Health Care Assistant - HMP Chelmsford
Location: Chelmsford
Salary £26,000 per annum
Vacancy Type: Permanent, Part Time (23 hours per week)
Closing Date: 2nd of June 2026
Make a real difference where it matters most.
We’re looking for a compassionate, motivated Health Care Assistant to join our multidisciplinary team delivering high-quality care within a residential detox and recovery service based at HMP Chelmsford. This is a part-time role (23 hours per week), offering a hands-on opportunity to support clients through medical detox and recovery, promoting physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
You’ll work within an integrated healthcare framework, supporting individuals at a critical point in their recovery journey, alongside a dedicated team of healthcare professionals.
What you’ll be doing:
Supporting nursing and medical staff to deliver care to clients undergoing medical detox, including those with complex needs
Monitoring and reporting on physical, mental and psychological wellbeing
Providing 1:1 support, brief crisis interventions, and contributing to community and conduct meetings
Supporting safe medicines management and maintaining accurate electronic records
Working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team
Promoting a safe, caring environment and escalating safeguarding or risk concerns
What we’re looking for:
Experience within substance misuse services and/or residential settings
Understanding of the impact of addiction on individuals and communities
Knowledge of the 12 Step recovery model (minimum 3 years’ abstinence if in recovery)
A compassionate, proactive approach and strong teamwork skills
Commitment to safeguarding, infection control and best practice care
If you’re passionate about recovery-focused nursing and want to make a tangible impact in a unique and challenging environment, we’d love to hear from you.
Please see attached Job Description for full details
All prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.
Please note if you have lived overseas within the last 5 years then checks may take longer.
About Us
We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.
We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits -
Flexible working
Training and development opportunities
BHSF Cashback Scheme (optional)
Season Ticket Loan Scheme
Cycle to work scheme
Crisis Loan Scheme
Electric Car Scheme
3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
Access to Blue Light Card
25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please proceed through the following link to be redirected to our website to complete your application