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Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Community Support Worker

The closing date is 21 October 2025

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Job summary

The Wokingham Older Adult Mental Health Service is looking for an enthusiastic, caring and highly motivated Community Support Worker to join our friendly and innovative Home Treatment Team. We are based at Wokingham Hospital where we have access to free parking and an onsite caf. We are friendly and supportive team with a shared passion for providing our patients and carers with the best experience of using our service.

Main duties of the job

Your role will be primarily within the Home Treatment Team however your community caseload will cover the wider service, working with the qualified mental health practitioners in line with service needs. This may include group work supporting cognitive stimulation therapy and our living well with dementia groups as well as supporting any additional future groups as required.

The Wokingham Community Older Adult Mental Health Service a multi-disciplinary team with specialist skills in caring for older people with mental health needs in the community. The post holder will under supervision hold a caseload of patients with the aim of maximising independence and improving wellbeing. In addition, the post holder will support the delivery of excellent care provided to our HTT caseload, providing high quality and intensive mental health interventions in the homes of people with functional mental health problems, as well as people with dementia.

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

14 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£26,240 to £27,928 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS869-A

Job locations

Wokingham Hospital

Wokingham

RG41 2RE


Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • Have recent experience of supporting older adults with functional mental health needs including dementia.
  • Be able to work shifts -a combination of 9-5pm or 11-7pm, including one weekend 9-3pm once a month
  • You will be a team player, be highly motived, compassionate and demonstrate a good understanding of older adults with mental health needs.
  • Hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a car for work purposes, including carrying patients and carers as passengers

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: Clare Bailey (Service manager) on 0118 904 7200 or email: clare.bailey@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 recent experience of supporting older adults with functional mental health needs including dementia.
  • Be able to work shifts -a combination of 9-5pm or 11-7pm, including one weekend 9-3pm once a month
  • You will be a team player, be highly motived, compassionate and demonstrate a good understanding of older adults with mental health needs.
  • Hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a car for work purposes, including carrying patients and carers as passengers

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: Clare Bailey (Service manager) on 0118 904 7200 or email: clare.bailey@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
  • Recent working with older people with functional mental health problems including dementia
  • Experience in dealing with challenging behaviour

Desirable

  • Work in a multi- disciplinary environment
  • Community working experience
  • Have experience of therapeutic group work with older adults
  • Have experience of positive behaviour support planning

Knowledge, skills & abilities

Essential

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including verbal & written communication
  • Ability to prioritise & manage demanding workload
  • Ability to deal with sensitive issue & manage conflict situation
  • Computer literate
  • Ability to work on own initiative and/or within a team
  • Intervention & outcome monitoring skills
  • Ability to drive & have the use of a car

Desirable

  • Knowledge of mental health legislation
  • Knowledge in risk assessment
  • Ability to manage stress
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Good level of education

Experience

Essential

  • Paid or unpaid direct care experience
  • Recent working with older people with functional mental health problems including dementia
  • Experience in dealing with challenging behaviour

Desirable

  • Work in a multi- disciplinary environment
  • Community working experience
  • Have experience of therapeutic group work with older adults
  • Have experience of positive behaviour support planning

Knowledge, skills & abilities

Essential

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including verbal & written communication
  • Ability to prioritise & manage demanding workload
  • Ability to deal with sensitive issue & manage conflict situation
  • Computer literate
  • Ability to work on own initiative and/or within a team
  • Intervention & outcome monitoring skills
  • Ability to drive & have the use of a car

Desirable

  • Knowledge of mental health legislation
  • Knowledge in risk assessment
  • Ability to manage stress

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

Wokingham Hospital

Wokingham

RG41 2RE


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Wokingham Hospital

Wokingham

RG41 2RE


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Service Manager

Clare Bailey

clare.bailey@berkshire.nhs.uk

01189047200

Details

Date posted

14 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£26,240 to £27,928 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS869-A

Job locations

Wokingham Hospital

Wokingham

RG41 2RE


Supporting documents

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