Welcome from our Chief Executive

Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

6 month post

An excellent opportunity has become available for a highly motivated and passionate Housing Specialist to join Meadowfield Hospital.

Meadowfield is a purpose built acute mental health unit in Worthing, offering person-centered and individualised care to the people of Adur, Arun and Worthing. Meadowfield has 34 mixed gender beds for people of working age (Maple and Rowan Wards). We also have Larch Ward for people over the age of 65; all 3 wards operate with open doors. This is something we are incredibly proud of here at Meadowfield, and often contributes to positive comments about the atmosphere here on any of the wards.

This is an exciting opportunity for someoneto join a dedicated team of Nurses, Healthcare Assistants and Occupational Therapists that pride themselves on delivering high quality and care. You will be responsible for providing comprehensive housing related support services to vulnerable people aged 16+ who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless at the point of discharge.

To protect the health and safety of our staff/workers, patients, and those attending our sites, we encourage our workforce to get fully vaccinated against COVID.

Main duties of the job

To deliver specialist housing advice, assistance, and interventions to people who use our services in relation to their housing needs which will prevent or relieve homelessness, secure good quality and longer term settled housing solutions, and reduce financial hardship.

Prepare information and support decision makers on formal applications for assistance, on behalf of the Local Housing Authority they are attached to, from persons who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness, acting in accordance with the homelessness legislation, statutory Code of Guidance and the policies of the relevant Local Housing Authority.

To work between local mental health and housing systems to ensure people who use our services and staff receive high quality and timely specialist housing input and access to wider housing teams and referral pathways.

Working for our organisation

We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

Working in Sussex:

• Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns
• Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London
• With easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow and excellent railway links across the UK there is plenty of opportunity for adventure

We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, in our recent staff survey 82% told us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

Key staff survey results include:

• 70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work
• 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team
• 77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We are looking for a positive, resilient, compassionate, enthusiastic Housing Support Worker with highly-developed organisational and interpersonal skills to assist with patients housing needs and successful discharge to appropriate housing or instigate support that will enable them to remain in their accommodation.

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

If you are reading this and thinking this is the ideal job opportunity for you and you would like more information, please do contact me on the number below. I would welcome interested applicants for a conversation about the role.

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Undergraduate degree in relevant field or equivalent experience
• Evidence of continuous professional development

Knowledge / Experience
Essential criteria

• Significant experience of working in a professional housing advice capacity with people who have housing and mental health needs
• Good knowledge and understanding of relevant areas of housing policy and practice including the law relating to local housing authority homelessness duties and the allocation of social housing.
• Good understanding of the role and responsibilities in relation to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children.
• Experience of partnership working within and across various statutory and non-statutory teams and agencies

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children's social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.