South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
Come and join us and build a career that matters as a Clinical Support Worker and begin the journey to realise your dream of a career in healthcare.
We have opportunities for people with care experience and who have attained the care certificate to come and work with us as band 3 clinical support workers. we are committed to supporting our care staff to go on and trained to become a qualified nurse via the nurse associate apprenticeship training
We are also recruiting people who are new to the care setting as band 2, who on completion of the care certificates and required competence ease will be automatically promoted to a band three grade providing you with the perfect opportunity work, earn and learn.
What we need from you:
* A positive and caring attitude
* Enthusiasm
* A determination to do a good job
* Willingness to learn and undertake training
* If you have some experience of care work that is great - but if not - and the things above are a good description of you - then please apply
We currently have multiple opportunities for Clinical Support Workers to work across our services in South London from the Leafy suburbs to the Inner-city Buzz. If you are passionate about Mental Health Care or looking to embark on a career in healthcare apply now.
Main duties of the job
The Healthcare Support Worker is the role for those who have experience and training, in clinical practice, in a ward or other clinical setting. The Healthcare Support Workers provide personalised care to service
users, undertaking clinical tasks with supportive supervision as required. Those in this role will spend significant amounts of time engaging with people
who use our services.
Working for our organisation
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich. By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Working under the direct supervision and guidance of a Registered Nurse/ Senior Health Care Support Worker/ Assistant Practitioner/Nurse Associate to support the delivery of quality nursing care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational, and spiritual care in a recovery focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, and taking steps to address any issues that arise.
Undertaking activities to ensure that the fundamentals of care are met - nutrition, hydration, hygiene, comfort, emotional and social support.
Providing hands-on care to service users including: Undertaking 1-1 engagement with service users in an honest, open and non- judgmental way.
Recognising and valuing service users as individuals, acknowledging the importance of maintaining the service user's respect and dignity at all times and ensure that the care provided respects equality and diversity.
Escalating any concerns to a Registered Nurse.
Monitoring and recording service user clinical observations as directed by a Senior Clinician/Registered Nurse/ B4, such as physical observations and vital signs and escalating as appropriate any signs or symptoms of deterioration or that do not fulfil the personal parameters to the relevant professional.
Implementing the principles of 'recovery': encouraging and supporting service users to engage with healthy lifestyles, participate in community meetings and other activities of their interest.
Person specification
Education and Qualification
Essential criteria
* Care Certificate
* English and Mathematics basic qualifications (eg GCSE at grade C or above) or equivalent
Desirable criteria
* Level 2/3 Health and Social care qualification / working towards qualification
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
* At least one year as a Healthcare Support Worker, or equivalent level of experience.
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
* Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times.
* Able to provide quality care that is responsive to service user's needs, without close supervision, and acting on own initiative, within protocols, policies and care plans.
* Communications skills - receiving and conveying information accurately with staff and with service users and able to keep accurate records.
* Resilient: able to respond appropriately to potential difficult interpersonal situations or demands of the role including distress and agitation. Knowing when to escalate concerns and to whom
* Loyal and able to advocate for and show pride in the work area and organization and demonstrate values of trust and NHS. Advocates for all individuals, within professional boundaries and Trust policies. Approachable and Self-aware and demonstrate an ability to self-reflect.
Desirable criteria
* Training and experience in specialist skills such as ECG, Vital Signs, Phlebotomy Experience in facilitating groups
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
* Flexibility to work 24hr Shifts, 7 days a week and across all clinical areas as required unless otherwise specified.
* Ability to fulfil all the requirements of the role (including physical requirements)
* Positive attitude even when dealing with distressing situations. Ability to calm and reassure people.
* Self-confident and intrinsically motivated to do a good job and to motivate others.
The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:
* Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
* Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
* We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity
Please note:
* That all applications for this post will need to be made online
* That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
* That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
* That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
* That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
* That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
* That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
* That we are a smoke-free Trust
SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe'
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Documents to download
* JD & PS (PDF, 196.5KB)
* SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB)
* Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)