About this role
Job summary
Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare. Nursing vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses.
Now is the time to be part of an exciting healthcare transformation. The NHS 10-Year Plan puts community care at the heart of services, helping people stay well and receive support closer to home.
As a Healthcare Assistant in a community NHS trust, you'll play a vital role in delivering personalised care within integrated neighbourhood teams, working alongside nurses, GPs, therapists, social workers, and voluntary services. You'll benefit from clear development opportunities, apprenticeships, and support to progress your career.
The plan also promotes flexible working, wellbeing support, safe workplaces, and a strong commitment to equality and inclusion. By helping reduce health inequalities and embracing digital tools such as virtual wards, you'll make a real difference to patients, communities, and the future of the NHS.
Main duties of the job
Join our Urgent Care West Kent Team and help deliver high-quality care to patients in their own homes. As a Healthcare Assistant, you'll be a valued member of a multidisciplinary team providing a rapid two-hour response service to people experiencing a health crisis, helping to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and support early discharge from acute hospitals. A driving licence is essential.
Working across West Kent, you'll provide both clinical and personal care, promoting independence and supporting patients to remain safely at home. You'll also support our Home Treatment Service, delivering hospital-level care in a community setting.
Your varied role will include: o Personal care and support with washing and dressingo Recording care accurately in patient recordso Taking basic observations and blood glucose monitoringo Catheter, stoma and mouth careo Nutrition and hydration supporto MRSA swabs and risk assessmentso Venepuncture and subcutaneous injections (e.g. insulin)
This is a 24/7 service operating 365 days a year, offering an exciting opportunity to develop your skills while making a real difference to patients and their families. Join us and be part of the future of community healthcare.
About us
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is due to integrate with Medway Community Healthcare on 1 October 2026. Following integration and to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles. Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.
Rated 'Outstanding' by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values:Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent.
We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme.
We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients.
Explore KCHFTcareer pathways
Job description Job responsibilities
As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [email protected], quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.
The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.
Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.
We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.
At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.
Find out more about the community difference here.
Good luck! We cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.
Person Specification
Qualifications, training and experience Essential
You will have either: A Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 3. This could be an NVQ Level 3 apprenticeship, BTEC or equivalent international qualification in healthcare. Or you will be able to demonstrate the equivalent level of experience. In addition you will also have Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C/ 4-9 or equivalent in English and Maths) You'll need to have recent experience of healthcare/ working as a health care assistant gained through education, work experience or previous employment. Full UK/EU driving licence
Desirable
You may also have the Care Certificate, but if not, we will support you to achieve this within the first 3 months of starting.
Knowledge and skills Essential
You will need to have a customer focussed approach which is essential to; Provide patients, clients and their families with the best possible experience You will need to be able to be able to use IT systems and databases. You will have the skill to focus on the details with the ability to spot problems. You will know when you are within your own limits and when to escalate You will have knowledge of up to date clinical practice by using up- to- date skills and adhering to evidence-based procedures and clinical effectiveness frameworks. You will fully understand the role and remit of a health care worker. You will understand where to signpost clients and families to alternative services to support behaviour change and improve health
Desirable
Having an awareness of developments within the NHS would be an advantage.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address Unit G
Maidstone
ME16 9NT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)