Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Healthcare Assistant

The closing date is 31 July 2025

Job summary

We are currently looking for experienced Health Care Assistants to join our Forensic mental health in-patient service at Berrywood Hospital in Northampton.

Wheatfield is a 12 bed, forensic Low Secure Unit for males predominantly between the ages of 18 and 65. Its primary role is to provide a comprehensive range of services for patients with a mental disorder who are detained under the Mental Health Act and cannot be treated in open mental health settings because of the level of risk they present. Wheatfield provides security arrangements that impede (rather than completely prevent) those who wish to either escape or abscond. Whilst there are physical security arrangements in place, Wheatfield's security provision has a greater reliance on relational security. Wheatfield provides services for people with long term, chronic and challenging disorders. Patients may have an offending history and be subject to additional restrictions under the Mental Health Act.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for Health Care Assistants to support in the delivery of outstanding care to this vulnerable group of patients. Delivery of care includes: conducting mental health observations, facilitating 1:1 time with patients, escorting patients outside the ward, activities, meal time support, personal care, physical health observations, recording on patient record, de-escalation of incidents, and tasks delegated by the qualified nurses.

Whilst it would be desirable for you to have experience, we will consider your application if you demonstrate drive and enthusiasm and the right values for working in this environment. We will provide you with training and supervision for your role; it is expected that you will become able to support challenging situations. Through supervision and debrief we expect you to learn from situations to deliver quality care and improve your practice.

You will be able to work effectively as part of an MDT. We expect that you will be able to work together with your colleagues, take responsibility, be authentic and embrace change; we will support you to develop these leadership behaviours to become an exceptional member of our team delivering outstanding care to our patients.

The post is rotational with the expectation of being able to work day and night shift. There is also the expectation of you being able to work over the 7 day week.

You will be required to complete our 5 day Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression course.

About us

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools.We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of our patients and staff, which focuses on people who enable our Trust to be 'outstanding' by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.

Date posted

23 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

270-TG218-MH

Job locations

Wheatfield Ward - Berrywood hospital

Berrywood Road

Northampton

NN5 6UD

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Person Specification

Education

Essential

Good standard of written English

Desirable

Care certificate NVQ or equivalent

Experience

Essential

Understanding of the role applied for

Desirable

Experience of working in mental health care (forensic mental health care)

Person Specification

Education

Essential

Good standard of written English

Desirable

Care certificate NVQ or equivalent

Experience

Essential

Understanding of the role applied for

Desirable

Experience of working in mental health care (forensic mental health care)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information