Senior HCA – Yeovil, UK | Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Title: Senior HCA – Yeovil, UK | Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

A Band 3 NHS healthcare opportunity is available in Yeovil for a Senior Healthcare Assistant who wants to work in a specialist Oncology and Haematology Day Unit. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a permanent Senior HCA position supporting patients receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) and chemotherapy.

The role is offered on either a full-time or part-time basis, with the unit operating Monday to Friday and shifts running from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. The advertised annual salary is £25,760 to £27,476 under the NHS Agenda for Change pay scheme.

Importantly for international applicants, the employer states that candidates who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome to apply and will be considered alongside other applicants.

About Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS healthcare services across Somerset, including acute, community and other specialist services. The Yeovil service involved in this vacancy operates the Oncology and Haematology Day Unit at St Margaret's Hospice.

The Trust describes the unit as a 12-chair day service where patients receive chemotherapy and other forms of SACT. Staff working there can also develop additional clinical skills as they complete the relevant training and competencies.

Working in the Oncology and Haematology Day Unit

This is a patient-facing role in a fast-moving clinical environment. The Senior Healthcare Assistant will work alongside doctors and nurses to support the delivery of care to patients receiving cancer treatment.

The post also offers scope to develop practical clinical competencies. Subject to completing the required training and competency assessments, the successful candidate may undertake venepuncture, cannulation, venesection and PICC line care.

Key Responsibilities

• Support patients receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy and chemotherapy.

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• Work alongside doctors and nurses to deliver high standards of patient care.

• Provide healthcare support within the Oncology and Haematology Day Unit.

• Undertake additional clinical procedures once the required training and competencies have been completed.

• Maintain a flexible approach to shift patterns across the unit's Monday-to-Friday opening schedule.

• Follow the Trust's expected standards and values while supporting patients and other healthcare professionals.

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• Complete relevant mandatory training, updates and role-specific skills development provided by the employer.

Who Can Apply

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

• Hold a QCF Level 3 qualification, such as a Vocational NVQ, BTEC or an equivalent international healthcare qualification.

• Candidates who can demonstrate an equivalent level of relevant experience may also be considered.

• Have recent experience working in an acute or community healthcare setting.

• Experience in an outpatient or day-unit environment is advantageous.

• Previous oncology or haematology experience is advantageous but is not stated as essential.

• Experience with cannulation and phlebotomy is desirable.

• Experience recording ECGs is desirable.

• Experience taking and monitoring blood glucose levels is desirable.

• The role is subject to the required Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

• Applicants should review the full job description and person specification and demonstrate clearly in their supporting statement how their experience meets the stated criteria.

Skilled Worker Sponsorship

The employer explicitly states that applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.

This makes the vacancy relevant to eligible overseas healthcare candidates as well as applicants who already have the right to work in the UK. Applicants who require sponsorship should still check their individual UK immigration eligibility and the requirements that apply to their circumstances.

Pay and Contract Details

• Pay scheme: NHS Agenda for Change

• Band: Band 3

• Salary: £25,760–£27,476 per year

• Contract: Permanent

• Working pattern: Full-time or part-time

• Shift length: 9.5 hours

• Typical shift: 08:30–18:00

• Opening days: Monday to Friday

• Location: St Margaret's Hospice, Yeovil, Somerset, with Yeovil District Hospital also listed as a job location

• Reference: 184-OL-PU-5730

Benefits

The vacancy highlights a range of NHS and workplace benefits, including:

• NHS pension contributions.

• Annual leave allowance.

• Career progression opportunities.

• Regular staff conversations and development opportunities.

• Blue Light Card access.

• NHS-exclusive discounts.

• Free staff parking at the St Margaret's Hospice site.

• Low-cost catering.

• A garden setting at the day unit with outdoor space available for staff breaks.

The employer also highlights Somerset's countryside, coastline and proximity to places such as Bristol, Bath and Exeter as advantages of working in the area.

A Practical Point for Applicants

The qualification requirement deserves particular attention. The advert accepts a QCF Level 3 healthcare qualification, including a Vocational NVQ or BTEC, but also allows applicants to demonstrate an equivalent level of experience. International applicants should therefore make the equivalence of their healthcare qualification or experience especially clear in their application rather than assuming the recruiting team will infer it.

The employer also asks applicants to make their supporting statement directly relevant to the job description and person specification. Matching your experience to the essential criteria point by point can therefore make the application easier for the recruiting team to assess.

Application Details

• Employer: Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

• Position: Senior HCA

• Reference number: 184-OL-PU-5730

• Primary location: St Margaret Hospice, Little Tarrat Lane, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20 2HU

• Additional listed location: Yeovil District Hospital, Higher Kingston, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 4AT

• Closing date: 20 October 2026

• Early closure: The vacancy may close before the advertised deadline if enough applications are received.

• Application support: Hilary Linnell — hilary.linnell@somersetFT.nhs.uk — 01935 384315

How to Apply

Applications should be made through the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust recruitment portal. Before submitting your application, read the attached job description and person specification carefully and use your supporting statement to demonstrate how your qualifications, healthcare experience and relevant skills meet the requirements.