Inpatient Unit Healthcare Assistant

Job summary

Help us to provide exceptional palliative and end of life care.

We are looking for a caring, motivated and dedicated Healthcare Assistant to join our Inpatient Unit team on a fixed-term cover basis.

This is a rewarding opportunity to work within a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, supporting people with complex palliative care needs while making a genuine difference every day.

If you are passionate about palliative care and want to join an effective team that makes a real difference to patients and their families, then this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Hours: 25 hours per week, usual working pattern: 12.5 hour full day and night shifts on the Inpatient Unit rota, including weekdays and weekends - staff must be flexible to the needs of the unit.

Fixed Term Contract Duration: Interim cover post with expected duration up to at least 15 December 2026. Hours available immediately.

St Teresa's Hospice Band 3: £25,011 - £26,228 per annum, pro rata (£16,674 - £17,485 per annum actual for 25 hrs per week), plus enhanced rates for unsociable hours.

Successful applicants required to provide enhanced disclosure with check of adult barred list. Disclosure expense met by St Teresa's Hospice. All posts subject to 5-month probationary period.

This job will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply as soon as possible to be considered for this role.

Main duties of the job

You will work alongside our registered nurses and wider clinical team to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. You will support patients with daily living activities, promote comfort, dignity and wellbeing, and provide compassionate support to families during challenging times.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting safe, effective and compassionate care
• Assisting patients with personal care and activities of daily living
• Monitoring and reporting changes in patients' conditions to registered nurses
• Supporting physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing
• Working collaboratively as part of the multidisciplinary team
• Maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality, professionalism and patient dignity
• Participating in training, supervision and ongoing professional development

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience working as a Healthcare Assistant or in a similar care role within healthcare settings
• Holds an NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent or has experience at an equivalent level
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Understands the principles of holistic and person-centred care
• Can work effectively as part of a team
• Demonstrates empathy, resilience and a flexible approach to work
• Shares our commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and outstanding patient care

For further details, please see job description and person specification. Induction and ongoing training provided.

About us

We are a registered Charity with Inpatient, Outpatient and Community services, providing care and support to palliative patients and their families in their own homes and at the hospice.

Join an organisation where we all work together for a shared charitable goal, based in beautiful grounds, with a community feel and an inclusive culture.

Benefits include:

• Training and development opportunities
• Generous company annual leave, sick pay, and maternity/paternity/adoption pay entitlements
• Opportunities to attend and participate in fun and exciting fundraising and awareness events
• Workforce events, including long service awards
• Employee Assistance Programme including free counselling/CBT
• Discounted complementary therapies including acupuncture & massage
• Onsite Bistro
• Free eye tests for computer users
• Hospice-based staff are eligible for free annual flu jabs
• Free will-writing service via Octopus Legacy
• Discounted local leisure centre membership and eligibility for Blue Light discount card

We comply with GDPR during the recruitment and selection process. For information on how we process your data, please see the NHS Jobs Privacy Notice and St Teresa's Hospice Recruitment Privacy Notice.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to employing and retaining disabled people, and we encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

We do not have a sponsor license, and are only able to appoint candidates who are eligible to work in the UK.

Job responsibilities

To work as a member of the nursing and multi-disciplinary team delivering care and giving support to patients with palliative care needs and their families.

This is a summary of the key duties - for further info please see the full Job Description & Person Spec document which is available to download.

Person specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience as a healthcare assistant, in the NHS or an equivalent healthcare setting, equivalent to NVQ Level 3

Desirable

• Palliative Care experience
• Experience of working in healthcare in the community setting