East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare Support Worker - REACT

The closing date is 26 November 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic & motivated individual to join our award winning Reactive Emergency Assessment Community Team (REACT) as a Healthcare Support Worker.

REACT is based within the community & assesses and supports patients experiencing a short-term 'crisis' to remain in their own home, avoiding an emergency admission to hospital where possible. The integrated, multi-agency team covers a varied caseload you will join a team of Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Doctors, Healthcare Assistants, Social Workers & staff from Suffolk Family Carers, Citizens Advice & British Red Cross.

The REACT Service provides 24-hour support, with shifts that will include early, late, nights, weekend & bank holiday working.

You must hold a valid UK driving licence & be able to travel to patients' homes using either their own car or one of the team's pool cars, working across Ipswich and East Suffolk, with a central base in Ipswich with proposed plans for further bases in Woodbridge & Stowmarket.

Please note the successful applicant will be offered either at a Band 2 or Band 3 level depending on your previous experience & qualifications.Band 2 - you are required to have had minimum 12 months care experience but no qualifications required. You will be required to complete the Accelerated Care Certificate to progress to a Band 3. Band 3 - you are required to of had a minimum 6 months NHS experience as well as completing the NHS Care Certificate.

Main duties of the job

To develop and maintain a flexible, proactive and positive approach to the role, whilst being innovative and open to change in working practices.
To take responsibility and ownership of high-quality service delivery, to foster a culture of integrity, be an ambassador for REACT raising the profile for the service and support ESNEFTs trust values.
Manage an effective interface with colleagues from health, social care and voluntary care services to ensure an integrated approach to a patient centred care.
Support clinicians by completing delegated tasks, to meet the individual needs of patients and service users.
Work in collaboration with patients and their carers, healthcare professionals and agencies, to ensure a joined up and integrated approach to patient care.
Support end of life and long term life limiting conditions, aimed at reducing unnecessary admissions to hospital or long-term care.
The role will include providing one to one support with patients in their home environment supporting all aspects of personal care and daily activities, using a reablement approach.

Please watch our YouTube video about the service:REACT - YouTube

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Date posted

12 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,465 to £26,598 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR870-25

Job locations

Constantine House

Ipswich

IP1 2DH

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NHS Care certificate
Evidence of completed competencies as part of a professional portfolio
Level 3 vocational qualification or equivalent experience

Desirable

Evidence of functional skills or willingness to undertake
Willingness to undertake further study

Knowledge

Essential

Ability to understand the rationale for inter professional working and working across health, social care and voluntary care services boundaries in order to meet the patient's individual needs.
Basic knowledge of Microsoft word and e mail process
Ability to travel between locations.
Clear verbal and written communication skills

Desirable

Providing person centred care

Knowledge

Essential

Awareness of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of patients, relatives and carers.
Awareness of the nature of the carers role in assisting patients to fulfil basic human needs
Knowledge of clinical procedures and observations
Knowledge of relevant legislation

Desirable

Understanding of risk management, health and safety issues, including safe manual handling.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NHS Care certificate
Evidence of completed competencies as part of a professional portfolio
Level 3 vocational qualification or equivalent experience

Desirable

Evidence of functional skills or willingness to undertake
Willingness to undertake further study

Knowledge

Essential

Ability to understand the rationale for inter professional working and working across health, social care and voluntary care services boundaries in order to meet the patient's individual needs.
Basic knowledge of Microsoft word and e mail process
Ability to travel between locations.
Clear verbal and written communication skills

Desirable

Providing person centred care

Knowledge

Essential

Awareness of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of patients, relatives and carers.
Awareness of the nature of the carers role in assisting patients to fulfil basic human needs
Knowledge of clinical procedures and observations
Knowledge of relevant legislation

Desirable

Understanding of risk management, health and safety issues, including safe manual handling.

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

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Constantine House

Ipswich

IP1 2DH

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Constantine House

Ipswich

IP1 2DH

Employer's website

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