Community STR Support Worker - London

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

You will be involved in assessing risk and follow care plan that has been drawn by the band 7 mental health nurses in the team to maintain safety in the community.

This role is quite autonomous on its own and you will require your expertise to create engagement and follow lone working policies all along.

Working under the supervision of the band 7 you will be supported and protected in your role to develop further in improving communication skills, record keeping, creating meaningful care plan with service users and report writing.

There are lots of opportunities to develop further in this role and become a fully competent professional in the community.

1. Clinical Responsibilities

• Knowledge, awareness and understanding of Mental Health Law,

• Working under the indirect supervision and guidance of a Registered

• Participating in the assessment of service users' mental and physical

• Participating in the planning of care, promoting independent living and

1. Promoting Recovery

• Assisting service users to access community resources that are

• Assisting service users in maintaining their dignity, privacy and choice,

1. Communication and Collaboration

• Working as part of a team, exchanging appropriate information with

• Understanding and working within the boundaries of the Lone Working

• Working in a professional manner, respecting the boundaries of the

maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information.

Working for our organisation

As per Job Description you will have opportunity to develop in this role and progress to upper grade.

You will have the opportunity to attend all the trainings provided by the trust.

You will have regular supervision from the senior nurses in the team

You will be entitled to all the staff benefits that the trust has in place for staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Undertaking activities to ensure that the fundamentals of care are met

1. Providing hands-on care to service users including:

• Undertaking 1-1 engagement with service users in an honest,

• Recognising and valuing service users as individuals,

• Escalating any concerns to a Registered Nurse.
• Monitoring and recording service user clinical observations as

• Implementing the principles of ‘recovery’: encouraging and

1. Escorting service users, as required, in line with Trust policies, under

1. Advocating for service users’ needs and rights within Trust policy.
2. Demonstrating the development of an understanding of mental health signs

1. Recognising and responding appropriately to challenging behaviour in line

1. Demonstrating the development of knowledge and understanding of the

1. Contributing to an effective communication process with appropriate and accurate information to patients, carers, family, friends and colleagues.

1. Demonstrating development of effective clinical communication and

1. Maintaining timely and accurate service user written/electronic records under supervision and in line with Trust policy.
2. Reporting, without delay, any safety or security concerns to maintain the safety of service users, carers, staff and others to senior staff.
3. Reporting safeguarding concerns to a Registered Nurse.
4. Responding respectfully to concerns / complaints raised by patients,

1. Maintaining confidential information in accordance with Trust Policies.
2. Protecting service users, self and others by maintaining a clean and healthy

1. Working in ways that support shared responsibility within the team:

1. Attending and participating in team meetings.
2. Engaging in reflective practice to ensure effective patient care is based on evidence based practice and with Trust values in mind. Attending staff training and meetings including reflective practice groups and activities including the development of reflective portfolio.
3. Participating in supervision by nominated senior staff member, including annual review of performance as part of the appraisal (or PADR) system.
4. Undertaking mandatory training as required by Trust policy plus Care

1. Ability to fulfil all the requirements of the role (including physical) and if unable to then reasonable adjustments may need to be made either to your role or place of work to ensure safety of self, staff and patients.
2. Undertake any other duties that are commensurate with the band and

nature of the post Frameworks within

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Care Certificate
• English and Mathematics basic qualifications (eg GCSE at grade C or above) or equivalent

• Level 2/3 Health and Social care qualification / working towards qualification

Experience and Knowledge

• At least one year as a Healthcare Support Worker, or equivalent level of experience.
• Approachable and Self-aware and demonstrate an ability to self-reflect.
• Communications skills – receiving and conveying information accurately with staff and with service users and able to keep accurate records.
• Able to provide quality care that is responsive to service user’s needs, without close supervision, and acting on own initiative, within protocols, policies and care plans.

• Training and experience in specialist skills such as ECG, Vital Signs, Phlebotomy

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe’