Community Support Worker

Are you looking for a new and exciting opportunity?

Are you passionate about supporting people with mental health challenges?

Look no further, we have the role for you

You will work alongside a supportive team and will be involved in community visits and building relationships with clients with a history of SMI (Serious Mental Illness) that are not engaging with their GP surgery; the work includes client contact and communication, undertaking simple physical health checks when necessary as well as encouraging/ supporting clients to attend their surgery appointments.

This post covers the areas of

Chichester and Rural Chichester.

You will work with a group of GP surgeries in a specified area of West Sussex, taking into consideration your location preference, as an important member of the Mental Health Multidisciplinary Team, to help to form a joined up approach for SMI patients.

**You will be required to**:
To actively undertake community visits in a variety of settings (E.g. G.P Surgeries, home visits and community centres), to deliver a simple physical health assessment including taking bloods once venepuncture training is completed.

Work with a range of Health Care staff and attend relevant GP Surgery and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) meetings to ensure individuals you work with receive appropriate interventions and follow up care.

To work with individuals, Health Care and Voluntary and Community partners to develop physical health care goals for the people you work with and plans to promote and encourage self-management of physical health.

Refer and help individuals worked with to develop supportive relationships with partner organisations and communities to access Health Improvement interventions.

As we work towards our goal of providing accessible and supportive service across Sussex our community mental health services are being transformed to recognise the changes in how people want to access them. We are working in close partnership with a range of partners and our 'experts by experience' to develop and improve our service offer.

As part of this exciting transformation, we are expanding our community rehabilitation, personality disorder and eating disorder services, as well as providing investment to our community mental health teams and increasing mental health provision in primary care.

What does this mean for you?

Because we need to recruit a diverse range of people and skillsets to join us, the job (and training & development) opportunities we have on offer are as broad as they are interesting.

As part of the transformation for community mental health services, our Access Facilitator Service will work with and build supportive working relationships with G.P Practices, Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (SPFT) services and Voluntary and Community sector partners and providers. You will be fully supported with a comprehensive induction, training programme, regular supervision and informal support by the wider team.

**REQUIREMENTS**:
In order to be a successful Access Facilitator in our team you will have:
An interest in and enthusiasm for supporting people with mental health conditions

Ability to communicate and build relationships with service users, carers and family members

Willingness to complete relevant physical health checks and interventions

Willingness to complete relevant physical health checks training including taking bloods

This is a hugely exciting opportunity, to be working for a new and innovative service that will be very important in achieving the objectives of the Adult Community Transformation Programme.

While some prior knowledge of health checks and working with people with mental illness would be useful, we will be providing the necessary training to carry out the post successfully if you are not from a health care background.

As part of this role we will also be offering you the fantastic opportunity to join our Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship course, this would enable you to, over a maximum of 24 months to gain a Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support. You would be fully supported throughout the course through a work-based tutor and regular reviews.

Join us and you will be working for a Trust that is continuously developing a working environment and culture which is based on trust, learning, accountability and responsibility, where staff feel empowered to influence and make positive changes to working practices.

We also place a huge focus on the wellbeing of our staff, as well as ensuring our reward packages reflect the immensely important work you would be doing. Our partnership 'perks' include the following:
Generous holiday entitlement

Cycle scheme

Generous pension

Flexible working

Tax free child care

Travel season ticket

Continuous professional development

Retailer and restaurant discounts

Gym and fitness discounts

Mindfulness courses

Free eye exam and discounted glasses

Discounted car scheme