Job Advert
Healthcare Support Workers
Our Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Plan sets out our Vision, Ambitions and Values that enable excellent care for our patients and service users. It also demonstrates what you can expect from our organisation and what you can aspire to in your own career development. A collaborative, person focused approach is at the very centre of everything we aspire to achieve, and necessary to deliver care that is high quality, compassionate, safe and effective. We continue to work towards having a diverse and inclusive culture for people who work for us and use our services. We want everyone to realise their full potential and make a positive contribution. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and communities. We are committed to supporting the development of a nursing and midwifery workforce that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We are interested in your passion for developing with us as a leader as well as demonstrating alignment with the values and ambitions set out in our Strategic Plan. We are committed to providing the strong foundations of clinical education with our Clinical Education and Training team, our education co-ordinators, robust induction programmes and preceptorship as well as working with you to build on your leadership strengths.
A link to the NHS Lothian Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Plan can be found via the following link: https://services.nhslothian.scot/nursingandmidwifery/strategic-plan-2023-2028/
Recruitment process – We use a values and competency based recruitment process that is linked to the ambitions set our in our Strategic Plan. Click the link below for more information on our interview questions:
How to Apply – NHS Lothian Careers
Healthcare Support Workers - Adults with Complex and Exceptional Needs Service (ACENS)
Are you looking for a rewarding healthcare role where you can develop specialist skills and make a meaningful difference to people's lives? The Adult Clinical and Exceptional Needs Service (ACENS) is recruiting Healthcare Support Workers to join our specialist nurse-led service supporting individuals with complex healthcare needs across NHS Lothian. Due to staff retirement and continued growth in demand for the service, we are expanding our workforce to meet the needs of increasing referrals and ensure individuals with complex healthcare needs can receive safe, high-quality care within their own homes and communities.
About ACENS:
ACENS is a specialist nursing service supporting adults and young people transitioning into adult services who have exceptional and complex healthcare needs. Our role is to deliver specialist nursing and healthcare support that enables individuals with complex healthcare needs to remain safely within their own homes, reduces unnecessary hospital admission and supports the best possible quality of life.
The service supports individuals with a wide range of complex healthcare needs, including:
• Long-term ventilation (invasive and non-invasive)
• Tracheostomy care and airway management
• Enteral feeding
• Complex epilepsy management
• Neurological conditions
• Complex medication administration
• Mobility and physical healthcare needs We work in partnership with individuals, families, carers and the wider multidisciplinary team to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care tailored to individual healthcare needs.
The Role:
Full time and part time roles as well as permanent and fixed term (1 Year) contracts available. Staff are expected to able to work across day shift, night shifts and weekends. Healthcare Support Workers within ACENS deliver essential healthcare interventions and person centred support to individuals with complex healthcare needs within their own homes and community environments.
While many staff work independently during shifts as lone workers, they remain part of a wider multidisciplinary team and receive ongoing supervision, support and clinical oversight from Registered Nurses and Team Leads.
Strong communication, collaborative working and access to clinical advice are fundamental to the ACENS service model. The role offers the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in supporting individuals with a range of complex healthcare needs. Full training, competency assessment and ongoing professional development will be provided to all successful candidates.
Candidate Requirements:
Caring, compassionate and person-centred
Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Motivated to support people with complex healthcare needs
Can work independently whilst remaining part of a wider team
Committed to learning and developing new skills
Reliable, flexible and professional
Hold an HNC in Healthcare Practice, SVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent healthcare-related qualification), or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the role
This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/ record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e., child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.
For further information on what is included in the role and what skills/experience are being looked for, click on the links at the bottom of the screen to the job description and person specification. If after reading this information you have any questions please contact: Nurse in Charge, 0131 454 1014 or ACENS@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Your Application
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As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro-rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected
If you are an internal NHS Lothian Band 3 candidate we will not proceed with shortlisting and interview and instead you will move to our internal transfer process. To find out more about the internal transfer process, please click on the link below:
Internal recruitment application process for nursing vacancies (scot.nhs.uk)
If you would like to arrange a stay and grow conversation to discuss your career, career pathways and opportunities within NHS Lothian please click on the link below:
Career Conversations (scot.nhs.uk)
**Please note we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage**
Find out what our staff say about working in NHS Lothian at: Who We Are – NHS Lothian Careers