Band3 Health Care Assistant Needed In London: Sponsorship Opportunity

Band3 Health Care Assistant Job overview

We are looking for dynamic and enthusiastic Health Care Assistant to join our Health Based Place of Safety as Clinical Support Workers at our entry level (AfC Band 3) for mental health NHS careers.

These Health Care Assistant roles involve direct, face to face patient care to acutely unwell  service users who have been admitted to an in-patient psychiatric ward.

Note this advert has a capped number of applications, so may close sooner than advertised.

Health Care Assistant Main duties 

Health Care Assistants are the backbone of our Nursing and Health Care workforce  – they are based on our wards and work as part of our Nursing teams working alongside our Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Psychologists and Psychiatrists caring and supporting services users through the most challenging part of their mental health crises.

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake focussed one to one therapeutic conversations with service users who are brought to the Health Based Place of Safety by the police.  At times this might involve enhanced observations, environmental safety checks and physical observations. The role is diverse but the focus is always on maintaining a strong physical presence within the unit environment – collaborating with the individual service users in relation to the 136 pathways.

Good written and verbal communication is key alongside a ‘can do…will do’ positive and compassionate approach and attitude and the ability to work as part of a team is essential.

You will be expected to undertake day and night shifts across a 7 day working pattern and be required to complete training on the prevention of management and violence (PMVA) and basic life support (BLS).

Working for our organisation

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all
3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
4. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology.

 

Why NLFT?

• We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
• We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
• NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme
• Excellent internal staff network

 

In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The role of the Clinical Support Worker within the Health Based Place of Safety can be demanding but is rewarding as you support the service user throughout the assessment process under the section 136.

Experience with care and understanding of mental health is essential. The Care Certificate although not essential is desirable, if you do not currently have a Care Certificate you must be willing to work towards achieving it.

We aim to support service users and their carers/family during their in-patient admissions so as a Clinical Support Worker your feedback and close involvement with service users whilst they are in hospital is key to their achieving a successful and well-planned discharge.

Person specification

Education Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Current Level 1 Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults certificates.
• NVQ level 3 in Mental Health or Certificate in Mental Health or Current experience within a Mental Health or Substance Misuse Team.
• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent (with a minimum of 5 A – E qualifications – which must include Maths and English).

Skills and ability

Essential criteria

• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems.
• Demonstrate well developed interpersonal skills.

Desirable criteria

• Awareness of patient / service user care within the wider context of the organisation.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Previous experience of working in a Health or Social Care setting in a paid or voluntary position
• To be able to demonstrate awareness of a range of factors that contribute to mental ill health or addiction

Desirable criteria

• Demonstrate skills in undertaking a range of physically observation ie BP, Pulse, respiration rate, urinalysis
• Demonstrate awareness of the Mental Health Act and its implications/ Demonstrate awareness of Health and Social Care or Substance Abuse legislation relevant to role
• Currently working in a care delivery role in either mental health; acute or community setting

In line with NHS protocols, only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview.  We regret that it is not possible to contact all applicants for every vacancy. If you have not been contacted within 4-6 weeks of the closing date please assume you have not been shortlisted for the next stage