Job summary
- Main area
- Older People's Services
- Grade
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37 hours per week (Monday to Friday 09.00-17.00)
- Job ref
- 153-ME04972
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Poole Hospital
- Town
- Poole
- Salary
- £24,465 - £26,598 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 09/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Healthcare Support Worker - SDEC
Band 3
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £250m estates programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
The Older Person's Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) is an established service delivering care to suitable older patients.
The main aim of the service is to rapidly assess, diagnose and treat older patients within the same day, improving their patient journey and avoiding inpatient hospital admission where possible.
Please note we can't offer sponsorship for this role.
Main duties of the job
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert
Working for our organisation
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues. UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme. This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.
SDEC will move to RBH with the acute take transfer, date is to be confirmed.
Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Working within same day emergency care clinic for older people.
Assisting ACP team and working alongside registered nurse in the delivery of rapid assessment and turn around of older people presenting to the acute hospital.
Main duties include (with training as required) :-
> recording vital signs, ECG's, postural blood pressures, weight of patients
> Venepuncture and cannulation
> Nutrition and fluid intake of patients
> Toileting and personal care
> Portering of patients to different departments for investigations
> Arranging transport
> Working as part of the MDT
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Completion of a competency-based workbook
- Good standard of numeracy and literacy
Desirable criteria
- Short courses to undertake patient and clinical care duties
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with the public
- Experience of working with older adults
Desirable criteria
- Experience of hospital environment
- Experience of working in a caring environment
Technical Skills Competencies
Essential criteria
- Ability to work in a demanding environment
- Ability to demonstrate initiative and prioritise work effectively
- Obtaining and recording vital signs
- Venepuncture (or willingness to learn)
- Cannulation (or willingness to learn)
- IT literate
- Performing ECG’s (or willingness to learn)
- Compassionate, interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with patients, carers and relatives and colleagues, remaining sensitive and empathetic.
- Experience in delivery of personal care.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a team
- Assessment of clinical needs
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- An understanding around basic patient care
- Understanding of the importance of the promotion of health and well-being
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of care and related procedures, clinical observations, relevant legislation
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Open and approachable
- Motivated
- Positive and flexible approach
- Understands limits of own responsibility
- Willingness to learn new skills
Other Requirments specific to role
Essential criteria
- Professional appearance
- Tactful and polite
- Ability to communicate with all levels of staff
- Ability to exchange factual information accurately
- Ability to deal with sensitive situations
- Patient and calm
Language Requirement
Essential criteria
- Able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of caring for older people
- Passion for working with older people
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Julie Tuck
- Job title
- Lead ANP OPS
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 3515
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