Job summary
- Main area
- Planned Care
- Grade
- Band 2
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 210-2025-205
- Employer
- Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Countess of Chester Hospital
- Town
- Chester
- Salary
- £23,615 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 19/03/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Healthcare Assistant - Ophthalmology
Band 2
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.
Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation
Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours.
We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.
As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.
Job overview
Working Full time: 37.5 hours per week
Who Our Opportunity is for:
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Ophthalmology Department for a Band 2 Healthcare Assistant.
Covering a five day service Monday-Friday from 7am -8pm varying shifts.
Main duties of the job
Healthcare Assistant required in a busy Ophthalmic outpatients department.
Under supervision and direction of the Registered Nurse/Midwife assist in delivery of the safe, high quality care to all patients.
Assessing patients visual acuity, assisting senior Nurses and Doctors in the day to day running of clinics and day case ward patients.
Maintaining adequate stock levels. Maintaining a clean environment.
We are looking for flexible & dynamic staff to join our team.
Working for our organisation
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £27.50 (standard) or £55.50 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person specification
Qualification
Essential criteria
- Willingness and ability to undertake an NVQ level 2 in Health Care.
- Prepared to complete within six months of commencement
- Good level of general secondary education.
Desirable criteria
- NVQ level 2 in Health Care or associated health or Social Care or equivalent experience.
- Certificate in Health Care or willingness to complete within 1 year of appointment.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Numeric and Literacy Skills
- Basic IT skills
- Basic understanding of NHS issues
- An understanding of organisation of nursing care
Desirable criteria
- Previous work / life experience requiring involvement with the public
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Leah Butterfield
- Job title
- Ophthalmology Nurse manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01244 363656
- Additional information
Laura Docherty
Deputy Manager
Contact number: 01244 362618
List jobs with Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Nursing and Midwifery