Paediatric Healthcare Support Worker

The post holder will aim to ensure that all patients are provided with a safe and high quality standard of care.

The role involves assisting with the observation and ongoing assessment of patients, recognising changes in a child's condition, and promptly escalating concerns to the registered nursing team. HCSWs support the monitoring of physiological observations, including respiratory rate, oxygen saturations, heart rate and temperature, ensuring accurate documentation and reporting of findings.

Within the Paediatric HDU environment, HCSWs play an important role in supporting children undergoing sleep studies and those requiring long-term ventilation. This includes assisting with the setup and monitoring of equipment, observing patient tolerance and comfort, identifying potential issues with respiratory support devices, and escalating any concerns regarding patient safety or clinical deterioration.

In addition to direct patient care, HCSWs provide support with personal care, feeding, mobility, play and developmental activities, helping to maintain a child-centred environment. They offer reassurance and information to children and their families during what can be a stressful hospital admission and contribute to maintaining a clean, safe and well-organised clinical area.

The Paediatric High Dependency Unit (HDU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an enthusiastic and motivatedHealthcare Support Worker (HCSW) to join its dynamic nursing team.

The successful candidate will play a fundamental role in supporting the delivery of high-quality, holistic, patient-centred care to children and young people requiring enhanced observation, monitoring, and specialist respiratory support. Working under the direction of registered nurses and the wider multidisciplinary team, the post holder will contribute to ensuring safe, effective, and compassionate care in accordance with Trust values and behaviours.

This is an exciting opportunity to work within a specialist paediatric environment caring for children with a range of acute, complex, and long-term health conditions. The role includes supporting children undergoing sleep studies, monitoring patients receiving long-term ventilation (LTV), and assisting with the observation and escalation of care for children requiring high dependency support.

About You We are looking for a compassionate, observant, and reliable Healthcare Support Worker with excellent communication and organisational skills. The successful candidate will have a positive and professional approach, be able to work sensitively with children and families, and thrive as part of a multidisciplinary team.

This role offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to develop specialist knowledge and experience within paediatric high dependency, respiratory care, sleep medicine, and long-term ventilation, while making a meaningful difference to the lives of children and their families.

Key working relationships include

Patients and their carersNursing and medical staffSenior Staff Nurse / Junior SisterSister / Charge NurseMultidisciplinary teamMatronDirectorate / Divisional Nurse

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is proud to be one of the top performing and safest trusts in England. We have two main acute hospital sites--Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital, plus our award-winning clinics across North West London and beyond.

Education and Qualifications

Essential: - Demonstrable literacy and numeracy skills at level 1; - Care Certificate

Desirable: - NVQ/QCF; - Apprenticeship Level 2 or equivalent experience; - Excellence in Care or willingness to undertake the course

Experience

Skills and knowledge