Elizabeth Casson house is the trust’s 8 bedded female intensive care ward. You would be working with some of the most vulnerable & at times challenging individuals within the region. You would work with service users from a range of backgrounds, presenting with a number of different mental health conditions.
Whilst challenging and busy work, it is highly rewarding, seeing the results of your work through our service users improving mental health & ongoing recovery.
You would be supporting the qualified nurses to manage risk whilst supporting independent recovery. This can be going on leave to the local community with service users to supporting them access studies or engaging in activities on the ward.
The team we are developing on the ward, are highly motivated, from a range of backgrounds and strive to give the best, most up to date care.
The ward was recently reopened in August 2022 following a significant redesign, providing us with more open space, a therapeutic sensory based room & enhanced care areas.
Your role as a band 3 healthcare support worker will involve supporting the nurse in charge to safely run the shift. You will carry out observations and active engagement with service users. You will take service users out on escorted leave both within the hospital grounds and locally.
You will be working within a nursing team and will have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
You will be responsible for documenting the mental and physical well-being of service users and be encouraged to actively engage in therapeutic interventions and activities.
You will work with a vast range of service users, with varying mental health needs.
You will be expected to carry out physical observations on service users to monitor and support service users physical health, as well as mental health.
It is also a very rewarding job and a real honour to work with individuals during a crisis period in their lives.
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Clinical Practice Objectives
1. To assist with the care, treatment and rehabilitation of service users within designated clinical areas, as directed.
2. Assist in the maintenance of a safe therapeutic environment beneficial to the needs of the service users, relatives carers and others.
3. Contribute to the team approach to patient care, providing accurate and relevant feedback to registered staff and named nurses: participate in team discussions and meetings regarding care of service users.
4. Participate in the application of care plans, ensuring interventions and observations are communicated effectively to Nurse in Charge and act as an associate nurse.
5. Assist in the supervision of other health care and support staff as directed by line manager.
6. Play a part in preparation of risk assessments; ICPA/SAP to people who present with mental health problems.
Education & Health Promotion Objectives
1. To keep up to date with changing practices and attend relevant training appropriate to the role as directed. Promote positive attitudes towards mental health. This will include:
a) Attend regular statutory training and updates.
b) Participate in appraisal and supervision processes from identified Senior practitioner.
c) Contribute to the learning environment of staff undergoing training and new team members as directed.
d) Maintain Health and Safety in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
e) Work to the Clinical, Personnel and other Policies and Procedures of AWP Trust.
Finance and Workforce Objectives
1. To play a role in making best use of available workforce resources based on agreed staffing models and contributing to provision of best care possible.
2. Follow Trust and Service Policies relating to the security of the building/clients, to ensure safe practice and protection of clients, staff, visitors and members of the general public.
3. Play a part in the service provision that is both safe and therapeutic within span of knowledge.
4. Supervise the work of Band 2 HCAs and others, as appropriate.
5. Contribute to the development of other support staff.
6. Effective time management.
Record Keeping and Administration Objectives
1. To maintain standards of record keeping and associated administration in accordance with AWP Trust Policy and local joint arrangements and professional guidelines. This will include:
2. The upkeep of contemporaneous, chronological and accurate mental health records in accordance with relevant NMC Guidelines and Trust Policy.
3. Work under the direction of ‘Essence of Care’ lead.
4. Contribute to the achievement of Controls Assurance Standards relating to Records Management within their span of control.
Practice Development & Clinical Audit Objectives
1. To participate with support of registered nurse to clinical audit and comply with activity as outlined in “The Essence of Care”

Please refer the Job description for details