Health Care Assistant - Mental Health Inpatients

Job summary

Every day, our Health Care Assistants make a real difference to the lives of people experiencing mental health challenges. Whether supporting someone through an acute mental health crisis, helping an older person maintain their independence and dignity, or encouraging recovery in a specialist low secure environment, you will play a vital role in helping patients feel safe, supported and valued.

We are recruiting Health Care Assistants to join our inpatient mental health services across three wards within Somerset NHS Foundation Trust:

• Rydon Ward - Adult Acute Mental Health Inpatient Service based at Wellsprings Hospital, Taunton.
• Pyrland Ward - Older Persons Mental Health Inpatient Service based in Taunton.
• Ash Ward - Low Secure Forensic Mental Health Service based at Broadway Health Park, Bridgwater.

We welcome applications from people at all stages of their career. You may already have experience in a healthcare or social care setting, or you may simply have the values, compassion and enthusiasm needed to support people during some of the most challenging times in their lives. If you're looking for a meaningful role with opportunities to learn, develop and grow within mental health services, we would love to hear from you.

As part of your application, please tell us which ward(s) you would like to be considered for and list your preferences in order. This helps us ensure we match successful candidates to the service that best suits their skills, interests and career goals.

Main duties of the job

As a Health Care Assistant, you will:

• Build positive, therapeutic relationships with patients and support their recovery journey.
• Support patients with day-to-day activities, personal care, nutrition, wellbeing and independence.
• Work alongside nurses, occupational therapists and the wider multidisciplinary team to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.
• Encourage participation in therapeutic, social and recovery-focused activities.
• Help maintain a safe, welcoming and supportive ward environment for patients, families and visitors.
• Observe and report changes in patients' physical or mental wellbeing, contributing to safe and effective care.
• Support the team in responding calmly and professionally to challenging situations using de-escalation techniques and specialist training.

We recognise that AI tools can be helpful when preparing job applications. However, we want to understand your experiences, skills and motivation for applying, so please ensure your supporting information genuinely reflects you.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.