Perinatal Support Time Recovery Worker | East London NHS Foundation Trust

Bedfordshire Perinatal Mental Health Team is looking for passionate individualswho are looking to make a difference whilst working in an environment that promotes staff development and training opportunities.

ELFT is passionate about developing its own staff, driving them to go on to become more established practitioners and this post is no different.

You could bean existing support worker looking to take your next steps or an experienced practitioner looking for a new venture; we have training and development opportunities tailored to suit your needs within the perinatal framework.

Our team operates Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm however there are opportunities for flexibility available in a team that is dynamic and transforming the way we offer support women and birthing people in Bedfordshire with perinatal mental health challenges. If this sounds like something that could inspire you then we want to hear from you!

We are looking for an individual with a special interest in improving care for women, birthing people and their families. Experience of working in the perinatal mental health field is desirable; a keen interest in this specialist area is essential.

The Perinatal Mental Health service provides specialist, multidisciplinary perinatal mental health care for women from preconception, during pregnancy and up to two years postnatal who live in Bedfordshire and Luton.

To help support you with the above we offer a robust induction and tailored training is given and encouraged. ELFT perinatal teams do offer regular in-house training opportunities to learn from each other with the aim to continuously improve our practice.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve.

Our values are

We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

The post holder will work as a part of the Perinatal Mental Health Team across Bedfordshire

and Luton, supporting the provision of interventions that will be offered to women in the

perinatal period (Pregnancy to 1 year postnatal) experiencing mental health difficulties.

The post holder will provide support and time to service users to help their recovery. This will

include working with services users and carers in their own homes, in various community

settings and supporting senior colleagues with assessments in settings as detailed above.

.

STR Worker key functions

. Promote Independent Living

. Form positive therapeutic relationships that support service users’ own decision- making

and build on their own strengths

. Provide practical support

. Provide support with daily living activities

. Facilitate service users to live ‘ordinary lives’

. Help service users to gain access to resources

. Provide information on Health Promotion

. Support service users with involvement/participation in their treatment (including

medication support and appropriate attendance to appointments)

. Physical health monitoring

. Promote social inclusion by; supporting service users to engage in activities to support

employment/vocation, education, leisure, social networks and community connections.

. Key responsibilities of the STR Worker Role

. To work as part of the perinatal mental health team to positively promote recovery and

social inclusion by focusing on the direct needs of service users, working across boundaries

of care, organisations and roles.

. To provide support directly and flexibility to service users towards goals defined in her care.

. To support the development of specific care plans aimed at promoting social engagement,

healthy living and independence.

. Maintain information and knowledge of and links with community resources and actively

support service users to use these resources, thereby countering discrimination and

encouraging social inclusion.

. Assist Mental Health Practitioners to plan implement and evaluate service user interventions

by supporting service users to identify their needs/aspirations and make recommendations

for further interventions.

. Provide support and give time to service users, working within an agreed plan, helping them

to build their own support networks, develop coping strategies, participate in their own

recovery and achieve their identified outcomes, disengaging at the appropriate time. This

may include supporting individuals to manage budgets agreed as part of their self-directed

support package.

. Help identify early signs of relapse by monitoring the service user’s progress level of

functioning and mental state, and alert the appropriate staff involved in the individual’s

care.

. Offer support and advice to carers to enable them to help the service user develop

independence and dignity.

. To undertake carer assessments as required.

. Planning and organisation of activities that support service users under the care of the PMHT

to recover.

. Assist senior colleagues with both the assessment & triage processes for the PMHT.

. To work as part of the team as well as independently, particularly in their role supporting

service users to attend appointments and liaise with relevant professionals to support

service user recovery.

. Contribute to the development of good working relationships with other professionals and

services aimed at supporting service user recovery.

. In collaboration with the senior assessing professional, develop a short term plan of action

to address identified needs, manage immediate risks and negotiate best possible outcomes

for service users and carers.

. Support PMHT service development activities including induction of new staff, the continued

development and establishment of new pathways, training to other colleagues/ teams and

active participation in team away days.

. To participate in team meetings and complex case reviews, which includes initiating and

discussing new methods/models of care and participate in the introduction of research or

trials or audits within the area as required.

. To work flexibly to meet the needs of service users and carers.

. Administrative/Documentation

. The post holder will be responsible to inputting accurate and timely information into RiO

upon completion of work.

. To participate in multi-disciplinary decision-making, team building and team maintenance.

. To report incidents, complaints and/or accidents, to ensure that appropriate documentation

is completed as soon as possible following the incident and actions are taken to safeguard

and support those involved.

. To ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to.

. To have an understanding of the importance of timely record keeping, and ensure that

electronic records are completed as soon as possible following client contact.

. Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and comprehensive records.

. Ensure activity data is recorded in databases.

. Undertake administrative tasks, including the maintenance and production of records,

reports and statistics as required.

. Supervision and Appraisal

. To participate in regular supervision meetings as determined by your line manager and

within the Trust’s Supervision Policy.

. To participate in peer group supervision where appropriate.

. To participate in the Trust’s Appraisal Process and complete a Personal Development Plan on

a yearly basis.

.

Training and Education

. To be responsible for own personal development and training needs.

. To participate in all mandatory training and ensure skills are kept up-to-date.

. To identify further training and development needs as appropriate.

. Participate in the training and education of students from various disciplines.

. Complete and update breakaway training.

. To maintain own professional standards through attendance on relevant training, education

programmes and maintenance relevant to the role of STR Worker.

. To contribute towards team education and development, providing opportunities for

exchange of ideas, experience, techniques and interventions.

. To develop an awareness of the research and background information relevant to service

users under the care of PMHT.

. Have knowledge and understanding of the legislation and guidance relevant to the PMHT

including: Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act (2005), MBRACCE reports & the NHS

Long Term Plan (2019).

. Governance, Quality and Standards

. Participate in governance and quality improvement projects as outlined by the operational

manager.

. To participate in audit and evaluation activities as agreed with the operational manager.

. Demonstrate professional practice acting at all times in the best interests of service users

within appropriate, transparent boundaries, being non-judgemental and promoting equal

opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.

. To assist in delivering a high standard of support and care to service users and their carers,

promoting their equality, dignity and mental well-being at all times.

. Responsibility for Human Resources

. You will be required to demonstrate own activities to new or less experienced employees.

. Freedom to Act

. You will have a clearly defined understanding of policies and procedures. Your work is

managed, rather than supervised.

. You will work within professional codes of practice and professional guidelines.

. The range of duties and responsibilities outlined above are indicative only and intended to

give a broad flavour of the range and type of duties allocated. They are subject to

modification in the light of changing service demands and the development requirements of

the post holder.

Behaviour

Post holder is expected to

. Support the aims and vision of the Trust;

. Act with honesty and integrity at all times;

. Be a positive ambassador for the Trust;

. Demonstrate high standards of personal conduct;

. Value and respect colleagues, other members of staff, service users and carers;

. Work with others to develop and improve our services;

. Uphold the Trust’s commitment to equality and diversity;

. Take personal responsibility for their words, deed and actions and the quality of the service

they deliver.

Any other duties as delegated by your line manager.

This advert closes on Sunday 20 Sep 2026