# Mental Health Support Worker > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/mental-health-support-worker/15f05678-b1a1-408c-b6ec-11e37ae82ea2 - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/mental-health-support-worker/15f05678-b1a1-408c-b6ec-11e37ae82ea2.md ## Summary - **Status:** Live - **Employer:** Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust - **Town:** Poole - **Region:** South West - **Country:** England - **Profession:** Healthcare support worker - **Grade:** Band 3 - **Salary:** £25,760 - £27,476 p.a. - **Contract type:** Permanent - **Employment type:** Full time, Part time, 37.5 hours per week - **Closing date:** 2026-07-14T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2026-06-30T13:42:28.446Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/Dorset/Dorset/Dorset_HealthCare_University_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Inpatient_Mental_Health/Inpatient_Mental_Health-v8121224 - **Application URL:** https://apps.trac.jobs/job-advert/8121224?ShowJobAdvert=&feedid=9002 - **Employer website:** https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job overview We are looking for compassionate and adaptable Mental Health Support Workers, to join us in an exciting new opportunity to work as part of the Allocate on Arrival team based at St Anns Hospital, Poole.  This team will work according to service need across our mental health wards and units; including Psychiatric Intensive Care Units, Adult and Older persons Acute Assessment and Treatment wards, and Health Based Place of Safety. St Ann’s Hospital provides care and treatment to those experiencing acute episodes of mental illness and supporting patients through distressing and vulnerable time in their lives.  All wards aim to promote a calm and therapeutic approach and environment where our patients are supported by friendly, skilled and enthusiastic teams to enable them to move forwards with their recovery. This role requires the experience, willingness and skills to work in different clinical wards and environments and take a positive approach in team working.  Experience of supporting people with mental health and/ or learning disabilities is required.  We are looking for people who can support patients in a calm and therapeutic manner, especially in difficult or distressing circumstances, in accordance with their care plans and under supervision of registered practitioners. Full or part time hours available (minimum 22.5 hours per week) - this post requires shift working including nights, weekends and Bank Holidays. ### Main duties of the job - To work flexibly according to service and clinical need across the inpatient mental health wards and units. - Take a positive approach to teamwork. - Therapeutically observe and engage with patients in accordance with their care plan. Appropriately report and escalate to the registered member of staff on shift. - Spend time listening to people with empathy and compassion, helping them to identify solutions to the problems they are facing and access resources that may enable their recovery. - To ensure provision of privacy and dignity to all patients. - To therapeutically engage and support patients in emotional regulation strategies during times of distress, and in de-escalation of aggression and conflict situations, in line with care plans, Trust policy and guidance of registered practitioners. - To undertake and accurately record physical health monitoring and observations, and report/escalate as required to registered practitioner. - You may be required to accompany patients outside of the hospital, or on occasion to work on another clinical site, this will be within your working hours and with any required transport arranged Successful completion of the Trust Prevention and Management Violence and Aggression (PMVA) training is a requirement of this role. Applicants must hold a valid, permanent right to work in the UK.  Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this post ### Detailed job description and main responsibilities For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification.  When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post. We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application.  However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidate’s individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience.  If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety.  If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application. As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact \[email protected\] This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The Trust will cover the cost of this for the successful candidate. ## Job Details We are looking for compassionate and adaptable Mental Health Support Workers, to join us in an exciting new opportunity to work as part of the Allocate on Arrival team based at St Anns Hospital, Poole. This team will work according to service need across our mental health wards and units; including Psychiatric Intensive Care Units, Adult and Older persons Acute Assessment and Treatment wards, and Health Based Place of Safety. St Ann’s Hospital provides care and treatment to those experiencing acute episodes of mental illness and supporting patients through distressing and vulnerable time in their lives. All wards aim to promote a calm and therapeutic approach and environment where our patients are supported by friendly, skilled and enthusiastic teams to enable them to move forwards with their recovery. This role requires the experience, willingness and skills to work in different clinical wards and environments and take a positive approach in team working. Experience of supporting people with mental health and/ or learning disabilities is required. We are looking for people who can support patients in a calm and therapeutic manner, especially in difficult or distressing circumstances, in accordance with their care plans and under supervision of registered practitioners. Full or part time hours available (minimum 22.5 hours per week) - this post requires shift working including nights, weekends and Bank Holidays. ## Job Description To work flexibly according to service and clinical need across the inpatient mental health wards and units. Take a positive approach to teamwork. Therapeutically observe and engage with patients in accordance with their care plan. Appropriately report and escalate to the registered member of staff on shift. Spend time listening to people with empathy and compassion, helping them to identify solutions to the problems they are facing and access resources that may enable their recovery. To ensure provision of privacy and dignity to all patients. To therapeutically engage and support patients in emotional regulation strategies during times of distress, and in de-escalation of aggression and conflict situations, in line with care plans, Trust policy and guidance of registered practitioners. To undertake and accurately record physical health monitoring and observations, and report/escalate as required to registered practitioner. You may be required to accompany patients outside of the hospital, or on occasion to work on another clinical site, this will be within your working hours and with any required transport arranged Successful completion of the Trust Prevention and Management Violence and Aggression (PMVA) training is a requirement of this role. Applicants must hold a valid, permanent right to work in the UK. Please note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this post ## Responsibilities For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post. We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidate’s individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application. As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact \[email protected\] This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The Trust will cover the cost of this for the successful candidate. ## Person Specification ### Job Specific Experience \[PS Criteria: 2.1\] **Essential** - What experience do you have of working with people with mental health and / or learning disabilities, including demonstrable skills in supporting people in emotional distress. How does your experience meet these essential criteria? ### Job Specific Experience \[PS Criteria: 2.5\] **Essential** - How do you work well in a team? (Please provide an example) ### Personal Qualities/Atrributes \[PS Criteria: 3.1\] **Essential** - Have you previously worked or volunteered in a busy or high-paced environment? Please provide an example where you have remained calm under pressure. ### Knowledge, Skills and Training \[PS Criteria: 1.2\] **Essential** - Have you undertaken any previous training to develop your skills and/or willing to professionally develop to meet the needs of the service. (Please provide details). ### Personal Qualities/Attributes \[PS Criteria: 3.2 / 3.3 / 3.4 / 3.5\] **Essential** - Thinking about the skills neeed for this position such as listening, empathy, motivation and prioritisation. Please state how your personal skills allign and why this role appeals to you. ### Knowledge, Skills and Training / Job Specific Experience \[PS Criteria: 1.1 / 2.2\] **Essential** - What experience do you hold which is relevant to the role? ## Documents - [dbs information (pdf, 22.9kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2340) - [staff benefits leaflet (pdf, 316.1kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=695) - [pay scales from 1 april 2025 (pdf, 44.6kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=1941) - [applications recruitment flowchart (pdf, 434.1kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=866) - [job description and person specification (pdf, 210.7kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10417671) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.