Health Care Assistant

Hpft; Colchester; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is recruiting an HCA Band 4 to work in the Lexden area, Colchester. The post involves direct service user work within a multidisciplinary team, under supervision, across community and home settings.

The role supports assessments, care plans, and health promotion, with supervision and ongoing reflective practice. NHS values guide all duties, with a pro rata salary reflected above.

Qualifications

• Evidence of academic qualifications achievement.
• NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Support an allocated group of service users under supervision from a qualified practitioner.
• Work within the Community Specialist Learning Disability Team as needed.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with service users, carers and other agencies.
• Work as a lone worker using delegated autonomy and initiative.
• Carry out direct service user work in community and home settings.
• Maintain accurate records and prepare reports on individual service users as requested.

Skills

Communication skills

Record keeping

Education

NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent

Job description

Main area HCA Grade Band 4 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (9-5 Monday-Friday) Job ref 367-LD&F-101694

Site Lexden Hospital Town Colchester Salary £28,392 - £31,157 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 21/10/2026 23:59

Values Based Screener

At Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust we are looking for people to join us who share our values and those of the NHS. Before your application can be considered please take part on our online values questionnaire, which you can find below. When you have finished you will be sent a 'completion code' by email, which will be valid for 6 months and required to submit your application form.

We welcome all applications from all suitable candidates, unfortunately, we will not be offering sponsorship for this role.
Job Summary

The post holder will work within a Multi-Disciplinary Team under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.

• The post holder will work within a multi-disciplinary team and will carry out direct service user work under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
• To support the Team in assessing the specialist needs of people with a learning disability living in the community and in the implementation of their individual care plans to support the improvement of their health and wellbeing.
• To develop and maintain professional working relationships with service users, carers and other agencies.
• To work as a lone worker using delegated autonomy and initiative.
• To work in a range of settings within service users homes and community settings.

Main duties of the job

Main Responsibilities

The post holder will provide support to an allocated group of service users as delegated by the Team Leader or agreed registered practitioner. The post holder will be expected to work within the Community Specialist Learning Disability Team in line with service needs.

The post holder will receive clinical supervision as appropriate to their ongoing developmental needs and requirements and partake in reflective practice and training on a regular basis

All staff should comply with the Trust's Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity

Working for our organisation

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 4000 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

• To work with an allocated caseload under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, and in close collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, service users and their carers
• To have regard for the physical, psychological, emotional and environmental needs of the service users and their carers
• To plan and lead group and individual sessions in conjunction with the case holder.
• To work as a named health care worker to service users within the Team
• To work independently in a variety of settings reporting observations or concerns in a service users health / behaviour back to Case holder, including community and inpatient services
• To have a role in the assessment and further development of individual service users This may include transportation of service users to support them to access appropriate service/facilities
• To keep accurate records of tasks undertaken, observation and events concerning service users and to report to other members of the team, as appropriate, and to prepare reports on individual service users, as requested
• To maintain and promote good communication and working relationships both within the team and with colleagues from other agencies
• To develop a knowledge and understanding of the specialist needs of individual service users, and the approaches used in their care plans
• Support the assessment and management of service user care needs through initial data collection, monitoring of service users progress, feedback, discussion, and reports and in care reviews with the clinical team.
• Assist in the physical health care assessment of service users and report any changes in service users physical health to the registered practitioner, based on agreed protocol and supported competencies.
• Provide information of health promotion and healthy living as appropriate to individual need
• To undertake and assist in the organisation of the day to day smooth running of the service
• Contribute towards the ongoing quality of service and care and identify any risk issues in relation to the service users health and social care need

Person specification

Qualifications

• Evidence of academic qualifications achievement
• NVQ Level 3 or Equivalent

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years' experience as a Health Care Assistant - working in a Health & Social Care setting.
• Experience of working with people with a learning disability, who may have mental health needs and / or challenging behaviours

Skills

• Recognises and reflects on barriers to effective communication, modifying communication in response.
• Keeps accurate and complete records and communication consistent with legislation, policies and procedures

Please note, we do not charge fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. Please see the Trust careers vacancy webpage and Trac as the only authorised routes for recruitment communications, applications and verification of job offers.

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.