Community Support Worker - Rapid Response

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust; Highweek; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

Career development and training

Discount schemes

Job summary

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Community Support Worker for the Rapid Response Team in Torbay and South Devon. This role covers a 7‑day roster to provide short-term care and support at patients’ homes, aiming to help people stay independent after acute illness or hospitalisation.

The post is a part-time, permanent role (30 hours per week) with pay pro rata to NHS AfC Band 3. Applicants should be flexible, capable of autonomous working, and able to travel around the

Qualifications

• Experience of personal care and/or clinical procedures, to NVQ2 level or equivalent knowledge.
• Basic IT skills – Word, Outlook & Excel.
• NVQ3 or QCF Diploma Level 3 in Health & Social Care.
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.

Responsibilities

• Provision of personal care and monitoring patient’s condition.
• Enable individuals to remain in the community and live independently at home.
• Carry out personal tasks not the responsibility of a nurse.
• Collaborate with other workers and professionals to provide care.
• Provide domiciliary support to promote independence.
• Assess risk and needs according to the care plan.
• Liaise with professionals to ensure appropriate support.

Skills

Personal care

Clinical procedures

Basic IT skills

Education

NVQ2 in Health & Social Care

NVQ3 / QCF Diploma Level 3 in Health & Social Care

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Excel

Job description

Community Support Worker - Rapid Response

NHS AfC: Band 3

Main area Support Worker Community Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Part time - 30 hours per week Job ref 388-8170687-FC&I-A

Site Community Town Newton Abbot Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 13/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

We have an opportunity to come and work for the Rapid Response Team, covering the whole of Torbay and South Devon, assisting people to remain in their own homes.

We are looking for motivated member of staff to work as part of a friendly, hardworking & committed team, working across 7 days toprovide short term care and support to people in the community. We focuson supporting and enabling patients to live independently at homeandon maximising independence, following a period of acute ill health or hospitalisation.

If you can demonstrate your flexibility, community experience and like to be able to work autonomously, providing interventions for patients within their own homes then this could be the opening for you.

Main duties of the job

Duties involved will include:

• provision of personal care, clinical duties where delegated, monitoring the patient’s condition
• To enable and / or assist individuals to remain in the community, to be supported and maintained safely in their own homes and thereby enhance the quality of life.
• To carry out the personal tasks which are not the responsibility of a nurse but would normal expect to be undertaken by a member of the service user’s family.
• Collaboration with other support workers and professionals to provide care for the service user
• To provide good quality domiciliary support to the service user in their own home, promoting independence.
• Assess the risk and needs of service user’s in accordance with the care plan.
• The role is very varied as such you will need to liaise with other professionals to ensure the patients are supported in the most appropriate way and provide suggestions to improve support ongoing

Working for our organisation

Why work with us - Our service provides rapid short term intervention up to a maximum of 7 days with the aim of preventing admission to hospital or to residential / nursing home. The services are provided by Support Workers who visit during the day from 8:00 am till 22:00 pm operating on a 7 day rota system, including evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.

Our people are caring, committed, inclusive and focussed on quality. We focus on solutions and people’s strengths. We encourage outside the box thinking and embrace innovation and change wherever it can drive improvement. Therefore, your package with us includes a lot more than just your pay.

Salary is not the only financial benefit including:

• NHS Pension Scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
• Childcare at our day nursery
• Generous Holiday Entitlement, starting at 27 days a year (for full time workers) plus bank/public holiday
• Career development and training opportunities
• National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
• Employee Support - Staff have access to a 24-hour helpline

If you share our values and vision and are passionate about working with people on what matters to them, you could be a real asset to Team Torbay and South Devon. We would love to hear from you!

Please note: Priority will be given to applicants with recognised 'Priority' or 'At Risk' status, including NHS staff identified across Devon.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Assist and promote independent social and living skills including the provision of a range of tasks, for example: involving assistance with mobility, personal care, bathing, dressing/undressing; continence, nutrition, hydration and prompting, monitoring and administration of medication where required, in line with local policies
• Therapeutic moving & handling skills – often with the need for prolonged physical effort. Will include frequent use of wide range of moving & handling equipment
• To undertake specific clinical tasks as delegated once undertaken relevant training and deemed competent. These will include baseline observations and investigations, simple wound care and like for like dressings management. To be able to recognise deteriorating physical health, use clinical/physiological observations to assist in assessment and elevate using early warning score and SBAR as required
• To ensure that patients, relatives, carers and professionals are kept fully informed of progress following intervention. Due to the diverse and complex nature of the caseload, this requires the ability to communicate complex information to meet a range of levels in understanding, and to overcome such barriers as, e.g. hearing loss, cognitive impairment, dysphasia, pain, fear, social and cultural differences
• To contribute towards ensuring a safe working environment for self and others and report on situation of potential risk, working with local policies and procedure

Full vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification.

Ability to travel efficiently around the South Devon area is important in order to carry out your duties (e.g. Full driving licence and vehicle).

Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

Person specification

Qualifications and training

• Experience of personal care and/or clinical procedures, to NVQ2 level qualification OR equivalent knowledge
• Basic IT Skills – Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel
• NVQ3 or QCF or Diploma Level 3 in Health & Social Care
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Knowledge and experience

• Experience of working in a caring environment
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the rights of the Service User
• Able to demonstrate a commitment to working with older adults
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of health and safety and safeguarding issues
• Ability to assist service users in the activities of daily living whilst promoting independence
• Ability to carry out safe practice when moving and handling users and equipment
• Understanding of relevant health and safety legislation for moving and handling.
• Experience of working in community setting and lone working
• Experience of working with people at end of life
• Previous experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of updating service users’ plans
• Experience of working within and applying safeguarding adults’ procedures
• Experience of working with a rehabilitation ethos
• Knowledge/understanding of equipment used to promote independence

Other

• Have full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Ability to work flexibly including unsocial hours and shift patterns including weekends and Bank Holidays
• Be flexible, adaptable and reliable
• Understand the need for confidentiality
• Demonstrate desire to ‘make a difference ‘ to help people regain their independence

You will be joining the organisation at an exciting time. As the first fully integrated care organisation in England, we are working to improve the way we deliver safe, high-quality health and social care. We have a positive and vibrant working atmosphere, we are proud of our investment in our staff both in terms of developing potential career skills and valuing people.

If you provide support to a family member or friend with health or care needs, we aim to be a Carer-friendly employer. We have a ‘Staff Carers’ policy which includes flexible working where possible and a Carer’s Passport scheme that links you into support and discounts.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• We reserve the right to close vacancies early if we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we encourage you to apply promptly.
• Please read the job description carefully and tailor your application to reflect the requirements of the role.
• Applicants who identify in their application form they are a part of the Armed Forces community will be guaranteed an interview, provided they meet the minimum essential criteria outlined in the job description and person specification for the role. Step into Health guidance can be found on our NHS Employers website.
• Correspondence will be sent via Trac, text, and email. Please ensure you check your email and Trac account regularly.
• Applicants with no previous NHS experience will ordinarily be appointed to the minimum of the band.
• If you have not received an invitation to interview within 28 days of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
• It is your responsibility to ensure the timely receipt of appropriate references.

The Trust is committed to preventing discrimination, valuing diversity and achieving equality of opportunity. No person (staff, patient or public) will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of the nine protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. If you require support you can obtain this from our Equality Business Forum which has representatives from all protected groups.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.