Senior Health Care Support Worker

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for  an experienced senior support worker to work in Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust, Older Adults Community Mental Health Teams. You will be working alongside the Discharge & Assessment nurses  in supporting the Integrated Care Team  for older adults with delivering physical health and mental health care to our older adults service users.

The applicant will be in a dedicated role to champion both physical and mental health well being  and liaising with health professionals  from other disciplines. This includes   care providers and out side agency who support service user managing both mental  health and physical health.

The applicant will work as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team, will be responsible for assessing the physical health needs of a diverse population of service users over the age of 65, working within the persons' home environment and care homes.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work within the Mental Health Services for Older  supporting service user both in the community and care home setting, experiancing  frailty and complex physical health. . The post holder will promote and encourage healthy lifestyles and will assist people to access the support they need to recover from their mental health and physical health problems, promoting and maintain recovery.

In return we offer regular supervision, access to training and development, an individual personal development plan to enable you to explore your own career and development options within the health and social care environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The post holder will contribute to assessment of both physical and mental health needs. With a focus on improving the physical health of people experiancing  mental illness, the post holder will understand the relationship between physical and mental wellbeing.
• To work with other agencies to deliver a systems approach in ensuring service users physical health and wellbeing needs are met.
• The post holder will partake in the physiological assessment of our service users who have been identified as having a mental illness. They will take and record physical health checks including blood pressure pulse, weight and BMI. .
• The post holder will have a good understanding of the clinical guidelines of physical health monitoring and recognize when action needs to be taken due to deteriorating health.
• To assess patients holistically. Assessing lifestyles, exercise, activities, mental health, nutrition, smoking, alcohol, drug use and frailty. Giving advice on healthy lifestyles following evidenced based practice and signposting our service users to other services.
• The post holder will work alongside other professionals within the community mental health teams and wider mental health and physical health services.
• The post holder will work as part of the multidisciplinary team.
• The post holder will arrange physical health assessments with the service users within their preferred environment, offering an outreach model of care.
• To provide information on health promotion in a way that is meaningful for the service user.
• To work with service users, families, carers and relevant staff to develop physical health care plans.
• To ensure information is recorded accurately, in a timely manner on the electronic patient record, and shared when appropriate with health and social care professionals, service users, carers and families.
• To promote positive physical health to patients, carers, families and staff.
• To contribute to regular audit and data collection to demonstrate effectiveness of the treatment provided
• To support service users carers and families  to understand   physical health needs can impact on there mental health and visa versa.
• To provide regular input to quality improvement meetings, to continue to support service improvement in promoting positive physical and mental health
• To form professional relationships with service users and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
• Report regularly to the clinical supervisor/team leader to discuss any concerns or issues.
• Make good use of clinical supervision to discuss casework, make plans for action, reflect on and implement best practice.
• To ensure the required contact times are adhered to and that allocated activity levels are met.
• To assist in the reporting of daily service user and non-service user contact information and is returned on time.
• To demonstrate effective communication, sharing of information and participation in developments within the service.
• To work within clinical protocols, guidelines, and the team standard operating procedure.
• To provide information to assist in the investigation of complaints, safeguarding vulnerable adults/children and serious incidents.
• To actively engage with patients, obtain their views and encourage their involvement in service delivery.
• To ensure adherence to Trust policies and procedures relating to health and safety at work.
• To be responsible for safe storage and maintenance of equipment needed to carry out duties, ensuring standards of infection control and health and safety are maintained.
• To be responsible for own use of Trust property, e.g. mobile phone, laptop and other equipment.
• To monitor stock levels for use in own service and request new equipment as appropriate.

All staff should comply with the Trust’s Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity.