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Job summary

Main area
CAMHS
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (11.5 hour shifts - days and nights)
Job ref
364-A-9117-A
Employer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Longview Ward
Town
Colchester
Salary
£24,937 - £26,598 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
20/08/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Health Care Assistant

Band 3

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. 

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. 

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. 

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.  

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Health Care Assistant to join the dynamic and exciting team at one of our CAMHS wards.

This is your chance to join a supportive team and gain essential skills and knowledge for your career in the health services.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all of our job roles.  If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately your application form be rejected from the process.

Please note this vacancy requires a face to face interview with the Recruiting Manager. Applicants that are unable to attend a face to face interview need not apply.

Main duties of the job

1.     To ensure that safe practice to be maintained, by a full awareness of Policies and Procedures regarding aspects of Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression

2.     Promoting the recovery model of care and social inclusion

3.     An awareness and to keep updated of the Care Quality commission standards

4.     Aware of one own appearance, ensure the Trust uniform is worn correctly and is clean and presentable

5.     The post holder will be prepared to work within the 24 hours service, 7 days per week, 365 days per year as per rota.

6.     An understanding of the Mental Health Act/Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs) and (MCA) Mental Capacity Assessments.

7.     Take responsibility to ensure all mandatory training is up to date

8.     Aware of one’s own self-development needs and attend appropriate courses as agreed at appraisal.

9.     Attend in-service and other training as required.

10.  To be appraised once a year

11.  Undertake clinical supervision to enhance practice

12.  At all times be aware of the Trust’s ethos and maintaining of customer care standards 

Working for our organisation

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

  • Season Ticket Loans
  • NHS discounts for staff
  • Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
  • Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
  • The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
  • Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
  • Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder is responsible for undertaking assigned tasks that involve direct care in an adolescent ward setting. The post involves supporting young people in all aspects of their care including daily living needs as is outlined in the young people’s individualised care plan. The post holder is responsible for reporting any relevant changes in the young person’s condition to the qualified staff.

he post holder will assist support of people with mental health needs and challenging behaviours, such as depression or psychosis, and working with young people who have likely felt or attempted suicidal. You will be required to provide person centred care and working, whilst supporting qualified staff to ensure the highest standards of care are upheld. 

Young people, relatives, carers and other staff will find the post holder flexible, approachable and with a helpful and friendly disposition, upholding the ethos of EPUT of good customer care at all times with an awareness of own attitude at all times.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1.     To ensure that safe practice to be maintained, by a full awareness of Policies and Procedures regarding aspects of Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression

2.     Promoting the recovery model of care and social inclusion

3.     An awareness and to keep updated of the Care Quality commission standards

4.     Aware of one own appearance, ensure the Trust uniform is worn correctly and is clean and presentable

5.     The post holder will be prepared to work within the 24 hours service, 7 days per week, 365 days per year as per rota.

6.     An understanding of the Mental Health Act/Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs) and (MCA) Mental Capacity Assessments.

7.     Take responsibility to ensure all mandatory training is up to date

8.     Aware of one’s own self-development needs and attend appropriate courses as agreed at appraisal.

9.     Attend in-service and other training as required.

10.  To be appraised once a year

11.  Undertake clinical supervision to enhance practice

12.  At all times be aware of the Trust’s ethos and maintaining of customer care standards

13.  Undertake any other appropriate duties as required.

 

The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) brings together key health, care, community, and voluntary sector organisations from across our area. Our aim is to work together in partnership to join up health and care services, improving our population’s health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. One such example of this collaborative work is the launch of our HCA Academy, an ICS initiative between Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) to support the incoming Health Care assistant (HCA) workforce. The academy models a ‘one workforce’ cross system approach to the onboarding, induction, education and experience of Healthcare Assistants.

To support this ‘one workforce model’ the successful candidate for this post will be required to attend our 5 day (Monday to Friday) face to face Induction Programme at our MSE ICS Education Hub at Brentwood Community Hospital. Your start date will therefore fall on one of two of the HCA Academy induction dates across the month, which will be discussed and agreed during the recruitment process.

Our HCA Academy Induction programme has been designed to train and support the successful candidate through the early stages of their employment at EPUT and will provide opportunities to enhance skills, knowledge and experience.

Further information will be provided post interview.

This will be followed by an additional 5 day (Monday to Friday) EPUT corporate / mandatory training welcome. (EPUT Welcome will be varied between face to face and virtual delivery). 

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • High Standard of Education - GCSE or above
  • Good Standard of Written English
  • Care Certificate based on the standards set by Health Education England, Skills for Care and Skills for Health

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Ability to support the team to meet their KPI and contractual targets
  • Articulate
  • Team Working Skills
Desirable criteria
  • Previous Experience of working with people with learning disabilities/special needs
  • Working Knowledge of trust systems including Mobius and Paris

Skills/Experience

Essential criteria
  • Committed, motivated and enthusiastic
  • Understanding of Learning Disabilities/ASD/Mental Health conditions and how they can affect peoples day to day life and impact upon recovery
  • Experience of using an electronic information system
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge and use of Makaton

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Essex Family Friendly Employers

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Charlotte Ryan
Job title
Ward Manager
Email address
[email protected]
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