Allocate on Arrival Health Care Assistant in Dawlish

We are looking for Healthcare Assistants to join our new Allocate on Arrival team within the Adult Mental Health Services at Langdon Hospital. These are substantive roles with a different approach to traditional posts. You will join a flexible staffing team and be allocated each shift to the area where support is most needed. This provides variety, experience across different clinical environments, and opportunities to develop a broad skill set while supporting safe, high-quality care. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Experience is not essential if you bring compassion, enthusiasm and our Trust values; we will teach you the skills you need. A Care Certificate is desirable but not essential, and we can support you to complete this. Apprenticeship opportunities are available for development and progression. We involve patients, families and carers in shaping services, and expect all staff to embrace co-production and value lived experience. Our services operate 24/7, so you will work a range of shifts. Due to the nature of the role, you must attend and pass a physical restraint assessment.

Main duties of the job:

• Report to the Nurse-in-Charge at the start of each shift and be allocated to a ward based on service need.
• Support the delivery of high-quality care to individuals across secure inpatient services.
• Work alongside the multidisciplinary team to meet the social, physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of people using our services.
• Undertake practical procedures under the supervision of registered nursing staff.
• Assist with daily living skills and participate in therapeutic activities, group work and 1:1 sessions depending on ward allocation.
• Observe, record and report changes in mental or physical state, contributing to recovery-focused care plans.
• Use de-escalation skills and, when required, participate in physical interventions in line with training.
• Prioritise tasks and manage your workload throughout the shift in discussion with the Nurse-in-Charge.
• Maintain accurate, timely and professional records in line with Trust policy.

About Devon Partnership Trust:

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery. We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our values:

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trust's core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas. We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Qualifications:

• Essential: Basic Education to complete the Care Certificate within the first 6 months of employment unless already obtained or evidence of equivalent agreed and signed off by the appointing manager at interview. If not, this will be a trainee position until successful completion.
• Desirable: NVQ level 3, QCF Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification. Other evidence of training or development relevant to working within mental health settings.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Essential: Awareness of safeguarding principles, IT skills, demonstrate an ability to make and sustain professional therapeutic relationships, good communication and listening skills, ability to work with people in a group and individual basis, demonstrate an ability and awareness to maintain personal boundaries, problem solving skills, able to plan work, time management, completing records and recording observations etc., to take leadership and direction from qualified staff, to participate in unsupervised tasks and provide accurate feedback to relevant parties, to demonstrate an ability to provide practical support with daily living activities, and physically perform nursing duties, to be able to respond promptly to physical and mental health emergencies, be able to think quickly and deal with situations in a calm and sensible manner, to be patient and tolerant in challenging situations.
• Desirable: Knowledge of mental health and a basic understanding of physical health presentations.

Experience:

• Essential: Previous employment and experience of working with people in a caring situation or previous experience working in a different role within mental health services. Awareness of safeguarding principles.
• Desirable: Previous care experience with people who have Mental Health difficulties.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.