Mental Health Support Worker

Dorset Healthcare University Nhs Foundation Trust; Poole; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced pay for nights

DBS check paid by employer

Job summary

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Mental Health Support Worker to care for young people aged 13–18 in a new CAMHS PICU facility. The role requires compassionate care, clear communication, and strong teamwork in a multi-skilled environment.

There is an emphasis on safety, activity facilitation, and accurate RiO documentation. The position offers enhanced pay for nights and a DBS check funded by the Trust.

Qualifications

• Caring individual with good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Previous healthcare experience is desirable but not essential.
• Flexible approach to shift patterns and weekend/nights at enhanced pay.

Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional care to young people aged 13–18 with complex mental health needs.
• Assist in organised activities and create a safe, supportive environment.
• Offer emotional support and maintain accurate patient records (RiO).
• Report concerns to staff on duty and contribute to incident reporting.
• Undertake required training including Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression.

Skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Teamwork

Caregiving

Job description

Job summary

Are you a caring individual looking to join a multi-skilled team and be supported in developing your career with Children and Young People? CAMHS has expanded! The 8-bed inpatient High Intensity Environment/PICU at Alumhurst Road, Bournemouth, is a brand-new state of the art building, designed with input from young people and their families who directly benefit from the facilities. As a Mental Health Support Worker, you will provide exceptional care to young people aged between 13 and 18 years experiencing complex mental health. You will have strong communication skills and be compassionate. You will assist in organised activities, contribute to creating a safe and supportive environment and offer emotional support. Previous experience in healthcare is desirable but not essential. Driving is desirable for this role as there could be a requirement to transport young people to their homes, placements, activities or medical appointments. This is a full-time role; part-time applicants welcome with a minimum of 22.5 hours per week. You will be required to work a range of flexible shifts with weekends/nights at enhanced pay! This can be discussed at interview stage. For any queries, please contact us via [e-mail]. Interview date is Friday, 20th November, which will be held as an Assessment Day. Please note, this will be a face-to-face only interview, and you will be required to be available all day.

Main duties of the job

Shift patterns

• Early - 07.00 to 15.00
• Late - 12.00 to 20.00
• Twilight - 16.00 to 00.00
• Nights - (enhanced pay) - 19:30 to 07:30
• Long days - 07.00 - 20.00

For further information, regarding the new CAMHS PICU site Join our CAMHS PICU team :: Careers Dorset

You will be part of an innovative and forward-thinking team and make a real impact on the lives of young people.

You will have the opportunity to attend training courses and participate in personal development training as identified by the line manager.

Make accurate records of patient observations, including data entry to the RiO patient records computer system. You will report any complaints by young people, families and carers to the trained staff on duty.

Other duties appropriate to the role which may be requested from time to time by the nurse in charge.

Please note visa sponsorship for this role is unfortunately not available. Please ensure you hold valid right to work in the UK and will not require sponsorship if successful.

You will be required to undertake a Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression course and it is a condition of your engagement that you successfully complete all aspects of this course; if this is not achieved you will not be able to commence working in the post. This is a five-day course and must be passed to work within our in-patient settings.

Employment in this post requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of.

About us

At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people. We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities. Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves. Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

Details

Date posted: 28 October 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 3

Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year p.a. / pro rata for part time

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time

Reference number: 152-M159.25F

Job responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidates individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.

All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety. Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements. Where we have concerns that AI has been used to generate content that misrepresents your experience and suitability for the role, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact [e-mail]

Person Specification

Essential

• What experience do you hold which is relevant to the role?
• Have you previously worked or volunteered in a busy or high-paced environment? Please provide an example where you have remained calm under pressure.
• Have you undertaken any previous training to develop your skills and/or willing to professionally develop to meet the needs of the service. (Please provide details).
• How do you work well in a team? (Please provide an example)
• Thinking about the skills needed for this position such as listening, empathy, motivation and prioritisation. Please state how your personal skills align and why this role appeals to you.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name: Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Seastone, Alumhurst Road, Alumhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH4 8EP, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/work-for-us

For questions about the job, contact:

Ward Manager, Rebecca Matoug, [e-mail], 01202545400