Healthcare Assistant (Maple Ward) | South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

We are seeking a dynamic and dedicated individual for the pivotal role as Healthcare Assistant at our values-driven Trust. This is a unique opportunity for someone to help shape the future of mental health services while developing a career in a supportive and innovative environment that is committed to inclusion, equity and being actively anti-racist.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an innovative Short Stay mixed gender Psychiatric Ward operating on a maximum 28-day admission framework. The model integrates evidence-based approaches including robust gatekeeping processes, intensive multidisciplinary team (MDT) working, the Red to Green discharge facilitation approach, and strong integration with Home Treatment Teams (HTT) for both admission prevention and early supported discharge.

We are keen to welcome both non-clinical staff and clinicians both with experience and those who are new to mental health. You will need to demonstrate you are forward thinking with a proactive nature and excellent communication and relational skills. Championing patient centred care and collaboration with carers and families is critical to success in securing a position within the team. The team is part of the acute and urgent care service line which covers the acute pathway including urgent care, inpatient care and Home treatment teams.

The Healthcare Assistant is the role for those who have experience and training, in clinical practice, in a ward or other clinical setting. The postholder will provide personalised care to service users, undertaking clinical tasks with supportive supervision as required.

Those in this role will spend significant amounts of time engaging with people who use our services. Healthcare Assistant’s may go on to progress to become a Nursing Associate or Assistant Practitioner, once they have completed the necessary training and demonstrated the necessary competences.

We are a recovery focused service line. Working within the acute service line service line requires a high degree of personal resilience and the successful candidate will need to be highly motivated and enthusiastic, be mindful of personal and professional boundaries and able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team setting.

Interviews will be taking place on 21stand 22ndMay and there will be an interview and assessment as part of the selection process. If invited for an interview, you will be required to bring your Care Certificate to the interview.

Unless expressly stated in the job advert this role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ - we aspire to be ‘outstanding’.

We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together.We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

About our locations

Springfield University Hospital, Tooting

Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities. A 32-acre public park, shops and cafes are now opening. Springfield is close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.

The successful candidate will

• Work under guidance of the Registered Nurse/AP/NA to implement the delivery of quality nursing care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities
• Lead on undertaking activities to ensure that the fundamental standards of care are met, including nutrition, hygiene, comfort, emotional and social support.
• Undertake 1-1 engagement with service users in an honest, non-judgmental and open way.
• Maintain service user dignity and respect at all times and ensure tat care provided respects equality and diversity.
• Escalate any concerns to the Registered Nurse.
• Monitor and record clinical observations, i.e. physical observations and vital signs and escalate any concerns appropriately.
• Implement the principles of recovery through engaging and supporting service users to engage with healthy lifestyles and facilitate psychosocial activities.
• Escort service users in line with Trust policies.
• Facilitate the admission and discharge of service users, including activities such as property checks and orientation to services.
• Advocate for service users’ rights and needs within Trust policy.
• Demonstrate an understanding of mental health signs and symptoms and an understanding of how these may present in practice, including recognition of impact of patient presentation and behaviour including risk factors.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the MHA, MCA and DOLS and other legislation applicable to the practice area and how they are implemented in practice.
• Contributing to an effective communication process with appropriate and accurate information to patients, carers, family, friends and colleagues. Engaging and listening carefully and actively, and responding using appropriate language and accessible communication methods and skills.
• Demonstrating effective clinical communication and documentation: effective verbal and written handover of relevant and objective information, ability to determine key information, ability to recognize and describe effectively symptoms of mental illness, distress or of a deteriorating patient, and ability to escalate issues of concerns effectively and in a timely manner.
• Reporting, without delay, any safety or security concerns to maintain the safety of service users, carers, staff and others to appropriate authorities and organisations.
• Reporting safeguarding concerns to a Registered Nurse.
• Protecting service users, self and others by maintaining a clean and healthy environment in accordance with health and safety and infection control policies. Supporting senior staff in ensuring audit and compliance activities and reports are kept up to date.
• Working in ways that support shared responsibility within the team: demonstrating support, respect and courtesy towards colleagues; working in a professional manner and with Trust values always in mind, respecting the boundaries of the relationship with service users/patients, carers and staff.

This advert closes on Sunday 17 May 2026