Healthcare Support Workers play an important role in the safe and effective delivery of school and community immunisation clinics. You will support children and young people before, during and after vaccination, helping to ensure a positive and reassuring experience. During the autumn term, you will receive training to administer nasal flu and injectable flu vaccines under National Protocols and the supervision of registered vaccinators.
This is a term-time-only role, working 39 weeks per year within the Berkshire West Team, covering Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire. You will be required to travel across all three localities to visit schools, support clinics, and collect and return vaccines from different bases. Your main locality to support will be Reading, with travel to West Berkshire and Wokingham, when required to support.
We are looking for someone to work 30 hours over four days per week, term time only. Core hours are 08:30 to 16:30, although some days may require an 08:00 start to support vaccine collection. Flexibility is essential, as working patterns may vary depending on clinic schedules, including occasional later starts for later clinics.
Please note that term time only post pay includes annual leave and bank holiday entitlements, therefore the school holidays count as your annual leave.
Administer flu vaccines under the direct supervision of Registered Healthcare Practitioners, in line with Vaccine Group Directions (VGDs).
Support children and young people before and during vaccination, particularly those who may feel anxious.
Monitor and support children and young people after vaccination to ensure they remain well.
Assist vaccinators at school and clinic sessions, including setting up, clearing down and ensuring clinical supplies are available.
Support vaccinators with home visits for children and young people who are unable to attend school or clinic sessions.
Collect vaccines from an allocated base before planned school sessions, ensuring the cold chain is maintained at all times.
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
Caring for and about you is our top priority
Committed to providing good quality, safe services
Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
Flexible working options to support work-life balance
27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
Generous NHS pension scheme
Excellent learning and career development opportunities
‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
Free parking across Trust sites
The 'must haves' for this role are:
A genuine interest in immunisations and the positive public health impact they provide.
A flexible and adaptable approach to work.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with people of all ages.
A commitment to making a difference and working within a caring profession.
For more information about the role, please refer to the attached job description and person specification. To give yourself the best chance of being shortlisted, we strongly recommend that you explain how you meet each point in the person specification within your supporting statement. Further application guidance is available in the “Help with your application” document, which can be accessed once you click apply.
If you share our passion for excellence and compassionate care, you belong at Berkshire Healthcare.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to email: Charlotte Church (Service Lead for the Berkshire Immunisation team) via
[email protected] who’ll be delighted to help.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.
