Job summary
We are excited to offer an opportunity to join our staff bank as a Band 3 Enhanced Care Healthcare Support Worker (ECHCSW), with flexibility to work across Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital.As an ECHCSW, you will play a vital role within our direct care team, focusing on communication and therapeutic engagement. It is essential that you are committed to maintaining patient safety and have the right values, attitude, and resilience to work in a busy and often challenging environment.
Main duties of the job
In this role, you will provide high-quality care and therapeutic support to patients and their families, working in partnership with the wider multidisciplinary team. You will be assigned to individual patients on a shift-by-shift basis and work across wards and departments within the Trust, under the supervision of registered healthcare professionals.
You will support patients with behaviours that challenge by delivering one-to-one enhanced or cohorted care using a compassionate and therapeutic approach. Your role will be key in promoting dignity, safety, and wellbeing at all times.
This is a flexible position that requires you to work a variety of shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, and bank holidays. Working on the bank gives you the opportunity to work flexibly at a time and date that suits you, offering a great work-life balance.
To prepare you for the role, you will be required to attend an Enhanced Care Health Care Support Worker Induction Day. This training will ensure you understand the expectations of the Trust and how to provide effective, person-centred support to patients with complex needs.
Please note: You must hold a nationally approved HEE Care Certificate, which must have been obtained in a healthcare setting.If you are passionate about delivering high-quality care and making a difference in the lives of patients, we would love to hear from you.
About us
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is proud to be ranked among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide, and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in both the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Surveys.
We are a large acute hospital trust based in South East England, providing high-quality general and specialist hospital services to around 600,000 residents across West Kent and East Sussex. Our dedicated and diverse workforce of over 8,000 staff also delivers specialist cancer services through the Kent Oncology Centre.
In October 2024, Fordcombe Hospital near Tunbridge Wells joined the Trust. This planned care facility offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, a full range of diagnostic services, and consultation and treatment suites.
Our Staff Bank plays a vital role in supporting our services by providing flexible, skilled cover for temporary staffing needs across all specialties. It offers a rewarding and adaptable way to work, giving you the opportunity to broaden your experience, explore different specialties, and potentially move into a permanent role within the Trust.
Benefits include:o Competitive payo Flexible, 'as and when' working patternso Free DBS check and uniformo Priority access to shifts over agency staffo Weekly payrollo Support for ongoing development and revalidationo Easy-to-use online shift booking system - Loopo Access to the NHS Pension Schemeo Blue light card eligibility
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Amy Daniels, Head of Mental Health - amy.daniels@nhs.net
Interview Date - To Be Confirmed
Job description
Job responsibilities
Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children).
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Following your corporate induction you will be expected to attend the Trusts Clinical Induction Programme for Healthcare Support Workers (which starts on the first day of employment). The programme is full-time (please contact the CSW Induction Programme Lead if you have any issues: rallen@nhs.net), lasts for two weeks and will involve travelling to both Trust sites. The programme includes two supernumerary shifts in the clinical area (an early and a late shift), all of the other days are classroom-based and run from 9am to 5pm.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children).
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Following your corporate induction you will be expected to attend the Trusts Clinical Induction Programme for Healthcare Support Workers (which starts on the first day of employment). The programme is full-time (please contact the CSW Induction Programme Lead if you have any issues: rallen@nhs.net), lasts for two weeks and will involve travelling to both Trust sites. The programme includes two supernumerary shifts in the clinical area (an early and a late shift), all of the other days are classroom-based and run from 9am to 5pm.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a nationally approved Care Certificate - this must have been obtained in a healthcare setting.
Desirable
- Hold an NVQ/ Diploma level 3 in Healthcare/ or level 3 Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship or equivalent experience.
- Functional skills English and maths level 2 or GCSE English and maths grades A*/9 - C/4.
Experience
Essential
- Experience as a Healthcare Support Worker
- Experience of working with people in varied contexts
- Awareness and understanding of peoples enhanced care needs e.g. mental health, dementia and delirium, learning disability, autism, risk of falls.
- Knowledge and experience in safeguarding adults and children
- Ability to work in an often-challenging environments
Desirable
- Experience of multidisciplinary working
- Previous experience of working with people who require enhanced care
- Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate with people and families around sensitive issues
- High level of emotional resilience to be able to keep thinking and performing skilfully under pressure
- Well-developed organisational skills
- Ability to work as part of a team and use initiative
- Ability to work across agencies and within a multidisciplinary context
- Computer literate
- Able to prioritise work delegated by a registered nurse
- Ability to create innovative solutions alongside people to help them meet identified goals
- Skills in supporting people and families with emotional and behavioural issues
Desirable
- Skills in engaging people in recovery focused, resilience building exercises
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Hold a nationally approved Care Certificate - this must have been obtained in a healthcare setting.
Desirable
- Hold an NVQ/ Diploma level 3 in Healthcare/ or level 3 Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship or equivalent experience.
- Functional skills English and maths level 2 or GCSE English and maths grades A*/9 - C/4.
Experience
Essential
- Experience as a Healthcare Support Worker
- Experience of working with people in varied contexts
- Awareness and understanding of peoples enhanced care needs e.g. mental health, dementia and delirium, learning disability, autism, risk of falls.
- Knowledge and experience in safeguarding adults and children
- Ability to work in an often-challenging environments
Desirable
- Experience of multidisciplinary working
- Previous experience of working with people who require enhanced care
- Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate with people and families around sensitive issues
- High level of emotional resilience to be able to keep thinking and performing skilfully under pressure
- Well-developed organisational skills
- Ability to work as part of a team and use initiative
- Ability to work across agencies and within a multidisciplinary context
- Computer literate
- Able to prioritise work delegated by a registered nurse
- Ability to create innovative solutions alongside people to help them meet identified goals
- Skills in supporting people and families with emotional and behavioural issues
Desirable
- Skills in engaging people in recovery focused, resilience building exercises
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.
