Trainee Healthcare Support Worker - Mental Health

Open the door to your NHS career today. Discover how you can earn while you learn.

Join our Healthcare Support Worker development (HCSWD) programme, where you will learn on the job at Holt Ward, Newtown Hospital, Worcester over a 6-month period.

Pay Rates:

Days: £12.71, Saturdays/Nights: £17.22, Sunday/Bank Hols: £22.34

Why might this job interest you?

During your placement, you’ll work towards achieving the widely recognised Care Certificate with the training you need to become a Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW). Also known as Healthcare Assistant (HCA). Throughout, you’ll have supportive supervision from your mentor/Ward Manager.

Once you’ve graduated as a HCSW, you can progress your career by accessing further training. This career path may lead to potential roles such as Senior Healthcare Assistant to Assistant Practitioner or Nursing Associate, enabling further career avenues such as a Nurse or Midwife.

Where will you be working?

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust provides a range of services across community hospitals, recovery units and within the wider community. As one of only six Global Digital Exemplars in Mental Health, the Trust is the county’s main provider of community nursing, therapy and mental health services.

Holt Ward is a 14 Bed, mixed gender assessment ward based in Worcester. Holt take all admissions from the community for patients in acute crisis. The ethos of the ward is dynamic assessment, allowing staff to work on identifying, and safely managing patient’s needs.

Benefits of joining

By joining, you can receive some exciting benefits:

• Career Progression – Achieve a Care Certificate and begin your journey with the NHS.
• Weekly pay – Work this week, get paid next week.
• Paid annual leave – Build holiday allowance.
• Provide patient care – Provide care, safety, and welfare for patients.
• Join the NHS family – Become part of a healthcare team.
• Dedicated training and supervised shifts – Support from your ward / area and skilled mentors.

As a trainee HCSW in Mental Health, you'll learn key skills, such as:

• Taking basic observations, explaining treatment, and updating patient records.
• Supporting patients with everyday activities, including assisting at mealtimes.
• Providing emotional support and reassurance to patients and their families.
• Monitoring patients’ physical and mental health and keeping accurate records.
• Supervising patients to ensure their safety, managing common emergencies, and performing risk assessments.
• Working individually and as part of a team, supporting registered Nurses and other healthcare practitioners in providing patient care.
• Comply with Trust and local policies and procedures including Safeguarding, Infection Prevention and Control.

The benefits we can offer you in return:

• Career progression – Achieve a Care Certificate and begin your healthcare career with the NHS.
• Weekly pay – Access your wages more quickly.
• Join the NHS family – Become part of a respected healthcare team and provide patient care.
• Dedicated training and supervised shifts – Support from your ward / area and skilled mentors.
• Development opportunities via the Trust.
• Webinar support – Regular monthly sessions covering the Care Certificate workbook, Conflict Management training and more.

What you’ll need:

• As an entry level role, you do not need any previous healthcare experience.
• A passion for care as well as following the six enduring values that underpin ‘compassion in practice’. The 6Cs are defined as: Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage, and Commitment.
• To be over the age of 18 or turning 18 before placement.
• Able to work at least 30 hours a week across earlies, lates and nights during the programme.

What’s next?

If you’re successful, you’ll be invited to an interview and assessment day on 15th October 2026 (Thursday), followed by unpaid classroom training (November dates TBC) and an induction week before you start.

“As a result of the HCSWD programme, I am now a qualified Healthcare Support Worker and currently pursuing my dream to qualify as a Nurse.” Lynda Akpan, HCSW

Apply Today

Disclaimer

Please note, you will be contacted by email throughout the recruitment process, so please check your emails, including your junk/spam regularly. We regret we cannot contact everyone who is not selected for an interview, therefore if you do not hear from us within 21 days after submitting your application, please assume you have not been successful on this occasion.

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