Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Conduct assessments to evaluate how health conditions affect daily life and create detailed reports.
- Company: Capita HAAS provides essential health assessments for disability benefits, making support accessible for vulnerable individuals.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible hours, 25 days holiday, and various corporate perks including volunteering days.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in healthcare while developing your skills in a supportive and innovative environment.
- Qualifications: Must have one year of post-registration experience as a nurse, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or paramedic.
- Other info: This hybrid role offers training and development opportunities, with a focus on compassionate care.
The predicted salary is between 30700 - 41000 £ per year.
Discover a new kind of career in healthcare as a functional specialist.
Working in healthcare, and looking for a change? If youre a nurse (RMN, RNLD, RGN), occupational therapist, physiotherapist or paramedic, you could use your skills in a different way as a functional specialist. At Capita Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS), we provide unbiased, comprehensive assessments for claimants of the Governments disability allowance (Personal Independence Payment), over the phone, on a video call or in-person, either at one of our assessment centres or in claimants homes.
Our functional specialists write reports which help the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) make important decisions about a persons health and care.
Maybe youre a nurse right now and youd like to move away from direct care – this role offers you the chance to not only improve your assessment skills, but also to use your knowledge and experience to make important clinical recommendations. Or you might be an occupational therapist, physiotherapist or paramedic wanting to learn how to evaluate situations in a different way in a different setting. Were looking for people with the compassion and experience to understand our claimants health conditions/disabilities and how they impact their lives.
This role is different from other healthcare professions, and thats why we take your training and development seriously. Youll receive comprehensive training with time set aside for self-development learning.
If youre looking for a change, including more regular working hours, a competitive salary and are ready to expand your skills and experience, this could be the role for you.
Job title:
Functional Specialist – Northern Ireland
Job Description:
What youll be doing:
- conducting initial reviews, paper-based, face-to-face, video or telephone assessments to evaluate how a claimants health condition or disability affects their day-to-day life
observing and reporting on an individuals ability to carry out activities
analysing and interpreting clinical information and supporting evidence
creating one comprehensive 3,000-4,000-word report of the evidence gathered for each claimant, up to a maximum of 3 per day
ensuring enough detail, evidence and justification are given to support the DWP in making decisions
developing your clinical knowledge and learning about the health conditions which are less familiar to you.
This is hybrid role with expectation that you will be based at home and assigned to work from your nearest assessment centre on a rota basis to deliver face-to-face assessments.
What were looking for:
- one year's post-registration experience as a nurse (RMN, RNLD, RGN), occupational therapist, physiotherapist or paramedic
fully registered with a relevant UK regulatory body (NMC, HCPC or other), without restriction or conditions and with a valid PIN
excellent observational and communication skills, giving you the ability to listen, empathise and dig deeper
the ability to work quickly, producing reports in a timely manner and hitting targets
solid experience with using IT and Microsoft Office, as well as remotely accessing systems
a current valid driving licence or access to a form of transport to attend your nearest assessment centre
Successful candidates will be required to successfully complete government baseline personnel security standard vetting. This is the recognised standard for the pre-employment screening of individuals with access to government asset
Your working hours:
Youll be contracted to work 7.5 hours per day, 37.5 hours per week (full time), youll be able to agree your actual working hours with your line manager after training. Working patterns will be between the hours of 8am and 8pm.
About Capita HAAS
Capita was awarded two contracts to deliver the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) assessments in the Midlands and Wales for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and in Northern Ireland for the Department for Communities (DfC).
HAAS is a new service that will bring together existing assessment services, for disabled people and people with health conditions, under a single provider in each geographical region. This will make accessing support simpler and easier for some of societys most vulnerable people.
Capita will deliver assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), as well as a number of specialist benefits including Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Veterans UK assessments.
Capita has been delivering PIP assessments in the Midlands and Wales since 2013, and in Northern Ireland since 2016.
Whats in it for you?
- A competitive basic starting salary of £38,500.
Increase to £39,500 upon meeting approval with a one-off bonus payment of £1000.
Once approved you will be eligible for a bonus of 10% of base salary, subject to quality and performance.
- 25 days holiday (rising to 27 after 5 years) with the opportunity to buy extra leave
Annual professional registration fee reimbursed and supported revalidation
The opportunity to take a paid day out of the office, volunteering for our charity partners or a cause of your choice
Company matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme, 15 weeks fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, paternity pay of two weeks and plenty more
Opportunity to purchase discounted benefits designed to suit your lifestyle from discounts on retail and socialising, to health & wellbeing, travel and technology
Refer a friend reward scheme
Access to the Headspace app for you and up to 5 family or friends
Access to our Employee Network Groups, which represent every strand of diversity and allow colleagues to connect and learn from each other on an open, inclusive platform.
Youll get the chance to follow your chosen career path anywhere in Capita. Youll be joining a network of experienced, innovative and dedicated individuals across multiple disciplines and sectors. There are countless opportunities to learn new skills and develop in your career, and well provide the support you need to do just that. Our purpose is to create a better outcome for you.
What we hope youll do next:
Choose I'm Interested to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you.
Were an equal opportunity employer, which means well consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and their passion for creating better outcomes, and were committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees
As a Disability Confident Leader, we will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview. For further information or to discuss any reasonable adjustments you may need, please contact us on or
Location:
Belfast – Beacon House
,
United Kingdom
Time Type:
Full time
Contract Type:
Permanent
Functional Specialist - Northern Ireland employer: Capita resourcing
Contact Detail:
Capita resourcing Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Functional Specialist - Northern Ireland
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment process. Understanding how assessments are conducted and what criteria are used will give you an edge in interviews, as you'll be able to speak knowledgeably about the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former functional specialists. Reach out on platforms like LinkedIn to gain insights into their experiences and gather tips on how to excel in the role. This can also help you make valuable connections within the industry.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your report writing skills. Since the role involves creating comprehensive reports, practice summarising clinical information clearly and concisely. This will not only prepare you for the job but also demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively during the interview.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for situational questions that assess your observational and communication skills. Think of examples from your previous experience where you've had to empathise with patients or make critical decisions based on their health conditions.
We think you need these skills to ace Functional Specialist - Northern Ireland
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience as a nurse, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or paramedic. Emphasise skills that align with the role, such as assessment abilities and communication skills.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that explains why you're interested in transitioning to a functional specialist role. Mention your passion for healthcare and how your background equips you for this new challenge.
Showcase Your Skills: In your application, provide specific examples of your observational and analytical skills. Discuss any experience you have with report writing or assessments, as these are crucial for the role.
Proofread Your Application: Before submitting, carefully proofread your application for any spelling or grammatical errors. A polished application reflects your attention to detail, which is essential for the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Capita resourcing
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what a Functional Specialist does. Familiarise yourself with the responsibilities, such as conducting assessments and writing reports. This will help you articulate how your previous experience aligns with the role.
✨Showcase Your Compassion
Since this role involves working with vulnerable individuals, it's crucial to demonstrate your empathy and understanding during the interview. Share examples from your past experiences where you've shown compassion and how it has positively impacted your work.
✨Prepare for Clinical Questions
Expect questions that assess your clinical knowledge and ability to evaluate health conditions. Brush up on common disabilities and their impacts on daily life, as well as any relevant legislation or guidelines related to disability assessments.
✨Highlight Your IT Skills
As the role requires solid experience with IT and Microsoft Office, be prepared to discuss your proficiency in these areas. You might even want to mention specific software or tools you've used in your previous roles that could be relevant to this position.
