Healthcare Assistant – (Visa Sponsorship Welcomed)

Ward 21 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead — a 30-bed Trauma and Orthopaedic ward — has an opening for a Healthcare Assistant, paying £25,760 to £27,476 a year (Band 3) on a permanent basis, with both full-time and part-time working patterns available. Sponsorship for Skilled Worker visa applicants is explicitly welcomed here — worth noting because sponsorship eligibility can actually differ from one NHS role to another within the same Trust, depending on whether the specific post meets UKVI's salary and skill thresholds.

You'd be working as part of a genuinely multi-disciplinary team — nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, and doctors — supporting patients with daily living activities across hospital, home, or care settings.

About Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Established in 2005, Gateshead Health was one of the first foundation trusts in the country and has consistently delivered high standards of patient care since. The Trust employs around 4,800 staff and provides 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region, operating from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon Urgent Care Centre, and Bensham Hospital. Its values are built around the acronym ICORE — Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, and Engagement — and the Trust runs several staff networks, including Global Ethnic Majority (GEM), D-Ability, LGBTQ+, Women's, and an emerging Armed Forces network.

What the Role Involves

• Assisting registered practitioners with patient health and wellbeing assessments, and initiating emergency action when needed (e.g. cardiac arrest, fire)
• Supporting patients to identify and work toward their own quality-of-life goals
• Participating in trained clinical skills, such as recording ECGs
• Contributing to patients' care, support, and recovery plans
• Helping patients express their needs and wishes, and promoting personal hygiene and physical health
• Actively engaging in health promotion and meaningful, enjoyable activity
• Supporting patients with external activities and appointments under indirect supervision
• Occasionally handling patient monies or valuables in line with Trust guidelines
• Assisting with daily living activities while encouraging active participation and independence
• Building safe, effective therapeutic relationships and communicating clearly across a wide range of people and preferred communication methods
• Recognising escalating risk and alerting the team appropriately
• Documenting relevant information accurately in electronic records

Who Can Apply

Essential:

• GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Maths
• A vocational qualification in health and social care (e.g. Care Certificate, Level 2/3 Diploma)
• Ability to work well within a team
• Experience working with people who have dementia or Alzheimer's
• Effective communication and listening skills

Desirable:

• Venepuncture skills

Checks required: this role is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.

On visa sponsorship: Gateshead Health states that applications from candidates requiring current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Applicants requiring entry clearance will need to provide a criminal record certificate from any country they've lived in for 12 months or more (continuously or cumulatively) over the past 10 years — a requirement that also applies to adult dependants over 18.

Pay and Contract Details

• Pay: £25,760 to £27,476 per annum (Band 3, Agenda for Change pay scheme)
• Contract type: Permanent, full-time or part-time
• Location: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, NE9 6SX
• Closing date: 6 October 2026

Benefits

While specific pay-related benefits weren't detailed in this listing beyond Agenda for Change banding, Gateshead Health highlights its Balance wellbeing programme, designed to support staff health and wellbeing across a diverse workforce, alongside its active staff networks and commitment to lifelong learning and professional development.

How to Apply

For questions about the role, candidates can contact Ward Manager Kelly Harding at kelly.harding2@nhs.net or on 01914452021.

Apply for this opportunity here