Advanced Clinical Support Worker

Job description

Please switch to a desktop device before starting your application.
Mental Health Band 4 Advanced Clinical Support Worker - Acute Wards, Prospect Park Hospital, Reading

If you are looking to progress your mental health career pathway, our acute wards can offer you a great environment that will enable you to develop your skills, knowledge and confidence as an Advanced Clinical Support worker. Our flexible working patterns consisting of short days (7.5hrs), long days (12hrs) & nights (10.75hrs) give colleagues options that support an improved work life balance.

We have four mixed Acute Wards (Bluebell, Daisy, Rose & Snowdrop) providing care to adults with mental health conditions such as Bipolar affective disorder, depression and schizophrenia. Each Ward can support the needs of up to 22 patients in a caring and compassionate environment.

Based in Reading, located close to the amenities of the town centre and a leafy park, the ward works closely with patients, families and wider organisations to help them to identify their needs and participate actively in their care, providing a place of empathy, kindness and compassion. We have created a culture where everyone has a voice and where service users and staff collaborate to make positive change.

With experience working in a healthcare setting, you will hold a relevant healthcare qualification, including a BCS in Psychology or NVQ/Foundation Degree and demonstrate knowledge and skills gained as a senior support worker, an occupational therapy assistant or similar role.

Enthusiastic and with a passion for caring for patients with complex needs, you will have a warm personality and the resilience to help us transform our patients' lives. Calm, confident and assertive in emotionally demanding situations, you will be astute at setting and maintaining professional boundaries. Providing compassionate, patient-centred care, you will be an inspirational member of our team, contributing to the continual improvement of our service. Supporting our highly skilled, multi-disciplinary team, you will have opportunities to lead projects focused on patient engagement and experience, discharge planning and quality improvement, and supervise and mentor less qualified colleagues.

In return for your energy and drive, you will be rewarded with the support of a dedicated team that strives to create a progressive, warm and empathetic environment, where you will play a vital role in helping us achieve our ambitions to become a 'Centre of Excellence'.

About the Job

To contribute to the clinical management of designated service users, in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care. Participate in undertaking joint risk assessments and support the development and review of risk management and care-plans with patients and their carers to an identified group within their level of competency under the supervision of a registered professional.
Support the admission and discharge process of patients by completing aspects of the process which they have been assessed as competent to undertake. This may include aspects of core assessment and supporting the team in MDT reviews.
To identify opportunities for therapeutic activities and provide and supervise these as appropriate, providing emotional support and stability to patients through 1:1 and group work and ensuring effective engagement whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
Delegate work where appropriate and support junior staff and students in actively engaging in a range of therapeutic patient activity.
To ensure effective communication with patients, relatives and carers, visitors, staff and others acknowledging and addressing barriers to understanding.

The successful applicant will or may come into contact with patients as part of their role, and given the mandated requirement that will become effective from 1st April 2022, please note that all applicants should be able to evidence that they have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccination.

Some of the benefits of joining our team:

Agenda for Change Salary ranging from £22,549 to £24,882 per annum
Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on your work, life balance
Annual leave - 27 days for new starters, plus bank holidays. Increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years NHS service. Pro rata for part time staff
Excellent learning and development opportunities
Salary sacrifice scheme for a new car
Access to onsite library
Free onsite parking
Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave for eligible staff
Advanced IT enablement and support
Confidential telephone care service providing independent support and advice for staff.
And so much more

The "must haves" for you to be considered for this role:

Degree in a health related subject or qualification e.g NVQ/QCF, or significant equivalent experience in inpatient mental health setting with a willingness to undertake required level 5 health care qualification
Robust and relevant experience within healthcare settings
Experience working within inpatient mental health settings
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing at all levels

Berkshire Healthcare has a record of achievement and success that places us as one of the best performing Trusts in the country. We are rated 'Outstanding' by the CQC, we have a history of strong financial performance and we have a highly skilled and engaged workforce. We aspire to be an outstanding organisation for everyone: our people, our patients, their families, and their carers. For our people who work here that means we want Berkshire Healthcare to be a great place to work where everyone can thrive and grow.

If you recognise yourself in these requirements, we would recommend you apply today!

We are happy to answer any questions that you may have. Please don't hesitate to call Hannah Jungius, Recruitment Administrator, on or email: who'll be delighted to help.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information.

The Trust may close any vacancy prior to the advertised closing date due to the high level of responses we receive for some of our vacancies.

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke free environment. A smoke free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust's sites.

The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.

NO AGENCIES TO CONTACT BERKSHIRE HEALTHCARE DIRECTLY PLEASE