Mental Health Hospital Link Worker in Colchester

Mental Health Hospital Link Worker

We are seeking a resilient and compassionate Mental Health Hospital Link Worker to provide vital support to people experiencing emotional distress in a busy hospital setting.

Salary: 37.5 hours – £25,447.50 per annum; 22.5 hours – £15,268.50 per annum

Hours: 2 roles available – 37.5 hours or 22.5 hours per week, 1.30pm – 9.30pm, including weekends and bank holidays on a four‑week rolling rota

Contract: Fixed‑term until 31 March 2027, with the potential for extension

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Mental Health Hospital Link Service at Colchester General Hospital. Based within the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and Emergency Department (ED), you will provide a non‑clinical, person‑centred service for individuals experiencing emotional distress and mental health difficulties.

Working closely with hospital clinical teams, you will offer immediate support, help de‑escalate challenging situations, and ensure people are connected with the most appropriate services and community resources. This is a rewarding role where you can make a genuine difference during some of the most difficult moments in people’s lives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide empathic, person‑centred support to individuals in distress.
• Build rapport and help de‑escalate crisis situations.
• Collaborate with hospital triage and clinical teams.
• Refer and sign‑post people to appropriate mental health and community services.
• Develop positive relationships with volunteers, partners and stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate case records and documentation.
• Contribute to safeguarding, risk management and effective service delivery.
• Support individuals to develop self‑management strategies and access local resources.

About You

You will have at least two years’ experience working within mental health or a related field and be confident supporting individuals experiencing emotional distress. You will be a skilled communicator with the resilience to work in a fast‑paced environment and the ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of people and professionals.

Ideally, you will hold a Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care or a related subject and have excellent IT skills, alongside a strong understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries. Above all, you will be empathetic, proactive and committed to delivering high‑quality support.

Benefits

• 36 days holiday including 8 bank holidays (pro rata for part time); competitive pension.
• Recruitment referrals, training and development, annual wellbeing day.
• Expert supervision and peer support, an extended lunch break each week.
• Company sick pay based on length of service and a charity worker discount scheme.
• Discounted parking at the hospital for this role.

Additional experience in roles such as Mental Health Support Worker, Crisis Support Worker, Wellbeing Practitioner, Recovery Worker, Community Support Worker, Mental Health Practitioner, Care Coordinator, Hospital Liaison Worker, Outreach Worker, Social Prescribing Link Worker, Support Time and Recovery Worker (STR Worker), or Emotional Wellbeing Worker will be advantageous.

Mid and North East Essex Mind is committed to supporting people to achieve better mental health and wellbeing. We are dedicated to ensuring that no one feels alone by delivering vital mental health services across our communities. We are guided by our values of listening, co‑producing, trusted, inclusive, innovation and support in all we do.

We offer a supportive and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds to better represent our communities.