Healthcare Support Worker

Job overview
Please note, at this stage, the role is open only to internal staff (including NHSP and Agency staff currently on placement within our organisation) and staff substantively employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Any individual who is at risk of redundancy will be given priority, provided they meet the essential criteria.
The Community Rehabilitation Service provides a flexible range of mental health interventions to help clients complex mental health needs to manage their mental health more effectively and remain in their own homes.
The team works in close partnership with Social Care and housing providers to ensure each client has the necessary resources available to enable them to engage in their rehab journey. Across the Community Rehabilitation teams, the clinical team consists of Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Nurses, and VCSE Workers.
We currently have an exciting opportunities for two enthusiastic and motivated Healthcare Support Worker to join our North Kent Community Rehabilitation Service. Post one will cover Dartford, Gravesend and Swanley. Post two will cover Medway and Swale.
Individuals may be expected to ensure the team is able provide input between the hours of 08:00 and 20:00 according to the needs of the service, including working some evenings, weekends and public holidays.

Main duties of the job

• You will work as part of a Community Rehabilitation Team , focusing on the direct needs of service users.
• Under the guidance and supervision of the Multi-Disciplinary Team, you will provide support and give time to an allocated group of service users in order to promote their recovery and maintain them in their community environment. You will be promoting and facilitating therapeutic activity, promoting self-care and supporting with activities of daily living.
• You will support service users to identify their needs and to assist Clinicians to plan, implement and evaluate individual care plans.
• You will be working to the recovery model to support the service user to work towards their identified goals.
• Giving physical health checks and physical health care as required or instructed, documenting the physical health checks on the early warning scoring system (MEWS), chart and reporting changes to the nurse/healthcare professional in charge.
• Undertaking day-to-day tasks as allocated by Nurse/healthcare professional.

The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Working for our organisation
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Good general education, competent in literacy and numeracy
• NVQ or equivalent in a relevant subject (e.g. Health and Social Care) or be prepared to work towards this

UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle

Essential criteria

• The post holder must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car/vehicle to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working with individuals with complex mental health problems.
• Experience of working in a community mental health setting.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of implementing rehabilitation plans.
• Experience of individual and group work.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

• An awareness of enduring mental health disorders.
• A basic understanding of the Recovery Model.
• An awareness of the impact of mental health needs on clients, families and carers.
• Ability to follow specific directions as required.
• An ability to form rapport with individuals and groups.
• An ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times, even in challenging/complex situations.
• Ability to work autonomously and cooperatively as part of an interdisciplinary team, showing an awareness of team dynamics.
• Ability to communicate information using a variety of mediums.
• Basic awareness of clinical governance.
• Effective organisational/planning and decision-making skills.
• Sound knowledge and practice of IT skills.
• To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area.

Desirable criteria

• An awareness of social activities and amenities within the local community.
• Knowledge of benefits and employment systems.
• Basic health and safety awareness.
• A basic understanding of the Mental Health Act.

Important Information:
In cases where we receive a high volume of applications for a post, it may be necessary to bring the closing date forward. Please submit your completed application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Due to the high volume of applications received, it is not possible to respond individually to your application. Should you not hear from us within six weeks of the vacancy closing, please assume that your application has not been successful.

Probation Period. New employees external to the trust are subject to a six-month probationary period.
To deliver an effective service it is essential in some of our roles that you are able to travel between work bases in a timely manner.
Production of false or forged documents/qualifications in order to obtain employment is a criminal offence and will be reported to the Police.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check.
Certain roles are subject to criminal record checks called Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Therefore, you will be required to submit a completed Disclosure form to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust are signed up to NHS England's Sexual Safety in Health Care Organisational Charter
The trust takes a systematic zero-tolerance