Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
We are seeking Mental Health Care Assistants to work on a temporary, as-needed basis, to support our team, department, and organisation in achieving the Trust's mission of "Best care by the best people."
You will assist the clinical team in providing nursing and rehabilitation care, working alongside qualified nursing and therapy staff. As part of the team, you will contribute to the implementation of care and rehabilitation programs, helping patients regain confidence and maintain activities of daily living, while respecting their beliefs, preferences, and choices. You will also support the Trust's mission by incorporating the Trust's values and Staff Charter into your daily role, engaging with service users and their families with empathy and compassion.
To be considered for this position, you must have an NHS Care Certificate or be a second-year or above student nurse.
This vacancy will close once a sufficient number of applicants have been received, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
1. Support the clinical team in the provision of patient nursing and rehabilitation care by working alongside qualified nursing and therapy staff.
2. Participate in the implementation of care and rehabilitation programmes, to ensure patients regain confidence in maintaining activities of daily living whilst recognising the patient’s beliefs, preferences and choices.
3. To help ensure that service users engage effectively with agreed Care Plan and access appropriate services.
4. To be responsible for liaising with and providing information to other agencies involved in the care of the service user.
5. To develop a rapport and a therapeutic relationship with service users, within appropriate boundaries
6. To provide regular and practical support to service users and their carers (as appropriate) in developing and managing independence and maintaining dignity and self respect.
7. Facilitate the orientation of newly transferred clients into the ward, recording their property and supporting them as they settle in.
Clinical Skills
1. To assist nursing staff in the delivery of nursing care to patients
2. To record dietary and fluid intake
3. To record vital signs when required to do so
4. To change linen on beds, dispose of foul linen, to tidy rooms and generally maintain patient areas in good order
5. To escort patients to appointments both inside and outside of the hospital
Working for our organisation
We operate a Temporary Staffing service and offer our Bank Staff excellent benefits including:
Competitive hourly rates and weekly pay; Access to paid annual leave and statutory sick pay; My Trust Benefits discount scheme; Access to the NHS pension scheme; Paid mandatory training; Opportunities for locally agreed training; PAMOVA training for Mental Health staff; Flexibility of hours/location; Priority over agency staff for booking shifts; Opportunity to apply for permanent posts.
COVID-19 Vaccination
We continue to encourage all staff to ensure that they have been double vaccinated and received their booster. We recognise that taking the vaccine provides the best defence against COVID 19 for our patients, our staff and their families.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The main duties of this position are outlined fully in the attached job description. Banding will be determined at interview.
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
For more information about working on the Temporary Staffing Bank please contact the Temporary Staffing Team on .
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
Experience of mental health services (as a worker or service user/carer)
Desirable criteria
At least 1 year recent relevant Experience in a healthcare setting and basic level of theoretic knowledge.
Skills
Essential criteria
An enthusiasm to make a positive contribution to improving the quality of life for people with mental health problems
Qualifications
Essential criteria
NVQ level 3 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy NHS Care Certificate or 2nd/3rd Year Nursing Student
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.
