Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Community Support Worker
The closing date is 17 November 2026

Job summary
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic Community Support Worker to join the Mid Essex First Episode Psychosis Team, based at The Gables in Braintree. Come and join our dynamic multidisciplinary Early Intervention in Psychosis Team offering a wide range of biopsychosocial interventions in a Specialist Team. This role will require the post holder to work across the geographical locality of Mid Essex. The team uses a Multi-disciplinary approach to provide care, promote recovery and social inclusion to people from the age of 14-65 years who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, a First Episode Psychosis.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop skills of working with this group of service users in the community.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all of our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately your application form be rejected from the process.

Please note this vacancy requires a face to face interview with the Recruiting Manager. Applicants that are unable to attend a face to face interview need not apply.

Main duties of the job
As a community support worker you will both support qualified practitioners to support people experiencing a first episode of psychosis or will work independently on service users goals towards recovery. This requires extensive independent travel across Mid Essex, which is a semi-rural area.

Community support workers contribute to people's recovery by supporting with access to the community as well as supporting with more practical aspects of life to promote independence and recovery.

The role also includes carrying out physical health checks within the community including taking bloods and doing ECG's as well as routine observations.

About us
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment.

Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank? Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Details
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 3
Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 364-B-599
Job locations: The Gables, 17 Bocking End, Braintree, CM7 9AE, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities

• Supporting the qualified clinicians with developing and implementing care plans and co-working complex clients with a first episode of psychosis
• Support with the running physical health check clinics and promoting a healthy lifestyle clinics
• Develop and facilitate community based groups that support the agenda of physical health and mental wellbeing
• Encourage and support service users to engage with their local community
• Assist Senior Clinicians in the risk assessment and management of complex cases
• Identify any possible safeguarding concerns and escalate to your supervisors
• Support the promotion of carer and service user involvement within the service and participate in training associated with this
• Completing carers assessments and facilitating carers groups
• Attend team meetings i.e. referral/zoning/MDT/business meetings as appropriate
• Support service users to identify strengths, personal interests and achievements and work towards meaningful recovery goals.

The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) brings together key health, care, community, and voluntary sector organisations from across our area. Our aim is to work together in partnership to join up health and care services, improving our populations health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. One such example of this collaborative work is the launch of our HCA Academy, an ICS initiative between Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) to support the incoming Health Care assistant (HCA) workforce. The academy models a one workforce cross system approach to the onboarding, induction, education and experience of Healthcare Assistants.

To support this one workforce model the successful candidate for this post will be required to attend our 5 day (Monday to Friday) face to face Induction Programme at our MSE ICS Education Hub at Brentwood Community Hospital. Your start date will therefore fall on one of two of the HCA Academy induction dates across the month, which will be discussed and agreed during the recruitment process.

Our HCA Academy Induction programme has been designed to train and support the successful candidate through the early stages of their employment at EPUT and will provide opportunities to enhance skills, knowledge and experience.

Further information will be provided post interview.

This will be followed by an additional 5 day (Monday to Friday) EPUT corporate / mandatory training welcome. (EPUT Welcome will be varied between face to face and virtual delivery).

Person Specification
Physical health checks
Essential: Ability to perform physical health checks independently
Desirable: Ability to take blood and ECGS

Community support worker
Essential: Experience of working with people who have experienced psychosis
Desirable: Working in the community with people who have experienced psychosis

Experience
Essential: working in a community mental health team or equivalent

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.

Employer details
Employer name: Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address: The Gables, 17 Bocking End, Braintree, CM7 9AE, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://eput.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Operational Team Manager, Jenny Tanner, jennifertanner@nhs.net, 01376522300

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