Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (working across a 24/7 hour period)
- Job ref
- 354-AE-21281
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Anne's Centre
- Town
- St Leonards on Sea
- Salary
- £25,760 - £27,476 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Health Care Support Worker
NHS AfC: Band 3
Come and join us
We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.
At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.
We recognise that AI is becoming part of daily life and you may choose to use it to help prepare your application. We welcome innovation but ask that anything you submit reflects your own abilities, experience and voice. AI can support how you describe your skills and experience, but it should never replace your own words as we want to get to know you.
We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.
Job overview
St Raphael Ward is an acute 17 bed, mixed ward, for those aged over 65's.
We are looking for committed, positive, compassionate and enthusiastic Band 3 Support Workers to work as part of a dedicated team of professionals that provides the highest standards of care and support to predominately older people with acute mental health needs.
Main duties of the job
Successful candidates will have strong communication and people skills, a non-judgmental approach and above all a real caring attitude and be prepared to make a difference.
Our team thrives on the high sense of job satisfaction we receive when helping people adjust and recover from acute mental health issues in the later stages of life.
You will work with the multi-disciplinary team to establish and deliver personal care to patients on the inpatient ward providing factual information to patients, offering reassurance, tact and empathy.
Working for our organisation
The Trust provides mental health and learning disability care for all ages across Sussex.
Living & Working in Sussex
- Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns
- Embrace the outstanding natural beauty spots including the iconic Beachy Head and Seven Sisters National Park
- Known as ‘The Sunshine Coast’, Eastbourne offers a traditional Victorian seafront combined with the more modern Sovereign Harbour Marina
We’d love you to join our Trust, rated ‘good’ overall and ‘outstanding’ for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, recent staff survey results told us that 82% recognise that care for patients is our top priority.
Key staff survey results include:
- 70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work
- 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work in their team
- 77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles
In return for your skills and expertise we can offer you continued training and development, variety and a rewarding challenge and the opportunity to work within a friendly and supportive team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You must be able to deliver a high standard of inpatient nursing care using excellent communication and relationship skills supporting patients with mental health needs.
You must be able to adopt a flexible approach to hours of duty meeting the needs of the service over a 24-hour period
You will support the Registered Nursing Staff in the clinical management of service users who are implementing nursing care. You will be actively engaging, observing, reporting and recording changes in the patients physical, mental health and behaviour.
You will also provide the necessary physical care to patients to help them complete daily living activities; assisting with personal care and daily living activities which includes personal hygiene, diet and fluid intake.
See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Good general education
- NVQ level 3 or equivalent experience
Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with mental health needs in a paid or voluntary capacity
- Experience of working collaboratively i.e. with colleagues, wider teams, service users etc
- An understanding of confidentiality
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Terri Kelly
- Job title
- St Raphael Ward Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 304 0255
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