Recovery Support Worker (Merton) | South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

We have 2 exciting opportunities to join our Trust as a Recovery Support Worker (RSW) band 4 for individuals wanting to join a leading Mental Health Trust. The roles will be based at The Wilson Hospital located in Mitcham within the Merton Home Treatment Team. Join us as an RSW and you will be able to combine doing a job that makes a positive difference to Merton residents. If successful there will be opportunities to progress by applying for a nursing associate course and access to a wide range of training to enhance care interventions.

What we need from you (Qualifications)

• A positive and caring attitude
• Strong values
• Enthusiasm
• Sensitivity
• A determination to do a good job
• Willingness to learn
• Experience in mental health, care work or a psychology graduate looking to gain experience in psychosocial interventions would be advantageous

Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of Nursing Staff, provide direct physical and psychological care to Merton Home Treatment Team clients through participation in care planning, provision and evaluation of client needs while ensuring a high standard of nursing and social care.
• Work effectively alongside Nursing Staff as directed by the Shift Co‑ordinator and/or Team Manager in areas such as shift patterns, partnership with clients across boundaries of care, organisation and role, and coordinating through the Care Programme Approach.
• Be willing to work a shift pattern of both early and late shifts, including weekends and bank holidays.
• Provide support directly and flexibly to meet the specific needs of clients in accordance with their care plan while promoting Social Inclusion.
• Work as part of a team promoting Recovery in a way that promotes hope, helps people take control and access opportunities, engenders empowerment and well‑being, acknowledges diversity, promotes anti‑discriminatory practices, maintains confidentiality, promotes equal opportunities and ensures clients are treated with dignity and respect as part of ethical practice.
• Assist in the assessment of clients’ needs, risk and the implementation of individual plans of care.
• Support clients with return to the community after a period as an inpatient, in relation to practical arrangements and emotional support.
• Develop rapport with clients within appropriate boundaries based upon professional support and companionship.
• Undertake direct client work where deemed appropriate and actively engage clients in working to achieve outcome goals through their care plans, including maintaining contact with mental health services.
• Provide practical and emotional support to clients and carers to maintain dignity and independence.
• Positively promote and support independent living for clients in the community, maintaining extensive knowledge and links with community resources and supporting clients to use them.
• Assist clients in signposting them to resources in the community such as benefits and welfare rights, legal advice services.
• Help clients access information on health promotion.
• Identify signs of relapse and increasing risk by monitoring the client’s progress, level of functioning and mental state, and inform the Shift Co‑ordinator or other staff involved in care.
• Provide practical support in emergency situations as required (e.g. accessing emergency food provision, arranging protection of property, transporting, arranging services, collecting prescriptions, clothing, assisting with homelessness and seeking accommodation).
• Provide support and safeguard individuals who are at risk from abuse and contribute to the management of risk.
• Identify trigger points to reduce and respond to risk and violence, protecting yourself from levels of risk and violence with the Trust PeopleSafe App.
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings, care plan review meetings and team training as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate records as per legal policy, existing procedures and protocols.
• Record and document physical observations such as weight, temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure after appropriate training.
• Report to the shift co‑ordinator any significant findings.
• Receive telephone calls and record messages ensuring they are passed to the relevant person.
• Work as a team member to promote and maintain positive communication and joint working practice to develop skills, knowledge and a safe systematic practice.
• Support fellow Recovery Support Workers in their role by providing advice, mentoring and training where appropriate.
• Participate in supervision and appraisal processes to enable reflection and personal development.
• Be aware of own limitations in terms of experience and knowledge, and disclose if asked to perform duties beyond competence.
• Participate in the planning of protocols to develop the service to clients.
• Participate in the review of the service provided to clients overall by Recovery Support Workers and the Merton Home Treatment Team.
• Liaise and work in close co‑operation with other mental health professionals, voluntary and private sector agencies as required.
• Be aware of and adhere to agreed procedures for delivering care; report any concerns to the shift co‑ordinator/Team Manager which may affect the safe delivery of care and the safe working of other team members.
• Report any accidents or incidents as per the reporting procedures of the service.
• Flag up disciplinary or performance issues with appropriate line manager.

Benefits

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Location

This post will be based at Wilson Hospital. To hold a valid Driving Licence and have access to a vehicle to enable travel between the Team Base in Mitcham and Springfield, in addition to clients’ homes. Unless expressly stated this role is not subject to sponsorship; please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.

This advert closes on Monday 4 May 2026.