Health Care Assistant

Hpft; Great Plumstead; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is seeking a Main Area Inpatient Forensic HCA (Learning Disabilities/Mental Health) Band 3. The post is full-time, 37.5 hours per week, with shift coverage 24/7 including evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays. Salary £25,760–£27,476 per year, pro rata.

Interviews held at Little Plumstead Hospital. The role involves direct care within a multi-disciplinary team, delivering high-quality, individualised care to adults with

Qualifications

• Educated to GCE/GCSE or equivalent (Maths and English)
• Commitment to Continuing Personal Development
• Relevant training to the field: Safeguarding, de-escalation, autism, mental capacity

Responsibilities

• Work flexibly as part of a multi-disciplinary team to deliver high quality, person-centred care.
• Assist in day-to-day unit operations and ensure smooth running.
• Engage with service users, carers and families and encourage participation in recovery.

Skills

Empathy

Teamwork

Communication

Patient care

Education

GCSE Maths and English

Job description

Main area Inpatient Forensic HCA - Learning Disabilities/Mental Health Grade Band 3 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (24/7, includes evenings, nights, weekends, bank holidays.) Job ref 367-LD&F-101365-B

Site Broadland Clinic Town Norwich Salary £25,760 - £27,476 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 16/10/2026 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.

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

The Post Holder will carry out assigned tasks involving direct care in support of the service and will work as part of the multi-disciplinary team and be expected to provide high quality, individualised care which addresses the needs and wants of adults with a learning disability, mental health needs and/or challenging behaviours.

The Post Holder is expected to participate actively in promoting high standards of care. The post holder will be expected to work across the 7 day week.

All interviews for this post will be held in person at Little Plumstead Hospital , Hospital Road Norwich NR13 5EW.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will:

• Work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a multi-disciplinary team striving to deliver quality person-centred care.
• Assist in the day-to-day smooth running of the unit.
• Work with, talk to and listen to service users, carers and families, and encourage their participation in the recovery process.
• Participate as required in the assessment of care needs, the development and implementation of programmes of care, and risk assessments.
• Support and empower service-users, and work with the multi-disciplinary team to promote a culture of engagement and activity.
• Use de-escalation skills to manage aggression exhibited by service users, subject to achieving agreed training and competency.
• Help as required in the administration of medication.
• Be aware of own behaviour and the effect it can have on others.
• Be compassionate and open-minded.
• Treat colleagues, service-users, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate a commitment to continual service- and personal-improvement.
• Reflect the Trust’s values by behaving in a manner that is welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional.

[For further details about the role and responsibilities, and for the Person Specification, please download the attached JD&PS document]

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 theCare 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 3500 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?

Then please read on…

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Post Holder will carry out assigned tasks involving direct care in
support of the service.
The Post Holder will work as part of the multi-disciplinary team and be
expected to provide high quality, individualised care which addresses the
needs and wants of adults with a learning disability, mental
health needs and/or challenging behaviours.
The Post Holder is expected to participate actively in promoting high standards of care. The post holder will be expected to work across the 7 day week.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION/ TRAINING

• Educated to GCE/GCSE or equivalent (Maths and English)
• Commitment to Continuing Personal Development
• Relevant training to the field of work. Eg; Safeguarding, de-escalation, autism, mental capacity

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• Flexibility
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Able to work on own initiative and without direct supervision
• Experience in managing own time and working as part of a team

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Ability to complete, record and report back accordingly on observations & assessments
• Identify Risk and report
• Ability to recognise and respond to clinical risk

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.