Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Community Support Worker

The closing date is 03 August 2025

Job summary

The Newbury Older Adults Community Mental Health Team is looking for an enthusiastic, caring and highly motivated Community Support Worker to join our friendly and innovative Service.

Our Service is comprised of the Home Treatment Team, Community Mental Health Team and the Memory Clinic. This role is varied, sitting in the Home Treatment team and also spanning the other two teams as required.

Our service is multi-disciplinary with specialist skills in caring for older people with mental health needs in the community. The post holder will work alongside the Mental Health Practitioners within the teams to support the implementation of care and treatment in the homes of people with functional mental health problems, as well as people with dementia.

About you:The successful candidate must display a passion and understanding for working with Older People and people of any age with Dementia, appropriate training and support will be provided.Hours may include 9-5pm Monday to Friday and 11-7 pm shifts. You may also be required to work one weekend a month Saturday and Sunday 9-3pm. Bank Holiday cover is 9-3pm.

The post holder will be well supported and guided by the team. They will have their own allocated caseload and support the delivery of excellent care to our Home Treatment, Community Mental Health and Memory Clinic patients.

This role requires multiple community patient visits throughout West Berkshire which is a vast geographic area.

Main duties of the job

Please note that reliance on public transport will not support adequate transportation. Please share your planned transportation means clearly in your application.

  • Observe and monitor mental state and levels of functioning, reporting observations to qualified mental health staff.
  • Provide social and emotional support to patients and carers within the context of trusting and therapeutic relationships.
  • Enable the patient to develop and maintain their social skills, encourage social contacts and promote social networks if/when appropriate.
  • Assist in the process of assessment and meeting care needs of patients and their carers in the community.
  • Participate in individual therapies in patients' homes and in the community, contributing to the jointly agreed care plan, working under the supervision of qualified staff.
  • Co-facilitate and support staff in group activities including Cognitive Stimulation Therapy.
  • To provide support to MHPs in the provision of psychosocial assessment and intervention for behaviours that challenge in dementia.
  • Liaise with other agencies in both statutory and voluntary sectors, e.g. Alzheimer's Society, Age Concern, Social Services, etc.
  • Be responsible for organising own daily work schedule to meet the clinical needs of the service.
  • Maintain clinical records as requested by a qualified member of staff.
  • Participate in the process of clinical supervision and appraisal.
  • Attend team meetings as appropriate.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

  • Caring for and about you is our top priority
  • Committed to providing good quality, safe services
  • Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

  • Flexible working options to support work-life balance
  • 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
  • Generous NHS pension scheme
  • Excellent learning and career development opportunities
  • 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
  • Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
  • Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
  • Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
  • Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
  • Free parking across Trust sites

Details

Date posted

18 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS760-A

Job locations

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • Have a passion to work with people of Older Age and people experiencing dementia.
  • 1 year minimal experience of working with Older Adults and people with Dementia of any age in the community setting (CMHT Older Adults).
  • A desire to work and be part of a friendly and supportive team striving to offer the best service to our patients.
  • This role requires multiple community patient visits throughout West Berkshire which is a vast geographic area.

Please note that reliance on public transport will not support adequate transportation. Please share your planned transportation means clearly in your application. If this information is not shared progression to shortlisting will not be possible.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Suzanne Wilson on 0118 904 3100 or email: suzanne.wilson@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • Have a passion to work with people of Older Age and people experiencing dementia.
  • 1 year minimal experience of working with Older Adults and people with Dementia of any age in the community setting (CMHT Older Adults).
  • A desire to work and be part of a friendly and supportive team striving to offer the best service to our patients.
  • This role requires multiple community patient visits throughout West Berkshire which is a vast geographic area.

Please note that reliance on public transport will not support adequate transportation. Please share your planned transportation means clearly in your application. If this information is not shared progression to shortlisting will not be possible.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Suzanne Wilson on 0118 904 3100 or email: suzanne.wilson@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Good level of education

Experience

Essential

  • Paid or unpaid direct care experience with Older Adults.
  • 1 year + of working with older people with both functional mental health difficulties and with people with Dementia (any age) in the Community Setting (CMHT, Older Adults).

Desirable

  • Experience of facilitating Cognitive Stimulation Therapy.
  • Experience in dealing with challenging behaviour

Knowledge, skills & abilities

Essential

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including verbal & written communication
  • Ability to prioritise & manage demanding workload
  • Ability to deal with sensitive issues & manage conflict situation
  • Computer literate
  • Ability to work on own initiative and/or within a team
  • Ability to travel to multiple sites with minimal impact on daily productivity.

Desirable

  • Knowledge in risk assessment
  • Knowledge of mental health legislation

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Flexible & innovative
  • Proactive & dynamic
  • Well organised and highly motivated
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Good level of education

Experience

Essential

  • Paid or unpaid direct care experience with Older Adults.
  • 1 year + of working with older people with both functional mental health difficulties and with people with Dementia (any age) in the Community Setting (CMHT, Older Adults).

Desirable

  • Experience of facilitating Cognitive Stimulation Therapy.
  • Experience in dealing with challenging behaviour

Knowledge, skills & abilities

Essential

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including verbal & written communication
  • Ability to prioritise & manage demanding workload
  • Ability to deal with sensitive issues & manage conflict situation
  • Computer literate
  • Ability to work on own initiative and/or within a team
  • Ability to travel to multiple sites with minimal impact on daily productivity.

Desirable

  • Knowledge in risk assessment
  • Knowledge of mental health legislation

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Flexible & innovative
  • Proactive & dynamic
  • Well organised and highly motivated

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

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Service Manager

Suzanne Wilson

suzanne.wilson@berkshire.nhs.uk

01189043100

Details

Date posted

18 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS760-A

Job locations

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)