Health Care Assistant

Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust

The closing date is 11 May 2025

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and flexible Healthcare Assistant to join our established team of nursing staff based on Boughton Ward.The role involves providing care and support to in-patients currently experiencing acute mental health difficulties requiring an inpatient admissionCommitment to meeting the needs of people with mental health problems and valuing their rights is a pre-requisite.You will be required to adopt a flexible working pattern and be committed to self development and training. There will be the prospect of undertaking an NVQ and Health Care Worker Certificate.

Main duties of the job

Consistently delivering a patient focused service, which promotes optimum independence.
Providing and receiving routine information orally, in writing or electronically to inform work colleagues, patients, clients, carers, the public or other external contacts.
Offering appropriate support and advice to patients and their carers.
Enabling patients to maintain and improve their independence by promoting involvement in therapeutic activity.
Giving physical health care and physical health checks as required or instructed documenting the physical health checks on the early warning scoring system (NEWS2), chart and reporting changes to the nurse/healthcare professional in charge.
Undertaking day to day tasks as allocated by Nurse/healthcare professional in Charge

About us

Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.

We are Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), providing mental health, learning disability and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people in Kent and Medway, as well as specialist services for adults in Sussex and Surrey. We arerated Good overall by the CQC.

Each year we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 people in the community.

We are proud to employ over 3,800 people from 66 nationalities, and to serve an increasingly diverse range of communities across rural and urban areas.

You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users and their loved ones.

The nature of our work attracts kindness and compassion as standard and everyone from our cleaners and porters to the chief executive and chairman are recognised as playing a vital role in providing an exemplary service.

Our strategy

Our mission is what we set out to do every dayWe deliver brilliant care through brilliant people

Our vision is where we want to be in the futureTo provide outstanding care and to work in partnership to deliver this in the right place, for every service user, every time.

Check out our recruitment videos Recruitment - YouTube

Date posted

02 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

380-AC0638-A

Job locations

Priority House, Maidstone

Maidstone

ME16 9PH

Job description

Job responsibilities

Recording and reporting accurately any changes related to the patients current behaviour and/or risks to Nurse/healthcare professional in Charge in a timely manner.
Recording care given and reporting omissions accurately and in a timely manner.
Supporting and carrying out therapeutic observations as required and instructed.
Promoting a healthy, safe and secure environment by adhering to Trust statutory health and safety requirements and maintaining confidentiality of information at all times in compliance with Trust policies, procedures, protocols and guidance.
Supporting new team members.
Demonstrating a professional approach to work, and abide by the Trust values.
To provide comfort, compassion, empathy and time to patients and their carers, family and loved ones.
Undertake and maintain all essential training to role.
Working confidently in a variety of environments which present different challenges whilst continuing to act in a professional manner.
Balancing all aspects of the job role across the 7 day working pattern.
Being flexible and responsive to competing demands.

Please see job description for full details.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Recording and reporting accurately any changes related to the patients current behaviour and/or risks to Nurse/healthcare professional in Charge in a timely manner.
Recording care given and reporting omissions accurately and in a timely manner.
Supporting and carrying out therapeutic observations as required and instructed.
Promoting a healthy, safe and secure environment by adhering to Trust statutory health and safety requirements and maintaining confidentiality of information at all times in compliance with Trust policies, procedures, protocols and guidance.
Supporting new team members.
Demonstrating a professional approach to work, and abide by the Trust values.
To provide comfort, compassion, empathy and time to patients and their carers, family and loved ones.
Undertake and maintain all essential training to role.
Working confidently in a variety of environments which present different challenges whilst continuing to act in a professional manner.
Balancing all aspects of the job role across the 7 day working pattern.
Being flexible and responsive to competing demands.

Please see job description for full details.

Person Specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential

Computer literate
Care certificate or ability to work towards

Experience

Essential

An interest in working in mental health services

Desirable

NHS Experience

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

To have a working understanding of mental health conditions appropriate to the setting
Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
Be able to escalate problems when required and report back to supervising nurse
Ability to travel between Trust sites in a timely manner
To participate in Quality Improvement, Audits, Research, etc.

Person Specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential

Computer literate
Care certificate or ability to work towards

Experience

Essential

An interest in working in mental health services

Desirable

NHS Experience

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

To have a working understanding of mental health conditions appropriate to the setting
Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
Be able to escalate problems when required and report back to supervising nurse
Ability to travel between Trust sites in a timely manner
To participate in Quality Improvement, Audits, Research, etc.

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.