Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust offers a wide range of Support Worker opportunities across physical health, mental health, learning disabilities and children and young people’s services, supporting people of all ages in both community and inpatient settings.
Our Support Workers work across community hospitals, inpatient wards, mental health services and community teams, working alongside nurses and other healthcare professionals to provide practical and clinical support to patients. Depending on the service, this could include supporting people with their personal care, taking observations, helping with meals and mobility, spending time with patients, or supporting people to maintain their independence at home.
Who can become a Support Worker?
You don’t always need previous NHS or healthcare experience to become a Support Worker. People join us from a wide range of backgrounds, bringing skills and experience from areas such as social care, retail, hospitality, customer service and other roles where communication, teamwork and supporting others are important.
For many, becoming a Support Worker is also their first step into a career in healthcare. Many of our experienced and senior colleagues began their careers in a support worker role, before developing their skills and progressing into other clinical and professional roles across the NHS.
Where could I work?
Mental Health
Support Workers in our mental health services work alongside nurses and other professionals to support people experiencing a range of mental health needs.
Working on an inpatient ward, you might spend time with patients, support them with daily activities, take part in therapeutic activities and help maintain a safe and supportive environment. Alternatively, you could work within a community mental health service, where you would support patients in their own homes or in a local setting, helping them with practical activities, recovery goals and maintaining their independence.
Our mental health services support children, young people, adults and older people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with opportunities in a range of general and specialist services.
Physical Health
Support Workers in our physical health services help people with a wide range of health and care needs, working alongside nurses and other healthcare professionals to provide practical and clinical support.
Depending on the role, you could be working on a ward in one of our community hospitals, supporting patients with their recovery and rehabilitation, or as part of a community team providing care in people’s own homes. Your day could include helping with personal care and mobility, wound and dressing care, taking and recording observations, supporting patients with meals, assisting with rehabilitation activities and helping people regain or maintain their independence.
Our physical health services support people at different stages of their care, including those recovering after a hospital stay, people living with long-term health conditions and those who need additional support to remain well at home.
Supporting you
When you join us as a Support Worker, you’ll have access to training and support designed to help you build the knowledge, skills and confidence you need in your role.
New Support Workers will be enrolled in our Support Worker Induction, which introduces you to the practical skills and knowledge you’ll use in your role. We'll also support you to complete the Care Certificate, which is a nationally recognised set of standards for people working in health and care, covering areas such as communication, safeguarding, infection prevention and control, privacy and dignity, and providing safe, compassionate care.
Your career in care starts here
Support Worker roles can provide a strong foundation for developing your career within the NHS. As you gain experience, there will be opportunities to build your knowledge and clinical skills, as well as take on additional responsibilities. You don't have to stay in one place either; there are plenty of different services and areas of healthcare to explore.
Completing your Care Certificate can also open up further development opportunities, including access to a range of clinical apprenticeships. Depending on your interests and career goals, this could provide a route towards registered professions such as nursing associate or AHP therapies assistant.
Still got some questions? Check out our Careers Explained blog posts below, where we go into more depth around what the Support Worker role entails, the training and what a typical shift looks like 👇
Get in touch with our Recruitment and HR team
- General enquiries: hiowh.
recruitment @nhs.net - Doctors & Dentists: hiowh.
medicalworkforce @nhs.net - Payroll: hiowh.
payandtransactional @nhs.net
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