Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Activity Coordinator

The closing date is 28 September 2025

Job summary

Are you a confident individual looking to share your creative skills?

Juniper and Cherry Wards at Parklands Hospital Basingstoke and Melbury Lodge Winchester are looking to recruit passionate individuals (part time) to join the teams to provide activities to our service users.

Melbury Lodge Winchester has functional mental health wards for adults for illnesses such as depression, personality disorders or schizophrenia plus a specialist mother and baby unit.

Parklands Hospital Basingstoke provides inpatient and community adult mental health services, including wards for older people with functional and organic mental health needs and a male psychiatric intensive care unit.

We are looking for people who can think outside the box, work independently using their own initiative & have a real passion for engaging people in group or individual activities.

Successful candidates will have a proven track record of supporting people with mental health issues and may have lived experience themselves.

You will have access to dedicated Therapy spaces including sensory rooms, IT Hubs, and multi-functional activity rooms. There are garden spaces for you to deliver activities as well.

A background in the care sector or previous volunteering is beneficial. However, being able to create positive relationships with people & engage proactively in a caring environment is equally important.

Unsocial hours are worked to meet the needs of the ward, but we welcome and consider applications for flexible working.

Main duties of the job

Provision of activities as designed and requested by patients over seven day a week service provision. Working closely with AHP colleagues to coordinate a timetable of offer.

To help patients identify their own recovery goals and what is meaningful to them.

It is not essential to have a full UK driving licence as we like to encourage patients to access the community via public transport as they will require this skill when they move on.

Parts of your role will require working outside e.g. sport related activities, walks, as well as accessing the community to gather resources.

To adopt a pragmatic and non-judgemental approach.

To provide structured opportunities for people to relax and socialise.

Explain principles, techniques, and safety procedures to participants in recreational activities, and demonstrate use of materials and equipment.

To act in a manner to respect and accommodate the customs, individuality, values, sexuality and spiritual beliefs, supporting the individual to fulfil these.

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a newly established organisation, bringing together expertise from across mental health, learning disabilities, community, and physical health services. We are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and accessible care to the diverse communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

With over 13,000 dedicated staff working across more than 300 sites, we place patients and staff at the centre of everything we do. Our goal is to create an integrated healthcare system that improves accessibility and ensures more consistent care for patients. By working together, we aim to improve patient outcomes, drive innovation, and meet the unique needs of the populations we serve.

Our Trust unites services from Southern Health, Solent NHS Trust, Isle of Wight NHS Trusts community and mental health teams, as well as Hampshire CAMHS, originally part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This transformation enables us to deliver more seamless care across the region, ensuring that patients receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

Join us as we embark on this exciting journey to shape the future of healthcare across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are deeply committed to our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, and offer outstanding opportunities for career development, training, and collaborative working.

Date posted

15 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year Based on full time hours

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

348-SAC-9207

Job locations

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH

Melbury Lodge

Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Romsey Road

Winchester

Hampshire

SO22 5DG

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Literacy and numeracy skills at GCSE level, or equivalent.
Ability to attend and participate in all statutory training requirements.

Desirable

Mental Health related qualification ie. Certificate in Community Mental Health or equivalent
NVQ 2 or 3 Health & Social Care.
Completion of own wellness plan (there is no expectation for this to be shared).

Experience

Essential

Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role.
Understanding of the value of activities in improving health and wellbeing.

Desirable

Having a lived experience of mental health services either as a patient or a carer.
Experience of working in a healthcare setting.
Experience of working in a team.
Lived experience of mental distress and recovery.
Experience of training, teaching, coaching/mentoring others.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Literacy and numeracy skills at GCSE level, or equivalent.
Ability to attend and participate in all statutory training requirements.

Desirable

Mental Health related qualification ie. Certificate in Community Mental Health or equivalent
NVQ 2 or 3 Health & Social Care.
Completion of own wellness plan (there is no expectation for this to be shared).

Experience

Essential

Experience of being in a supportive and enabling role.
Understanding of the value of activities in improving health and wellbeing.

Desirable

Having a lived experience of mental health services either as a patient or a carer.
Experience of working in a healthcare setting.
Experience of working in a team.
Lived experience of mental distress and recovery.
Experience of training, teaching, coaching/mentoring others.

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

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Parklands Hospital

Aldermaston Road

Basingstoke

Hampshire

RG24 9RH

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)