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Job summary

Main area
Adult Learning Disabilities
Grade
Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
277-7451015-ALD
Employer
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Queen Mary's Hospital
Town
Sidcup
Salary
£32,199 - £34,876 pa inc
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/09/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust logo

Autism Specialist Support Worker

Band 4

Job overview

An exciting opportunity to join the Oxleas Adult Autism Service as we seek to appoint a Specialist Support Worker to be part of our multidisciplinary team working with adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder without Learning Disabilities.

The Oxleas Adult Autism Service works with adults with Autism without  learning disabilities. The service provides clinical specialist support to the Community Mental Health Teams, Acute Care/psychiatric wards and other local teams working with people with Autism and comorbid psychiatric disorders in order to adjust the inpatient and community support and care according to their specific needs.

The post holder will be a member of our multi-disciplinary team and  will be responsible of supporting Autistic adults in the community and acute wards as needed. The main responsibility for this role will be to support the implementation of specialist programmes and strategies designed by the MDT for our service users . This will include mainly working with Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists in community and acute mental health settings.  

The post would suit someone interested in a career in Speech and Language Therapy and/or Occupational Therapy

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

Under the guidance and supervision of a registered professional the Specialist Support Worker will provide support to autistic clients with mental health needs, follow care plans and implement MDT strategies in the community and acute care wards as needed.

They will demonstrate creativity, independence and good ability of working alongside a full MDT and implement speech and language and occupational therapy strategies in different settings.

Be an active member of the MDT implementing strategies and agreed support designed by Speech & language therapists, Occupational Therapists in the community and in acute care wards as needed.

Understanding the need for and maintaining patient confidentiality at all times.

Adhering to all organisational, policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Ensuring good working relationships with clients, carers, relatives, other professionals, and the public.

Working in different sectors including acute care (under supervision), community and service user's homes.

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families.  This is strengthened by our new values:

  • We’re Kind
  • We’re Fair
  • We Listen
  • We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Further detailed information relating to the role and responsibilities can be found in the attached supporting documentation

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrated experience of working with Speech and Language Therapists and/or Occupational Therapists
  • Experience of supporting autistic people with mental health needs in the health service, social care and/or community settings.
Desirable criteria
  • Direct experience working and contributing to MDT planning and provision

Education & communication

Essential criteria
  • Sufficient literacy and computer skills to contribute to the creation of professional documents, reports and data collection.
Desirable criteria
  • Relevant healthcare foundation degree or NVQ level 3 or evidence of specialist training relevant to the post

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Understanding of basic SaLT/OT interventions and ability to develop specialist skills under the supervision of qualified professionals (SaLT/OT)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareNo smoking policyAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthPride In Veterans

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high volume of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Wendy Francis
Job title
Service MDT Lead
Email address
[email protected]
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