Senior Healthcare Support Worker - Bures Ipswich

Job description

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation TrustSenior Healthcare Support Worker - Bures IpswichThe closing date is 20 May 2026

Are you an experienced HCSW with a positive, adaptive and enthusiastic outlook looking for an exciting and dynamic role?

Do you currently work in a Mental Health setting or dementia unit? If so, we would really be interested in your application.

Do you have a passion for caring for patients with enhanced therapeutic care needs? Do you want the advantage of team rostering supporting your work life balance?

We have an exciting opportunity for you to join Bures team, a highly skilled and versatile team that works across Ipswich hospital, providing vital support to all adult clinical specialities.

Bures team Healthcare Support Workers will assist across all adult wards and departments of the hospital for patients who may require additional support due to their illness, unfamiliar surroundings, medication, mental health or challenging behaviour needs. Enhanced observation is an integral part of a therapeutic plan and ensures the safe and sensitive monitoring of a patient's physical and psychological wellbeing, while building therapeutic relationships.

Enhanced therapeutic observational care could be supporting 'cohorted' or patients who require 1-1 support.

This dynamic team will play a pivotal role in responding to operational demands, ensuring our ward and departments receive the support they need when they need it most.

Previous NHS Experience and NHS Care Certificate is essential for this role.

Main duties of the jobThis unique position offers the right candidate a chance to gain experience across a wide variety of specialities, developing your skills and expertise to become a highly versatile and experienced health care support worker. By working across diverse clinical areas, you'll build a wealth of knowledge and adaptability, empowering you to thrive in any situation and provide exceptional care.

You will need to be flexible and adaptable as you could be supporting multiple areas during a shift - going where the need is greatest.

This role is perfect for someone who is eager to grow, embrace challenges and make a significant impact across the hospital.

We are committed to supporting you on this journey, providing the training and development needed to help you become the very best in this role.

In addition, we offer team rostering allowing you to request as many or as little of your off duty as you like (typically 70-80% of these will be approved). We want you to thrive in your new role while maintaining a healthy work life balance. Choose your own shifts from available long days and nights.

You will receive 2-day Enhanced Therapeutic Observation and care workshop and a 2-day Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression workshop. There will also be supernumerary time in areas you may not have worked in before to build your confidence, knowledge and skills.

About usWe are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what is widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Person SpecificationExperience

Previous experience in an acute NHS, mental health or dementia setting

Experience in enhanced therapeutic observations and care

Qualifications

Care certificate achieved or demonstrable relevant skills

Evidence of completed competencies as part of a professional portfolio

Level 3 vocational qualification or equivalent experience

Willingness to undertake further study

Evidence of functional skills or willingness to undertake

Knowledge

Awareness of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of patient's relatives and carers

Awareness of the nature of the carers role in assisting patients to fulfil basic human needs.

Knowledge of clinical procedures and observations

Knowledge of relevant legislation

Understanding of risk management, health and safety issues, including safe manual handling.

Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer nameEast Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum pro rata + unsocial hours allowance

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Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Ipswich

Type of Contract

Full-time jobs

Published at

21-05-2026

Profession type

Counselling and Social Services

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English