NursingNetUK

Job overview

Looking for a new challenge working in mental health care?

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (NHFT) has a vacancy for a Band 3 Healthcare assistant across older adult inpatient wards. NHFT is a forward thinking and innovative trust which was graded ‘Outstanding’ in the last CQC inspection.

There are 2 Older Adult Units based at Berrywood Hospital. Riverside Unit is a purpose built 16 bedded in-patient unit for service-users aged 65 years and over experiencing mental health difficulties and Brookview is our 8 bedded Dementia ward. They offer modern comfortable accommodation for service users and are a pleasant environment for carers to visits their family and friends and for staff to work in. As a hospital we strive to continually improve the care that we deliver as well as nurturing the relationships we have with our service users, carers and other people involved in an individual’s care.

All staff in a non-registered staff role will undertake NHFT’s Prepare to Care programme as part of their induction. Using a blended learning approach, you will attain key skills  and competencies enabling you to provide safe and compassionate care from the very start. Alongside this, you will also complete the Care Certificate within your first 12 weeks of employment, this may act as stepping stone should you wish to further your career later on.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for individuals who have a genuine interest and desire to care for older adults with mental health needs such as Anxiety / depression and dementia.  We require staff that are compassionate and empathetic to the needs of our service users and carers.

As a 24 hour service, the successful candidate will be expected to work shifts including weekends and night duty. You will also benefit from a programme of clinical skills development which will develop your skills and abilities within the role.

There is a strong emphasis on a multi-disciplinary approach to care, which is highly focused on service user needs; therefore team working and effective communication skills are essential. Staff will be required to engage in the provision of activities to promote well-being.

The successful candidate will possess excellent interpersonal skills, be highly motivated with a positive person centred approach, as well as being able to motivate others. Other skills required for the role are to be reliable and have resilience to working in a busy and at times stressful environment. The ability to undertake physical interventions training is essential.

Working for our organisation

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.