Healthcare Assistant - Neurodiversity Unit

Job overview

The post holder will work as a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant within the prison’s Neurodiversity Unit, providing practical and therapeutic support to prisoners with identified or suspected neurodiverse needs.

Working as part of the wider multidisciplinary healthcare team, the post holder will support the delivery of a positive, structured and neurodiversity-informed environment. The role will involve co-facilitating therapeutic and health-related groups, developing and maintaining one-page profiles for prisoners residing on the Neurodiversity Unit, and promoting effective communication and collaboration between healthcare and operational staff.

The post holder will act as an important link between prisoners, healthcare professionals and prison operational colleagues, helping to ensure that reasonable adjustments, communication needs and individual support strategies are understood and consistently applied.

The role requires a compassionate, patient and non-judgemental approach, alongside the ability to work effectively within the unique and sometimes challenging environment of a custodial setting.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post

Main duties of the job

• Provide day-to-day support to prisoners on the Neurodiversity Unit under the direction and supervision of registered healthcare professionals.
• Promote a safe, therapeutic, neurodiversity-informed environment that supports dignity, independence, choice and person-centred care.
• Support prisoners to access healthcare, therapeutic activities and appropriate interventions, recognising and promptly reporting changes in presentation, behaviour, communication or wellbeing.
• Identify and implement appropriate reasonable adjustments to meet individual communication, sensory, cognitive and environmental needs.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Co-facilitate therapeutic, wellbeing, psychoeducation and health promotion groups with healthcare or multidisciplinary colleagues, including preparing, delivering and evaluating sessions.
• Encourage participation and adapt communication and activities to accommodate neurodiverse needs.
• Maintain appropriate records of group attendance and participation, and provide feedback to the wider team on engagement, progress and concerns.
• Work within agreed competencies, protocols and clinical guidance when supporting therapeutic interventions.
• Complete and maintain a one-page profile for each prisoner, in collaboration with the individual wherever possible
• Review and update profiles following significant changes in needs or circumstances.
• Share relevant information appropriately with healthcare and operational colleagues in line with confidentiality, information governance and data protection requirements.
• Promote the use of one-page profiles to improve consistency, continuity of care and effective communication.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

You will need to provide:

Proof of right to work documentation

Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID

Proof of address documentation

Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.

Address History:

5 years address history will be needed.

Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.

Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.

In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en).

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.