Healthcare Assistant - Neurodiversity Unit

Transformation Unit; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 33,000; Part time

Job summary

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant for the Neurodiversity Unit at HMP Wandsworth Town, London. The role focuses on practical and therapeutic support for prisoners with neurodiverse needs, working within a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

The post emphasizes compassionate, patient, non-judgemental care in a custodial setting, with duties such as co-facilitating groups and maintaining one-page profiles to ensure tailored support.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Health and Social Care qualification; could include related psychology/health subjects.
• Evidence of ongoing learning and development.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day support to prisoners on the Neurodiversity Unit under supervision.
• Promote a safe, therapeutic environment that supports dignity and independence.
• Assist prisoners to access healthcare and therapeutic activities; report changes promptly.
• Identify and implement reasonable adjustments for individual needs.

Skills

Neurodiversity awareness

Relationship building

Professional boundaries

Person-centred care

Education

Level 3 Health and Social Care

Job description

Main area Healthcare Assistant Grade NHS AfC: Band 3 Contract 12 months (Fixed Term) Hours Part time - 22.5 hours per week (9am - 5pm) Job ref 277-8346562-WANDS

Employer Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site HMP Wandsworth Town London Salary £31,554 - £33,270 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 15/11/2026 23:59

Healthcare Assistant - Neurodiversity Unit

NHS AfC: Band 3

Job overview

The post holder will work as a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant within the prison’s Neurodiversity Unit, providing practical and therapeutic support to prisoners with identified or suspected neurodiverse needs.

Working as part of the wider multidisciplinary healthcare team, the post holder will support the delivery of a positive, structured and neurodiversity-informed environment. The role will involve co-facilitating therapeutic and health-related groups, developing and maintaining one-page profiles for prisoners residing on the Neurodiversity Unit, and promoting effective communication and collaboration between healthcare and operational staff.

The post holder will act as an important link between prisoners, healthcare professionals and prison operational colleagues, helping to ensure that reasonable adjustments, communication needs and individual support strategies are understood and consistently applied.

The role requires a compassionate, patient and non-judgemental approach, alongside the ability to work effectively within the unique and sometimes challenging environment of a custodial setting.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post

Main duties of the job

· Provide day-to-day support to prisoners on the Neurodiversity Unit under the direction and supervision of registered healthcare professionals.

· Promote a safe, therapeutic, neurodiversity-informed environment that supports dignity, independence, choice and person-centred care.

· Support prisoners to access healthcare, therapeutic activities and appropriate interventions, recognising and promptly reporting changes in presentation, behaviour, communication or wellbeing.

· Identify and implement appropriate reasonable adjustments to meet individual communication, sensory, cognitive and environmental needs.

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We Listen
• We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Co-facilitate therapeutic, wellbeing, psychoeducation and health promotion groups with healthcare or multidisciplinary colleagues, including preparing, delivering and evaluating sessions.

· Encourage participation and adapt communication and activities to accommodate neurodiverse needs.

· Maintain appropriate records of group attendance and participation, and provide feedback to the wider team on engagement, progress and concerns.

· Work within agreed competencies, protocols and clinical guidance when supporting therapeutic interventions.

• Complete and maintain a one-page profile for each prisoner, in collaboration with the individual wherever possible

  · Review and update profiles following significant changes in needs or circumstances.

  · Share relevant information appropriately with healthcare and operational colleagues in line with confidentiality, information governance and data protection requirements.

  · Promote the use of one-page profiles to improve consistency, continuity of care and effective communication.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ :

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

You will need to provide:

Proof of right to work documentation

Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID

Proof of address documentation

Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.

Address History:

5 years address history will be needed.

Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.

Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.

In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from:https ://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website ( http://www.fco.gov.uk/en ).

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, healthcare-related subject, a lower second class (2.2) honours degree or higher in psychology, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Evidence of ongoing learning and development.

Experience

• Experience of working in a healthcare, social care, support work or related environment.
• Experience of working with individuals who may have complex communication, behavioural or support needs.
• Experience of supporting individuals to engage in activities, interventions or groups.
• Experience of working within the MDT

Skills

• Understanding of neurodiversity and the potential impact of conditions such as autism, ADHD, learning disability and other neurodevelopmental differences
• Ability to build professional and therapeutic relationships
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Understanding of person-centred care and reasonable adjustments.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage: https://oxleas.nhs.uk/armed-forces-community/

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high volume of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.