Job summary
This role is a key part of the Luton and Bedfordshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Service within ELFT, working as an integral member of the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). The post holder supports adults with acute, chronic, or complex mental health needs, promoting recovery, independence, and wellbeing through time-limited, goal-focused interventions.

The job centres on holistic, person-centred support, delivered under the direction of Senior Community Nurses and the service user's Care Coordinator. As stated in the document, the worker "supports service users to direct their own Recovery process... and co-produce care plans to support these".

Core Purpose of the Role
The Community Support Worker provides structured, recovery-oriented support for up to 12 sessions, helping service users identify strengths, set goals, and engage with community resources. The role blends mental health support, physical health monitoring, carer involvement, and multi-disciplinary teamwork.

The post holder also plays a vital role in carer support, completing assessments, reviews, signposting, and funding applications.

Main duties of the job

• Recovery-Focused Support: Empower service users to lead their own recovery, helping them identify goals, strengths, interests, and needs.
• Co-produce care plans with service users and the MDT.
• Deliver time-limited, goal-based interventions for up to 12 weeks under the direction of the Care Coordinator.
• Support service users to access meaningful activities, community groups, and social networks.
• Promote healthy, positive relationships and help individuals reduce or avoid harmful ones.
• Assist individuals in managing their mental health on a day-to-day basis, enabling service users to identify, access and engage with local support networks.

Risk Assessment and Safeguarding

• Assess and manage risk in line with Trust policies.
• Ensure risk does not unnecessarily restrict recovery.
• Escalate concerns about wellbeing or safeguarding to the Care Coordinator or Team Lead immediately.
• Participate in joint visits for complex or high-risk cases requiring two staff.

Physical Health Monitoring

• Undertake baseline physical observations, including blood pressure, pulse, respirations, weight, height, glucose monitoring, and sleep, eating, elimination patterns.
• Identify abnormal results and escalate to nursing/medical colleagues.

Job responsibilities
The post holder will work as part of the Community Mental Health Team, providing high-quality, recovery-focused support to patients with mental health needs. The role involves working alongside registered professionals and the wider multidisciplinary team to promote patient wellbeing, independence, and positive outcomes.

• Provide person-centred support to patients in the community, supporting recovery, resilience, and social inclusion.
• Develop and maintain effective therapeutic relationships with patients, carers, and families, promoting choice, dignity, and respect.
• Work alongside the multidisciplinary team to support the delivery of individualised care plans and agreed interventions.
• Provide practical and emotional support to patients, including assistance with daily living skills, accessing community resources, and achieving personal goals.
• Recognise changes in patients presentation, wellbeing, or risks and report concerns promptly to appropriate clinical colleagues.
• Support engagement with services, helping to improve access and continuity of care for vulnerable patients.
• Contribute to the assessment, monitoring, and review of patient progress within the boundaries of the role.
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical records in line with Trust policies and professional standards.
• Participate in team meetings, supervision, training, and service development activities.
• Work collaboratively with health, social care, voluntary sector, and community partners to support coordinated care.
• Promote equality, diversity, inclusion, and a compassionate approach in all interactions with patients, carers, and colleagues.

Person Specification
Demonstrate competence in using RIO
Essential: Achieved grade/Years of Experience
Desirable: Is the post holder trauma informed trained?

Experience of managing complex cases
Essential: Years of experience
Desirable: Trained in annual physical health checks

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here: Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details
Employer name: East London NHS Foundation Trust
Employer's website: https://www.elft.nhs.uk/

For questions about the job, contact: Lorraine Adams, Operational Lead, lorraine.adams5@nhs.net, 07435734597

Closing date: 22 November 2026
Reference number: 363-LUT8211097-A

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