Job summary
- Main area
- Healthcare Support Worker
- Grade
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 351-CEN2280-EB-J
- Employer
- Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Ashton Health Centre
- Town
- Preston
- Salary
- £24,937 - £26,598 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Children's Health Care Support Worker
Band 3
Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:
- Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
- Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
- Extensive community physical health and well-being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term condition management.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.
For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Job overview
****Please note - Previous applicants need not apply****
We have an exciting opportunity for Health Care support workers to join our team in the Children’s Packages of Care Team (CPOC). We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic people to join our team due to expansion within the service.
The children’s packages of care team sits within the Children’s Complex Needs Nursing Service and delivers packages of care to children within the Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation trust.
UK VISA & IMMIGRATION
In line with recent UK Government updates, which came into effect 9 April 2025, the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas, including the Health and Care Visa route, has increased to £25,000 per year. This applies to roles paid in accordance with NHS pay bands, meaning entry-level Band 3 positions no longer meet the criteria for sponsorship.
Applications from individuals on a Student Visa or Graduate Route Visa cannot be progressed, as this role does not meet the current UKVI requirements for sponsorship within these visa categories.
Therefore - If you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, we will not be able to progress your application on this occasion. All applicants must have the unrestricted right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.
If you have current sponsorship, we will need evidence of 12 months Right to Work in the UK, please provide full details within your application (including VISA Type and duration).
Main duties of the job
*Please note - previous applications need not apply for this role*
HCSWs within this team are lone workers, taking full responsibility for the care of children with complex needs after receiving comprehensive training. This could be caring for a child overnight in their own home, while parents are sleeping, accompanying a child to school and meeting their needs during the school day or working with another HCSW/nurse to give parents a complete break.
Following training and competency assessment, HCSWs will be able to independently care for children with tracheostomies, gastrostomies, require medications, oxygen therapy amongst other medical needs.
Shift times vary dependant on the child’s needs and HCSWs are expected to work a mixture of days, nights, and weekend shifts, these can be anytime over the 24 hour period.
This role includes shift work, including nights/weekends. We would also consider someone who only wanted to work night shifts as a shift pattern
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. All applications will be considered on merit, in line with UK employment legislation and our sponsorship obligations.
If you are required to select your current VISA type, please ensure you select the correct option from the list provided.
Failure to select the correct option, or intentionally selecting the wrong option, may result in your application being rejected.
Working for our organisation
The ideal candidates will need to be organised, able to work alone and part of a team, adaptable, calm in pressured situations and flexible to meet the needs of the service. Ideally you will have experience in a health care, social care or education setting working with children. An NVQ3 in care or equivalent care experience is desired, however full training will be given.
This is an extremely rewarding role as you will be caring for children in their homes/school providing support ensuring that their needs are met. You will be attending to personal cares, moving and handling needs and engaging through play. Some of our children have additional health care needs such as gastrostomies, tracheostomies and use of medical equipment in which full training will be provided.
You will be well supported by an experienced and dedicated management team as well as peer support amongst colleagues, opportunities to work alongside specialists, a personal and professional development plan.
Career pathway from HCSW to nursing associate is available to members of CPOC in addition, you will have an annual personal development review and plan to support your career aspirations along with regular team days for training, supportive discussions and well-being sessions.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This is an NHS ran service and incorporates all the standard NHS staff benefits for working within the service e.g. Enhanced rate for nights and weekend work, pension, paid sick leave, annual leave entitlements and access to evidence based training.
You will require a valid UK driving licence or have access to a vehicle for work purposes or be able to travel between community settings in a timely manner. This is essential in order to travel across the geographical footprint required within the service. Bases are both at Burnley and Preston with packages of care across Lancashire. (Travel expenses reimbursed in accordance with trust policy
Failure to provide accurate and honest information will result in your application being removed from the process.
LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.
Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.
We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.
LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time.
The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.
Explore our full wellbeing offer here: Keeping our workforce well
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3 in care or equivalent experience.
- A willingness to undertake further study.
- Good general education including GCSE in English Language or equivalent.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Good knowledge of child development
- Basic understanding of how complex needs/chronic illness affects children and families
- Sound working knowledge of professional issues e/.g. confidentiality
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of managing children on an individual and group basis
- Experience of interacting with Children with Complex and/or Additional Needs
- Previous experience of care in health, social, education or voluntary setting.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
- Rebecca Higham
- Job title
- Clinical Nurse Business Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01282 628362
- Additional information
Rebecca Cowell, Team Leader for CPOC Central on [email protected] or
Ruksana Afsar, Team Leader for CPOC Pennine on [email protected]
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