Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
Healthcare Support Worker
The closing date is 19 November 2026

Job summary
Are you a compassionate, a resilient professional, passionate about inpatient mental health?

Amberwood Ward is a 17-bedded acute mental health unit for adult males experiencing acute crisis. We are seeking 2 dedicated Band 3 Healthcare Support Workers to join our close-knit, multidisciplinary ward team.

In this vital role, you will be at the front line of patient care, offering comfort, empathy, and active support to men during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. Working flexibly across a 24-hour, 7-day rota, you will build therapeutic relationships, promote independence, and help shape a safe, recovery-focused environment on the ward.

If you thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced acute environment and are driven to make a real difference in male mental health care, we would love to welcome your expertise to Amberwood Ward.

Main duties of the job

• Consistently delivering a patient focused service, which promotes optimum independence.
• Providing and receiving routine information orally, in writing or electronically to inform work colleagues, patients, clients, carers, the public or other external contacts.
• Offering appropriate support and advice to patients and their carers.
• Awareness of different challenging situations where communication needs to be adapted to the needs of the individual.
• Enabling patients to maintain and improve their independence by promoting and facilitating therapeutic activity.
• Giving physical health checks and physical health care as required or instructed documenting the physical health checks on the early warning scoring system (MEWS), chart and reporting changes to the nurse/healthcare professional in charge.
• Undertaking day to day tasks as allocated by Nurse/healthcare professional in Charge.
• Undertaking all relevant training as directed and participating in regular management/clinical supervision and appraisal.

About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway.

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Date posted 06 November 2026
Pay scheme Agenda for change
Band Band 3
Salary £25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum, plus High Cost Area allowance
Contract Permanent
Working pattern Full-time
Reference number 380-AC0849-A
Job locations Little Brook Hospital, Bow Arrow Lane, Dartford, DA2 6PB, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification
The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting, is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.
As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.
5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,346 per year and a maximum payment of £2,270 per year (2026/27 figures).

Person Specification
Training, Qualifications and Registration

• Essential: Level 3 Qualification in Health and Social care or equivalent
• Essential: Care Certificate or ability to obtain within 6 months
• Essential: Computer literate

Experience

• Essential: A varied and considerable experience of working within Mental Health/Learning Disabilities setting
• Desirable: NHS Experience

Knowledge and Skills

• Essential: Numeracy and English literacy skills
• Essential: Punctual and flexible across hours of work
• Essential: Ability to be flexible and responsive
• Essential: Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team, under the direction and supervision of a registered practitioner

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.

Employer details
Employer name Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
Address Little Brook Hospital, Bow Arrow Lane, Dartford, DA2 6PB, United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Ward Manager, Susan Jolaoso, Susan.Jolaoso@nhs.net, 01322622491

Supporting documents
Privacy notice Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust's privacy notice