Mental Health Support Worker

NHS; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity exists for a Mental Health Support Worker at a leading NHS Trust in Wakefield, focusing on providing compassionate care to older individuals with mental health needs. As part of a dedicated team, you'll play a crucial role in supporting service users within the community. This position includes flexible working hours and opportunities for professional growth through training.

Qualifications

• Must have a current driving licence and access to a car.
• Experience in providing personal care in health/social settings.
• Ability to demonstrate competencies at level 3 in health and social care.

Responsibilities

• Provide high standards of safety and compassionate care to service users.
• Communicate effectively with service users, family, and carers.
• Adhere to care plans and document care delivery accurately.

Skills

Customer care

Communication

Empathy

Flexibility

Education

GCSE A-D or grade 3-9 in Maths and English

Apprenticeship level 3 or equivalent in Health & Social Care

Job description

Go back South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Mental Health Support Worker

The closing date is 01 July 2025

This is an opportunity for anexperienced health care support worker to work in the community, as part of theWakefield Intensive Home Based Treatment Team for Older People.

The team supports people overthe age of 65 with mental health needs, who are in crisis in the community. Theteam practices positive risk taking to assist service users to be supported andtreated in their own homes.

The team responds to referralswithin 24 hours to provide robust assessments and formulate plans of care,using a patient centred approach, balancing the need to maintain their safetyand reduce the risk of requiring hospital admission.

You will be joining a team ofexperienced registered nurses, health care support workers, medical staff andpsychology. All staff are encouraged to voice and share their opinionsregarding the support and treatment plans for each individual service user, toensure that all service users receive the highest standard of care

In return you will besupported and encouraged to develop and grow as a support worker throughtraining and supervision.

Youwill need to be a car driver and have the use of a vehicle to undertake anynecessary travel in connection with the duties.

Atthe time of advertising, this role is eligible for sponsorship under the Healthand Care Worker visa. However, sponsorship can only be offered if the proratedsalary meets the minimum salary threshold of £25,000 set by UK Visa andImmigration.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for someone whohas a passion for supporting service users with Older Peoples needs. This is a dynamic and varied role where youwill work as part of a team and autonomously.

You will need to beenthusiastic and motivated.

An essential part of the roleis to be able to communicate and engage with service users in challengingsituations, and who could beexperiencing high levels of distress.

Due to the nature of crisis work, every day isdifferent, and you will need to be flexible changing planned work when directedby senior staff.

You will be expected to followand implement plans of care and feed back the outcome of the visits to seniorstaff.

You will be expected to document care deliveryto a high standard in line with professional standards, local and nationalguidance.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to befully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants areusing AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. Westrongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process beforeselecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI toenhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs applicationform.

About us

Weare a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental healthand learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale,Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and arethe lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission isto help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do thisby providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employstaff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make adifference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourageand welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we valuediversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Beinga foundation Trust means were accountable to ourmembers, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people(including staff) are members of our Trust.

Joinus and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improvingthe mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet andhelp each year.

Weare committedto safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people andvulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share thiscommitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will:

under thesupervision/direction of registered health care professionals/associatepractitioner, within a delegated framework for agreed tasks, seek support asand when necessary, in the delivery of psychological and physical care to adefined group of people;

as part of a healthcareteam, provide the highest standards of safe and compassionate planned care topeople that maximises their recovery and rehabilitation potential;

develop and maintainmeaningful therapeutic relationships with people. Adopt a polite, positive andempathetic approach, communicating effectively and informatively;

demonstrate anunderstanding of the care and treatment programmes of a designated group ofservice users to enable you to instruct, advise & guide service users,family and carers. To make the appropriate adjustments independently within ownlevel of competence and be able to communicate any changes to service users andregistered health care professionals;

be required to concentratefor periods of time, depending upon the care intervention/care plan eg,following the observation policy, taking, recording of physical observationsetc, and responding to issues of concern appropriately. This may include areasof work requiring physical effort, with regard to risk, health & safety;

exercise a degree ofindependence, initiative and judgement and consider different approaches whendelivering tasks. Assess situations, identify and resolve potential problems,within own levels of competence;

ensure the careexperienced is positive and service user safety is maintained. Treat everyoneeg, service users, their relatives, visitors, colleagues etc, with respect,dignity, courtesy and in accordance with the Trusts Values;

contribute to the careplanning process. Understand the principles underlying care planning eg,enabling the service user to reach an optimum level of functioning/independence/recovery;

implement care withinwell-established policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines and establishedclinical care plans. Organise a range ofactivities eg, facilitate meaningful activities for individuals or smallgroups;

apply knowledge of longerterm health conditions eg, Diabetes, Obesity, smoking cessation etc, providingadvice and support;

Undertake the physicalaspects of care eg, moving and handling of service users. Use items ofequipment in delivering care eg, hoists, wheelchairs etc. (as appropriate tothe role), ensuring appropriate instruction on their use has been received;

assist in dealing withverbal/physical aggression using de-escalation techniques, this may include theneed for restraint and/or seclusion (as appropriate to the role);

attend to the serviceusers personal care needs as required;

participate in a flexiblerostering arrangement providing 24-hour/7 day care (as appropriate to the role).

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

Person Specification

Personal Attributes

• Responsive attitude and approach.
• Dress appropriately for the environment.
• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).

Special Knowledge/Skills

• As appropriate to the role:
• Demonstrates excellent customer care skills;
• Enthusiastic, able to work flexibly on a 24hr shift pattern to meet the needs of service users;
• Demonstrates safe decision making skills commensurate with role;
• Knows responsibilities regarding confidentiality and trust;
• Resilience to pressure and exposure to emotional, distressing or hazardous situations eg, verbal aggression, body fluids, etc;
• Non-judgemental, empathetic manner;
• Demonstrates Trust Values;
• Excellent interpersonal skills;
• Good administration and organisational skills;
• Able to use observation skills to identify potential services user, environmental etc. risks and act appropriately;
• Able to fulfil the requirements of the value based induction.
• Language skills other than English.
• Experience of supervising/inducting others.

Training

• Must be willing/able to undertake all appropriate Trust mandatory training requirements, and subsequent refresher training relevant to the area.
• Must be willing/able to undergo job development and training.
• Demonstrate excellent knowledge of service user safety, eg, Prevention & management of violence & aggression, moving and handling, etc.

Experience

• In providing personal care and related procedures for those with health/social needs.
• In working in a caring environment at a band 2 or equivalent level of competence.
• In dealing with the public.
• In working as an effective team member.
• Of demonstrating own duties.
• Ability to work effectively, professionally and independently or as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• In demonstrating initiative, decision-making and prioritisation skills.
• Evidence of a commitment to user/carer involvement

Qualifications

• GCSE A-D or grade 3-9 in Maths and English or equivalent.
• Apprenticeship level 3 or equivalent eg, RQF(regulated Qualification Framework)NVQ level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent.
• Or, level 2 qualification with the ability to demonstrate competencies at level 3.
• Care Certificate or required to achieve within 12 weeks of commencement.
• Level 4 units in Health & Social Care.
• Experience of the speciality area.
• Willingness to undertake further study towards level 4 qualification.

Physical Attributes

• A satisfactory sickness record over previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).
• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary).

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 name

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust