support worker

registered mental health nurse

registered nurse

healthcare assistant

nurse

Elysium-Healthcare

I was so excited when starting my job at Springwood lodge, you get promised all these benefits, chance to upskill etc- however non of this arises. The recruitment and induction process is fast and easy which i was impressed with- however this then made sense with how high the turn over us (However it is understandable that this setting isn't for everyone and you don't know until you try!)  That being said, there is such a lack of support from management whether this is personal matters, or issues raised concerning how the wards are run. The ward is always understaffed with rotas often being changed without informing people meaning people aren't showing up for correct shifts or at all due to people being put down for extra shifts that haven't agreed to. This leaves the ward, patients and staff vulnerable. There has been numerous occasions when the ward has been 'Over-staffed' so bank/agency workers have been sent home in the morning but by the afternoon this leads to the ward being understaffed as incidents happen and there isnt enough staff to help with restraints/help swap out restraints/cover lunches. So this isnt really thought through when they are sent home- i think theyre more bothered about not wanting to pay out money they dont need to rather than thinking about the service user and staffs needs. If a service user needs to go to hospital this would again be a struggle with staffing-  Hospital shifts are also a struggle if you are going on a 2:1 this means you are unable to have a break for 12 hours which is not ok going all day without food and drink. You often dont find out you are going on a hospital shift/something may happen during a shift which results in a hospital trip meaning you have no time to prepare getting food/eating before. A lot of agency staff, some of them are spot on and know the job well however there has been numerous times where they haven't known the correct holds or have fallen asleep on observations- oh and may I add a 'Nurse' did this as well! Handover can be rushed meaning information gets missed, this can then lead to service users getting frustrated/upset when you may not allow them to have an item- which they are now allowed but wasn't handed over to the next staff on shift! This can also be dangerous when it is an item they may now not be allowed access to that they could previously. Most of the nurses on shift are spot on (Especially night shift) However there are some nurses who just constantly sit in the office and don't offer support when it is needed, some service users have often requested 1:1's with nurses which is refused because they are 'busy' yet they are actually sat in the office scrolling on the internet.. non work related. This has often lead to incidents which could have possibly been helped and de-escalated if the nurses took time to actually help do their job. There is also no sense of urgency from some nurses- there was an occasion where employers where shouting for the fish knife and the nurse just walked down the corridor with it with no rush in them at all. I feel really sorry for the service users are they must be SO bored- The OT rarely seemed to be on the ward and when they were there seemed to be some favouritism with who they catered the activities to. The activities are always the same and a lot of the time most service users cant get involved because they aren't allowed access to the objects they're using or arent allowed off the ward. The food is pretty shocking too and again i feel sorry for the service users, there has been plenty of times where they have had to order takeaways instead because the food isnt nice, or orders get missed off. You'd think they would have a good menu and that it would be full of nutrition etc but it is usually - Spag bol, Jacket Potato, Omlettes, Sandwhiches.. Although the food is free for staff whilst on shift you dont always get chance to eat your lunch due to being in a restraint - On night shifts you do not get any food on shift like you do on a day shift so they cant really class this as a 'benefit' if you were to be a permanent night member. Whilst on the topic of night shifts- When applying i didnt apply for a 'Night' worker role, you get told you will only have to do a few night shifts each month as they do employ Night shift workers- However only a little after a month of starting i was put on nights for TWO and a half months; when i brought this up with management i got told it was to make things 'fair' for everyone.... However there is loads of staff who only get one night shift a month- These employees actually also complained and said it wasnt fair how people like myself where getting put on such long stretches of nights yet they were getting hardly any- So i dont see how this was deemed as 'fair' as it wasnt equally shared out at all. Employees are supportive of each other and it makes the shifts that bit easier and enjoyable- However after a while you can feel the work morale getting dragged down due to everyone being physically and mentally drained. To say you're literally saving peoples lives and stopping service users from harming themselves on a daily basis the pay for the mental and physical effort needed and 12hr shifts isnt enough. All in all- it is just a poorly run place which is a real shame. I think it boils down to management not really knowing what they're doing/ not being open to suggestions when they have been brought up in meetings or on a 1:1 conversation. 

AVOID AT ALL COSTS. You are paid £8.50 a hour to work 7.5- hour shifts without breaks, as in you don't even have time to get a coffee or go to the toilet. understaffing is a real issue at Elysium and as a result several problems ensue. you are told there are benefits like free parking and food only to later find out this is a total lie, and you have no time to eat at work even if you brought your own food in. There is no staff support what so ever which makes employees feel less than worthless when paid minimum wage to be physically attacked with no time to even take 5 minuets out after an assault as there isn't enough staff to cover. You are then usually put back with the same client that just attacked you and are with them the full shift even if they keep attacking you because there isn't enough staff to swap with. The team leaders and support workers are the loveliest and kindest people I have ever met however the company exploits this. They rely on kind hearted people to go above and beyond everyday, to be physically abused and not complain about their safety and get away with awful pay. When you raise issues with managers they are instantly shot down with nothing done to resolve issues which have led to staff not feeling listened to. Staff morale is ridiculously low and dropped very quickly. For a new service that isn't even full yet things fell apart very quickly. There is high staff turn over which means clients are at risk as well as distressed at the lack of regularity. Management try and rush through candidates without a DBS check so they can do paperwork in the office as they are desperate for staff to start. They don't look after or support staff when they need to take time off due to sickness caused as a result of the workplace. Your clothes are ripped regularly to the point they can no longer be worn and you are expected to cover this cost on minimum wage (works out roughly as 5t-shirts/tops per month if not more)
They pay day and night staff the same, £8.50 to work long shifts without breaks, expected to cover when people go off sick at very short notice often expecting you to cancel plans or guilt trip you into covering, there is no staff support. The monthly wellbeing budget for staff is £20 a month for a team of over 20 people so that's not even £1 for each staff member per month which really puts into perspective how much Elysium care about their work force. Any complaints are ignored even when staff have left as a result of frustration and the issues still continue. Bottom line Elysium don't fund their services enough which impacts staff morale and wellbeing, both at work and at home. Staff are underpaid and overworked without so much as a thank you, your mental and possibly physical health will suffer if you work for Elysium, as they treat you as if you were disposable. You will suffer watching clients not get the care they should receive due to not having enough people on shift to care for all clients equally, with more demanding clients receiving more attention from staff which leaves out those who still need support but aren't as challenging. All in all the staff are lovely people, Elysium as a company are awful and greedy and take advantage of the kind and helpful nature of good people. AVOID AVOID AVOID!!

*company keeps secrets , you get to know the ins of it.
All about bringing in the money as they paid per patient.
*Short staffing levels, make you work like dogs.
*Poor maintance work being carried out and seeing them doing eletricals when there not qualified to do so.
*Patients wrongly assessed and brought in beyond their risks.
*'the proffessionals dont care about the other staff being put under dangerous/volnerable situations.
*working long houred shifts , not always having breaks.
*you will have no training or lots and lots of it, be lucky to have a day off.
*working without having meals i did for months and months even though stated in my contract meals were included, poor handovers reguareing patients.
*They expect far to much from you for what you get paid.
*you dont get time to find all the information on a patient and you have to then work with them. You can press triggers without knowing.
* mentally it will effect you, anxiety or depression.
* they like to pass the book and blame and youll end up in circles getting anything sorted.
*dont care that you have a home life, leave work late and dont get paid for it.
*Your pay isnt right half the time , my 2 year employment 7 months of that was wrong, had to fight to get whats owed.
*proffionals all stick together , support/healthcare staff pushed out.
* They will empliy anybody, just have to have a good sense of humour.
*you dont get debreifs and supervisions as often as you should.
*proffessionals do less work. They stay in an office and occasionally come out.
*OT and Physiology , rarely see the patients. But they avertise what they do everywhere when it doesnt happen.
*rehabilitation , the patients end up putting on weight , patients hardly leave the place.
*you see staff having no boundaries with patients.
*managment just want more patients whatever the diagnoses and risks, the more patients the more money. 
*you dont get supported specially by managment.
*you cant be sick , they will issue written warnings, just to set an example out of you.
*the company is very like confidentual , there secretive and they belittle you. 
*You end going to hospital frequently with patients for hours and hours on end with not a phone call from work and with nothing to eat , always have to make sure you always have money on you.
*you cant do right from wrong , one staff will say to do this and another will come along and say no its like this.
 *If staff feel that you dont fit in you will certainly know about it , they speak to you inappriatly , bullying goes on in the work place and if you report it to managment you gey told its tit for tat.
*they make you work in other locations , hours away from where you live, so even longer hours.
*incompitant staff working. If you go and report anything nothing happens and gets left.
*some staff getting treated differrnt to others , eg if they like you you may not have to work weekends, some staff work every weekend for months on end while others dont.
*nurses can be bullies to support/healthcare staff making you slave after them so its an easier shift for them.

Overall its a very bad company to work for with bad managment , no consistancy and these points are onlya brief outline of many of the issues going on.

Elysium healthcare do not value their staff members. Staff on the ward and nurses are pushed to over their limits and it affects the patients and the whole run of the day/night. Working for elysium you are not a staff member you are a number that covers observations. You will work with unfamiliar agency staff who have no background of mental health/autism who are just placed on a ward without reading a care plan and expected to work these staff members do not know about high risk patients who have conditions such as dysphagia and have strict dietary needs such as mashed up/blended food, as the staff are unaware will give these patients hard solid food which can lead to choking and especially on nights staff have a maximum of 2 unqualified permanent staff members who are expected to run the ward. If you choose to work for Elysium please be prepared to have a late running break and expected to return early, you will be assaulted weekly if not daily and have no support or even be slagged off and slated for having concerns and being anxious about the incident, have no time to utilise the toilet and have no time for food or drink. On the job description Elysium looks like a great place to work however the 'wellness days' were you get a lovely hand massage/facial/treatments do not happen. The free meals are provided if you have enough time to eat. There is free parking however it is not secure and is not monitored by the hospital CCTV it is monitors by parking eye so only there for implementing fines is parked wrongly. Patients are neglected and simply needs like fluids can not be provided when requested due to the low staffing. Patients who require routine staff cannot stick to routine due to short staffing. Management sit in the office not bothering to check on staff and their mental health which deteriorates due to working for such a demanding workplace. I love a challenging environment but Elysium healthcare will put you right off. Staff supervisions/debriefs/apprasails/support do not happen. The pay is an insult for what staff have to put up with daily. Staff safety is a thing of the past. Staff may be getting attacked and pull their personal panic alarm for no one to respond due to short staffing. It is unsafe for both staff and patients and needs to be thoroughly investigated AVOID

I worked both as a bank HCA and as permanent employee. Bank was perfect for flexibility and even as a permanent my manager was brilliant and allowed me to fix my own shifts when possible. Just for this I would rate the job a 10/10. Work life balance is great. If you want more money, just pick up more shifts. 

The work itself is what you make of it. It’s hard graft. You do have to sometimes look after patient’s physical needs. It depends on the ward you work on. Be prepared that as well as learning a lot about mental health you’ll also learn a bunch about taking care of people and diffusing situations. You’ll also sit around a lot waiting for patients to wake up while taking notes. It’s not all hard graft.

If you have any interest in a psychology career, I found working here invaluable. Especially working on the PICU, you learn so much.

It was hard work. There were stressful days. You have to look after yourself. I’ve been scratched, had my hair pulled, seen people spat at and punched. It can be emotionally upsetting. In my experience there has always been help round the corner. It happens, so it’s important to keep on top of what you learn, check your alarms and be respectful and mindful of people you work with because patients can lash out. I mean so might you if you are scared or frustrated. 

I enjoyed my time here. You work with some really amazing people. Some people on the teams I worked with were truly caring. It was an honour to work with them and deeply satisfying to go home at the end of the day. Most satisfying was working in the PICU and seeing patients get better and leave! 

It was a shame that other than going on to senior HCA or training for nursing there is nowhere to grow. But it’s a great experience for any further work with people. 

I am the new Hospital Director for the Potters Bar Clinic. I can't comment on what's gone before me and I can only apologise if staff have had a bad experience of working here. In the short time I have been here my team and I are working tirelessly to improve conditions and working culture for staff and the service users we care for.

We are not perfect, but we are certainly going to do everything we can to change and move forward. 

I want to develop a hospital that prides itself on Care, Compassion and humility. I am working hard to reduce the gap between senior management and and the rest of my team. 

We are introducing new working practices, training and care approaches and and want to be the very best we can.

I would welcome feedback from staff who have left due to bad experiences to ensure we don't repeat the same mistakes and so that I am aware of what is happening in the hospital.

I also welcome staff who want to come and make a difference, change the way we do healthcare and looking for job satisfaction and career progression. 

Please be guided by the work we are doing to change and move forward and not the mistakes that may have preceded the current team.

We welcome applicants who are caring, passionate about Mental Health and who want to drive care and standards forward.

As a new starter myself, I know what it's like to start a new role in a new organisation. It can feel chaotic at times and overwhelming. But Elysium have been supportive, open to my ideas and welcomed me with a friendly approach.



Clients are a dream and I love helping out but if the company is not giving you the tools for the job, how can you expect to complete the task if you feel like you have been set up to fail from the beginning. That can make anyone 
feel like an escape goat.

Even if you are the best worker of the year, you'll be pressured to over work until you collapse even if you have requested/already doing over time. 

I've seen great workers who are nice people who struggle to say no and the management has pressured them to work more overtime untill they have passed out on shift and needed to be driven to hospital.

Good team members are never valued and that's why there is a high turnover in staff. The clients whom we help are the best part of the job and it is a shame the clients suffer from great staff that genuinely care about them leave every 2secs because of how poorly the management manage their team.

Management take all the good holidays which make it harder for normal staff to get approved on holiday, management take all the overtime on bank holidays through out the year so no other staff can get double pay or a pay and a half.

Manament was taking the staff's bouneses when staff agreed for the c19 vaccination.

Other than the clients being a real treat and making my life worth while, the  management team made me feel alone, segregated and uncomfortable to speak because there was already a clique or 
friendship gang group which was formed and the office had their group which didn't feel welcoming, didn't give me confidence to speak to anyone in the house if I had something on my mind.

The clients being lovely and the sense of fulfilment that I got from helping them, made work life that little bit better and enjoyable for me. 

I worked here for several years — long enough to see it go from a genuinely good care environment to something unrecognisable.
Before the takeover, staff were experienced, knowledgeable, and supported. There was pride in the care being delivered, and a sense that residents genuinely came first.
That disappeared when Elysium took over.
What replaced it was a culture driven by cost-cutting, where staff wellbeing and patient care became secondary to profit. If the workforce looks drained and disengaged, it’s because they are — worn down by a toxic environment, shrinking support, and pay that’s been squeezed to the point that staying simply isn’t viable.
The exodus of nurses, managers, and experienced staff isn’t coincidence — it’s consequence. Redundancies, closures, and constant erosion of resources have stripped the place back to the bare minimum.
Working here is like being in an abusive relationship: no matter what you give, it’s never enough. Standards are demanded without the staffing or support to meet them, and over time your morale, confidence, and sense of professional worth are ground down.
Every so often, you’ll get a token gesture — a “lifestyle voucher” — as if that offsets the reality. It doesn’t. It’s performative at best.
And the people who ultimately pay the price are the residents. They deserve stability, compassion, and a motivated workforce. What they get instead is the fallout of a system that no longer prioritises them.
This isn’t a one-off bad experience — it’s a pattern.
I didn’t leave under a cloud. I left because staying would have meant accepting standards I no longer recognised — and I had no intention of doing that.

If you're interested in exploring mental healthcare, you'll definitely learn a lot. Good opportunity to book overtime shifts. Colleagues are amazing and you get a good sense of working in a team. They offer job vacancies internally.

HOWEVER
Never left on time because we were understaffed and could not finish notes on time. Felt like i was doing the job of 2-3 people at times. Often left on break late. Consistent understaffing created unsafe environment for patients and staff and affected quality of care. For example, if staff had to respond to an emergency, there would not be anyone available to take the rest of the patients for a walk or prepare the meal on time. Minimal support from management - they talk a big game about offering support but don't follow through. Only seemed to care about problems if they thought the CQC was going to come inspect. Inadequate induction training. Too many things expected of support workers with not enough time or staff to finish anything to a good standard. High-stress job. Free lunch offered is nice but not the best quality food, only cold sandwiches and unhealthy snacks so I didn't use it most the time. Had to redo trainings several times because paperwork got lost / poor communication among management. No structure or rules to manage the young people. Was required to work nights. Job did not match job description or expectations for the role.

Very stressful place to work. No structure at all. You will come out of the two weeks training, and feel life you learned a lot, only to find out everything in the ward works different than what you learned. You wont know what you supposed to do in certain situations, or how to act, how to support patients properly. You will face stressful and traumatising incidences which you will have no support after, and you will carry on with the day as there is nothing you can do, and usually low number of staff or people avoiding work and hiding in the kitchen or office. Management is horrible. To get something done will take ages. Some nurses are very nice and supportive. Few healthcare assistance are really supportive and do their best to support patients. But behind the doors you will hear gossip about patients or HCAs making fun of them which is not nice. You are very likely to face racism but shouldnt take that very personal. Some HCAs are very close with patients, crossing the professional boundaries. Also when you turn back from holiday leave, you probably wont be on the list and will be sent back to home (at 7:30 in the morning cause thats when the shift starts), even if you are full time HCA. Bank shift staff may be sent home early or at the beginning of their shift if there are enough staff, but obviously no pay for that couple hours that they spend coming to work. These examples reflects the lack of structure. Patients sometimes get stressed because of this organisational issue, such as if their leave is written wrong etc. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Support worker 4 salaries reported	£26,314 per year
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Healthcare assistant 6 salaries reported	£25,448 per year
Nurse 3 salaries reported	£18.18 per hour

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