Learning Disability Care Navigator Needed at Hywel Dda University Health Board (£28,819–£31,626/year, Visa Sponsorship Available)

If you have hands-on experience supporting people with a learning disability and you want a role where you can genuinely shape how healthcare works for some of its most underserved patients, this one is worth a close look. Hywel Dda University Health Board, which covers a large swathe of west Wales including Carmarthenshire, is recruiting one of the first people into a newly created position. That means no rigid template to follow, real scope to define how the role evolves, and the kind of early-mover influence that rarely comes along in NHS settings.

The salary sits between £28,819 and £31,626 per year on a full-time, permanent basis, which aligns with NHS Band 5 rates. For international candidates, the headline detail is that Skilled Worker visa sponsorship is explicitly on the table. This is not a role where sponsorship is listed as a vague possibility; it is confirmed and applications from overseas workers are welcomed on equal terms with domestic applicants.

What sets this apart from a standard support worker or care coordinator post is the navigation framing. Rather than delivering direct clinical care, this role is about removing obstacles, connecting the dots between services and making sure the people who most struggle to self-advocate actually reach the right clinician at the right time. It is a rare hybrid of casework, relationship-building and systemic thinking, and it sits inside a multidisciplinary NHS team rather than in isolation.

Job Overview

What You’d Actually Be Doing

This is a community-based role within Hywel Dda’s Community Learning Disability Team. You will spend a significant portion of your time working independently in the field, rather than behind a desk, coordinating across a wide range of services for clients who often have complex needs. Here is what the work actually looks like day to day:

• Acting as a central contact point for individuals with a learning disability, their families and their carers when they need to access health services. If the system feels confusing or inaccessible to someone, you are the person who helps them work through it.
• Navigating health services on behalf of clients to match them with the most appropriate care, whether that sits within the NHS, social care or the third sector. This requires knowing the local landscape well and building working relationships across it.
• Identifying and removing barriers that prevent clients from accessing timely, appropriate care. This could mean anything from communicating health information in accessible formats to liaising with other professionals to ensure reasonable adjustments are in place.
• Advocating for clients within multidisciplinary team discussions. You will be the voice in the room for people who may not be able to represent their own needs, which carries real weight.
• Supporting personalised care planning in a way that reflects each client’s individual goals and circumstances, rather than applying a one-size approach.
• Assessing and managing risk in line with the organisation’s safeguarding policies, making sure that vulnerability is identified early and responded to appropriately.
• Empowering clients toward greater independence over time, using motivational approaches that build confidence rather than dependency.
• Contributing to the development of the role itself, since this is a newly created position, you will have genuine input into how the function grows and what good practice looks like.

Who They’re Looking For

Essential (must-haves):

• A Level 4 qualification in a health or social care subject, or equivalent experience and knowledge gained through practice
• Working knowledge of risk identification and assessment
• Solid understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures
• Demonstrated understanding of person-centred care principles
• Direct experience of working with people who have a learning disability, including working with families and carers
• Experience in the NHS, social care or third sector
• Experience working as part of a multi-professional team
• Experience of care planning in a health or social care context

Desirable (nice-to-haves):

• A Level 4 qualification specifically related to learning disabilities
• Knowledge of national priorities for improving health outcomes for people with a learning disability
• Experience of health coaching or motivational interviewing
• Experience of delivering training or presentations to groups
• Welsh language skills at Level 1 or above

If you meet the essential criteria but are not sure about one or two of the desirable points, do not let that stop you from applying. The listing is clear that this is an evolving role, and the employer is explicitly looking for someone with initiative rather than a complete tick-list.

What Most Applicants Get Wrong

1. Treating this like a standard support worker application:

The word “navigator” is doing real work in this job title. Applicants who focus their CV and cover letter entirely on direct care experience often miss the point of the role. What this employer wants to see is evidence that you can work across systems, build professional relationships and help people move through complex processes independently. If your CV reads like a list of care tasks rather than a story about coordination, communication and problem-solving, it is likely to get looked over.

2. Underestimating what “equivalent experience” means in the person specification:

The essential criteria ask for a Level 4 qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience. Many candidates either assume they do not qualify because they lack the formal qualification, or they assume their experience speaks for itself without spelling it out. Neither approach works. If you are applying on the basis of experience, you need to be explicit and detailed about how your practice matches the knowledge and competencies that a Level 4 qualification would normally demonstrate. Vague statements like “extensive experience” will not do the job.

3. Being underprepared for the NHS interview format:

NHS interviews almost always use competency-based questions structured around the NHS values framework. Candidates who walk in expecting a general conversation about their experience often struggle when they are asked to give specific, structured examples. For a role that involves advocacy, safeguarding and multi-agency working, you can expect questions that probe your judgement, your communication under pressure and how you handle situations where the right course of action is not obvious.

How to Apply (and Actually Get Noticed)

1. Read the full person specification before you write a single word of your application. The essential and desirable criteria are your roadmap. Every paragraph of your supporting statement should connect back to something on that list.
2. Access the official application through the NHS Jobs/Trac system via the link on the original listing page. You will need to create or log into an account on apps.trac.jobs to complete the form.
3. Write your supporting statement to address the essential criteria first, in order. Use specific examples from your work history for each point. For the experience criteria, say what you did, with whom and what the outcome was.
4. If you are applying on the basis of equivalent experience rather than a formal Level 4 qualification, treat that section of your statement as its own argument. Explain what you have done in practice that maps to the knowledge and skills the qualification would ordinarily provide.
5. Tailor your CV to reflect the navigation and coordination aspects of your background, not just your care duties. If you have ever bridged services, resolved access issues or communicated complex information to other professionals, those details belong near the top.
6. Note the closing date of 19 April 2026. That is a short window. Do not wait until the final day, because NHS systems can be slow during peak application periods and technical issues near deadlines are common.
7. Interviews are confirmed for 29 April 2026. If you are shortlisted, be ready to move quickly. Start preparing examples based on the person specification now, before you hear back.

Visa and Eligibility

This role explicitly welcomes applications from candidates who require Skilled Worker visa sponsorship to work in the UK. Hywel Dda University Health Board, as an NHS employer, is a licensed sponsor, which means it has the infrastructure to support the Certificate of Sponsorship process. International applicants are assessed on the same basis as all other candidates.

There is one additional requirement for international applicants to be aware of. Since April 2017, anyone applying for entry clearance to the UK who has lived in a country outside the UK for 12 months or more (continuously or cumulatively) in the past 10 years must provide a criminal record certificate from that country. This applies to adult dependants as well. Official guidance on criminal record checks for overseas applicants is available on the UK government website.

For the Skilled Worker route to apply, the role would need to meet the salary threshold and occupation code requirements set by the Home Office. Given the salary band and the nature of this NHS role, it is well-placed to qualify, but you should verify your specific situation against current Home Office guidance before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to the most common questions people ask about this Learning Disability Care Navigator role at Hywel Dda University Health Board, including eligibility, interview format, visa requirements and what to expect from the application process.

Do I need a degree to apply for this Learning Disability Care Navigator role?

No, a degree is not required. The essential criteria ask for a Level 4 qualification in health or social care, which is below degree level, or equivalent demonstrable experience. If you have worked in the field for several years and can evidence your knowledge and competencies through practice, you are eligible to apply without any formal qualification above Level 4.

What does a Learning Disability Care Navigator actually do day to day?

A Learning Disability Care Navigator works within a community team to help people with a learning disability access the right health services at the right time. On a typical day, this might involve liaising with NHS teams, attending case reviews, supporting a client and their family to understand care options, and identifying barriers that are preventing someone from getting the support they need.

Is visa sponsorship genuinely available for this role, or is it just a standard disclaimer?

Skilled Worker visa sponsorship is genuinely available for this role. The listing specifically states that applications from candidates who require sponsorship are welcomed and will be considered alongside all other applicants. Hywel Dda University Health Board is an NHS employer with a sponsorship licence, which means it can issue a Certificate of Sponsorship if you are offered and accept the position.

What is the interview format for NHS jobs like this one?

NHS interviews for clinical and allied health roles are almost always competency-based, structured around the NHS values and the job’s person specification. You will typically be asked to provide specific examples of past situations using a structured format such as STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result). For this role, expect questions focused on person-centred care, safeguarding, multi-agency working and communication with vulnerable individuals.

Is Welsh language ability required to be shortlisted?

Welsh language ability is listed as desirable, not essential, at Level 1. The listing explicitly states that English and Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply, so you will not be disadvantaged if you do not speak Welsh. That said, if you have any Welsh language skills, even basic ones, it is worth mentioning them.

Can I apply if my experience is from the third sector rather than the NHS?

Yes. The essential criteria specifically include experience in the NHS, social care or the third sector as equally valid backgrounds. If your experience comes from a charity, voluntary organisation or community support provider, it is recognised on the same basis as NHS or local authority experience.

What is the Disclosure and Barring Service check and will my overseas record affect it?

The DBS check is a standard background screening process required for roles working with vulnerable adults in the UK. It checks for criminal convictions in the UK. If you have lived outside the UK for 12 cumulative months or more in the past 10 years, you will also need to provide a criminal record certificate from that country. This is a UK government requirement, not specific to this employer.

What band is this role on the NHS pay scale?

The salary range of £28,819 to £31,626 corresponds to NHS Agenda for Change Band 5, which is the standard entry band for qualified practitioners and specialist support roles in the NHS. Band 5 comes with incremental pay progression, NHS pension membership and standard NHS terms and conditions.

What should I include in my supporting statement for this role?

Your supporting statement should work through the essential criteria in the person specification and provide a specific, evidenced example for each one. Focus particularly on your experience working with people who have a learning disability, your approach to care planning and any instances where you have helped someone navigate a complex system or advocated on their behalf. Generic statements about being a good team player or being passionate about care will not differentiate you.

Official Application Link

To apply, visit the official Trac NHS recruitment system and submit your application for the Learning Disability Care Navigator position at Hywel Dda University Health Board. The closing date is 19 April 2026.