring a safe, clean, therapeutic environment for patients and staff
  • Protecting patient dignity, privacy and confidentiality at all times

Working for our organisation

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

  • Season Ticket Loans
  • NHS discounts for staff
  • Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
  • Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
  • The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
  • Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
  • Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will be responsible for assisting the professional team in providing care for patients in an inpatient environment. Working from time to time without direct supervision but under the supervision of qualified team member, you will implement and assist with the evaluation of individual plans of care for patients and in their management and care under the guidance of the ward manager.

You will be expected to work collaboratively with key partner organisations, service users, carers, clinicians and other practitioners within the multi-disciplinary team in delivering services; providing a 7 day a week, 24 hours a day service for 365 days a year working shifts as appropriate and as rostered.

In delivering your duties you are expected to display behaviours that are aligned with the Trust values and as required in accordance with the NHS Constitution at all times. 

 

In addition to the above duties you will also be expected to perform the below key activities in line with your job role;

- Complete mandatory training in line with Trust policy and procedures

 - To participate in the staff appraisal process and to undertake for any staff you manage

 - To keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy

 - To provide management supervision where appropriate

The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) brings together key health, care, community, and voluntary sector organisations from across our area. Our aim is to work together in partnership to join up health and care services, improving our population’s health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. One such example of this collaborative work is the launch of our HCA Academy, an ICS initiative between Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) to support the incoming Health Care assistant (HCA) workforce. The academy models a ‘one workforce’ cross system approach to the onboarding, induction, education and experience of Healthcare Assistants.

To support this ‘one workforce model’ the successful candidate for this post will be required to attend our 5 day (Monday to Friday) face to face Induction Programme at our MSE ICS Education Hub at Brentwood Community Hospital. Your start date will therefore fall on one of two of the HCA Academy induction dates across the month, which will be discussed and agreed during the recruitment process.

Our HCA Academy Induction programme has been designed to train and support the successful candidate through the early stages of their employment at EPUT and will provide opportunities to enhance skills, knowledge and experience.

Further information will be provided post interview.

This will be followed by an additional 5 day (Monday to Friday) EPUT corporate / mandatory training welcome. (EPUT Welcome will be varied between face to face and virtual delivery). 

 

Person specification

Education

Essential criteria
  • Educated to GCSE grade c or above in English & Maths
  • Demonstrated a commitment for further learning
  • Willingness to complete Health & Social Care Level 2/3 apprenticeship
Desirable criteria
  • Previous NHS experience

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Awareness of safeguarding
  • Awareness of confidentiality
Desirable criteria
  • Basic understanding of legislation relating to care.
  • Awareness of NICE guidance

Skills & Experience

Essential criteria
  • Effective Communication skills
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working in a team

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Essex Family Friendly Employers

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Chelsie Davey
Job title
Matron
Email address
[email protected]
Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies