Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Band 4 Support Worker

The closing date is 26 March 2026

Job summary

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust has an existing opportunity for band 4 employees and experienced band 3 employees looking to develop their skills as support worker with the Martins Crisis House North.

The support worker will provide direct therapeutic engagement to services users in crisis, supporting them in a co-constructed manner, to move away from the crisis point and focus on desired future goals and solution building.

You will develop strong links with carers and all organisations promptly from the point of initial contact and support the service user to develop a co-produced management plan that allows them to contain their current crisis and build on existing skills and community links to further support their future management and wellbeing.

The support worker will assist in the day to day running of the Crisis House environment and will ensure that all service users maintain their activities of daily living.

The support worker will have clear pathways of escalation and will work within the bounds of existing NHFT policy and procedure as required.

In order to apply for the post you will be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills with both services users, carers and organisations. You will be highly motivated and display a good ability to work autonomously where possible. You may also have existing experience in Crisis management or acute mental health environments and therefore a broad experience of varied mental health presentations.

Main duties of the job

1) Complete involvement in the day to day running of the potentially busy crisis house environment.

2) Autonomously maintaining the environment and supporting varied needs of the service user population within the Crisis House.

3) Supporting service users to settle into the environment and assisting them to move away from their current point of crisis.

4) Supporting service users to maintain their activities of daily living needs and where required supporting the provision of food, fluids and basic care needs.

5) As required to undertake defined pieces of work with service users of the Crisis House, which may include utilisation of brief interventions, problem solving etc.

6) You will be required to develop and write up defined pieces of work under direct or indirect supervision.

7) To be aware of community resources and facilitate the appropriate referral of service users to those best able to help them and to assist in updating team knowledge of community resources.

8) To be proactive in developing links with local statutory and voluntary organisations to provide a range of engagement opportunities for service users in the community.

9) Undertake a package of training to develop skills around mental health 1st aid awareness, compassion, counselling skills and solution focused therapy to support the needs of the service user at point of contact.

About us

11) To work with carers and families in the development of support plans and onward care and to advocate for the views of both the service users and carers in support planning.

12) To observe, report and record any changes in the service users's physical/mental health and behaviour and to effectively escalate concerns as appropriate.

13) To maintain accurate and timely information, documentation and reporting systems in accordance with agreed standards, Trust Policies and Data Protection Act ensuring the confidentiality and safe keeping of service users records.

14) To provide support to other areas of the pathway as required based on service user needs. This may include working into the acute hospitals at KGH and NGH as well as supporting the mental health crisis cafes, hospital at home and the Warren crisis house South.

NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county - as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person-centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues.

Date posted

12 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

270-TG781-MH

Job locations

The Martins

Rushden

NN10 9JU

Job description

Job responsibilities

1) Effectively manage and prioritise own day-to-day caseload / work schedule / with support from the rest of the team.

2) Assist qualified staff in undertaking projects and see them through to completion within agreed time scale.

3) Accept personal responsibility for the actions and quality of own work.

4) Feedback constructively and appropriately to line manager and other staff.

5) Assist with clerical duties when required e.g. collection of data, appointment booking etc.

To communicate with clients, carers, other health professions and customers:

1) Attend and voice opinions during team discussion and daily work.

2) Demonstrate good communication both informally and formally.

3) Employ a range of non-verbal communication skills that are non-judgmental and appropriate to the situation.

4) Recognise potential areas of conflict or difficulties; know when to resolve and which channels to refer to if outside own scope, feedback to line manager as necessary.

5) Keep accurate clinical records to agreed standards.

6) Utilise available information technology and communication systems within area of work.

7) Be aware of Trust wide and Social Care and Health initiatives within area of work and participate as required.

8) Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of how beliefs, emotions, other conditions, changing social environments can affect client progress.

9) Effectively communicate, negotiate and explain in a non-judgmental way to clients, carers, multi disciplinary team members and/or other agencies.

To maintain and develop knowledge and skills to improve performance in Self and others:

1) Integrate theory into practice.

2) Demonstrate up to date knowledge, skills and continual improvement by:

3) Identifying own strengths and weaknesses.

4) Taking responsibility for own continuing development with support of senior staff.

5) Participating in self-study, learning opportunities, individual and peer supervision.

6) Acting as a role model for other support staff within the Intermediate Care Team.

7) Participating in the appraisal system

8) full driving license and ability to drive between locations