Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare Assistant

The closing date is 30 November 2025

Job summary

Greyfriars Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is seeking a highly motivated and committed band 4 Engagement, Activity and Physical Health Practitioner. Greyfriars PICU is a 10 bedded mixed PICU, providing care for people with severe and enduring mental health needs. The ideal candidate for this post will be seeking an opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives, with excellent communication skills and a passion for helping those experiencing mental health difficulties.

The successful candidate for this role will have the opportunity to work amongst the highly successful Engagement Activity and Physical Health (EAP) team on Greyfriars. With the objective of promoting and applying the agenda of Engagement, Activity and Physical Health to people who are currently receiving care on Greyfriars PICU. The main focus of this role is to promote the principles of recovery and promote social inclusion. The role will also rely on an individual who can educate, facilitate and motivate adults with wide ranging mental health problems to enable them to live more healthily.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will be responsible for the day to day provision, co-ordination and review of engagement, activity and physical health monitoring for patients being nursed within Greyfriars PICU. This will involve running specialist activities/sessions and taking part in the provision of health and well-being sessions for patients.

We provide a service to our patients 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, so we are looking for flexible people who would like to work on this rewarding service to cover shifts throughout the week at varying times of the day.

About us

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

  • 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
  • 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
  • 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.

This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.

Details

Date posted

24 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

327-25-969

Job locations

GREYFRIARS PICU, WOTTON LAWN HOSPITAL

HORTON ROAD

GLOUCESTER

GL1 3WL


Job description

Job responsibilities

To assess the activity abilities and interests of up to 10 patients with severe and enduring mental illness.

To plan and implement a programme of activity with patients on the PICU based on the Engagement, Activity & Physical Health agenda.

  • To liaise effectively with Named Nurses and Multi-disciplinary Teams to ensure an individualised care package for each patient.
  • To work with patients within Greyfriars Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and contribute to assessment, planning and intervention processes.
  • To attend and participate in identified training and the staff appraisal process

Job description

Job responsibilities

To assess the activity abilities and interests of up to 10 patients with severe and enduring mental illness.

To plan and implement a programme of activity with patients on the PICU based on the Engagement, Activity & Physical Health agenda.

  • To liaise effectively with Named Nurses and Multi-disciplinary Teams to ensure an individualised care package for each patient.
  • To work with patients within Greyfriars Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and contribute to assessment, planning and intervention processes.
  • To attend and participate in identified training and the staff appraisal process

Person Specification

To be assessed at interview

Essential

  • Significant experience working within acute mental health inpatient nursing or PICU equivalent
  • Care Certificate or equivalent completed
  • Ability to complete all essential to role training which includes manual handling and exposure to blood borne illnesses.
  • Ability to work 24 hour rotational shifts including nights, evenings and weekends

Desirable

  • Driving License
  • Passion for mental health working and improving lives of those we work with

to be assessed at interview

Essential

  • Significant experience working in mental health inpatient acute and/or PICU equivalent
  • Care Certificate or equivalent

Desirable

  • Driver
Person Specification

To be assessed at interview

Essential

  • Significant experience working within acute mental health inpatient nursing or PICU equivalent
  • Care Certificate or equivalent completed
  • Ability to complete all essential to role training which includes manual handling and exposure to blood borne illnesses.
  • Ability to work 24 hour rotational shifts including nights, evenings and weekends

Desirable

  • Driving License
  • Passion for mental health working and improving lives of those we work with

to be assessed at interview

Essential

  • Significant experience working in mental health inpatient acute and/or PICU equivalent
  • Care Certificate or equivalent

Desirable

  • Driver

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 details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

GREYFRIARS PICU, WOTTON LAWN HOSPITAL

HORTON ROAD

GLOUCESTER

GL1 3WL


Employer's website

https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/who-we-are/jobs/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

GREYFRIARS PICU, WOTTON LAWN HOSPITAL

HORTON ROAD

GLOUCESTER

GL1 3WL


Employer's website

https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/who-we-are/jobs/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

UNIT MANAGER

HOLLY FEAR

Holly.Fear@ghc.nhs.uk

03004214731

Details

Date posted

24 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

327-25-969

Job locations

GREYFRIARS PICU, WOTTON LAWN HOSPITAL

HORTON ROAD

GLOUCESTER

GL1 3WL


Supporting documents

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