CWP’s Resourcing team was highly commended at the Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) Shared Learning Event in London on 12 October for two of its innovative HCSW initiatives.

Healthcare support worker is an umbrella term which covers a variety of health and care support roles. HCSWs play a vital role in within CWP’s clinical teams and represent a significant proportion of the Trust’s overall workforce.

Claire Harrington, Director of Nursing and AHP Workforce and NHS England (North West) nominated CWP for both its Prospective Candidate Programme and the HCSW Pocket Guide.

CWP’s Prospective Candidate Programme has given applicants who had previously been unsuccessful at application or interview stages for HCSW roles, the chance to develop their application and interview skills to give them another chance at applying for a role with CWP.

CWP receives hundreds of applications which have to be rejected due to the supporting information provided. As a Trust, CWP is passionate about providing support and guidance to those who may be suitable for the role of HCSW, but may not have experience in completing NHS application forms, or find the form difficult to complete for various reasons.

Through the Prospective Candidate Programme, unsuccessful HCSW applicants are invited to attend a workshop, where they can find out more about CWP as an organisation, the roles and responsibilities of a HCSW, progression and development opportunities beyond the HCSW role, as well as lots of useful tips and guidance for producing a strong application and preparing for interview.

The HCSW pocket guide is a useful pocked-sized booklet given to healthcare support workers to enable them to navigate their role within CWP’s inpatient services, including practical information around everything from useful contacts and how to access systems and policies, through to infection prevention and control guidance and what to do in a medical emergency.

Congratulations to everyone involved in both projects, and a special thanks to Gemma Clemson, Attraction and Retention Lead for CSWs, and Joanne Wing, Head of Resourcing, who attended the HCSW Shared Learning Event in London on behalf of CWP.

To find out more about the HCSW role and to view CWP’s latest HCSW vacancies, visit the HCSW webpage.