Healthcare Support Worker | Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A National Health Service Trust in Canterbury is seeking a motivated Healthcare Support Worker to join their Acute female Inpatient Unit. The role involves delivering patient-focused services, providing support and advice to patients with severe mental health conditions. Candidates should possess excellent communication skills and a commitment to patient independence. This role is part of a multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving mental health care, offering ongoing professional development and training opportunities.

Benefits

Ongoing professional development

Comprehensive induction program

Qualifications

• Ability to provide emotional and practical support to patients with severe mental health conditions.
• Excellent communication skills for interacting with patients and healthcare professionals.
• Experience in delivering routine health checks and documenting findings.

Responsibilities

• Deliver patient-focused services promoting independence.
• Provide routine information to colleagues and clients.
• Support patients in therapeutic activities.

Skills

Patient-focused service

Communication skills

Physical health care

Ability to support independence

Job description

Please note, at this stage, the role is open only to internal staff (including NHSP and Agency staff currently on placement within our organisation) and staff substantively employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Any individual who is at risk of redundancy will be given priority, provided they meet the essential criteria.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated Healthcare Support Worker to join our Acute female Inpatient Unit in Canterbury.

Individuals may be expected to work a 24-hour shift pattern seven days a week.

About the role

Working in an Acute ward is very rewarding but demanding. It is likely to be needed by people with severe and complex mental health conditions (e.g. Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Personality Disorder, Substance Misuse, and PTSD). While emotionally challenging, the opportunity to support critically unwell women back to their communities, ensuring "right care, in the right place, at the right time", is immense. Your skilled, multidisciplinary team will support you.

Responsibilities

• Consistently delivering a patient-focused service which promotes optimum independence.
• Providing and receiving routine information orally, in writing or electronically to inform work colleagues, patients, clients, carers, the public or other external contacts.
• Offering appropriate support and advice to patients and their carers.
• Awareness of different challenging situations where communication needs to be adapted.
• Enabling patients to maintain and improve their independence by promoting and facilitating therapeutic activity.
• Giving physical health checks and physical health care as required or instructed, documenting the physical health checks on the early warning scoring system (MEWS), chart and reporting changes to the nurse/healthcare professional in charge.
• Undertaking day-to-day tasks as allocated by the Nurse/healthcare professional in charge.
• Undertaking all relevant training as directed and participating in regular management/clinical supervision and appraisal.

About the Trust

We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.

Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It’s why we’re passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Additional Information

Join us—if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that’s doing well together.

We also offer ongoing professional development to help you adapt and progress your career, including bespoke training and a comprehensive induction program.

Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification.

Check out our Canterbury site.

This advert closes on Friday 2 Jan 2026.