Are you ready to unlock your potential within a challenging, creative and fast paced work environment? Do you want to work with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past?
We are currently recruiting for a compassionate, knowledgeable and motivated Specialist Screening Healthcare Assistant to join our friendly team at HMP Guys Marsh. Screening within prisons plays a vital role in safeguarding the health of individuals in custody and the wider community. Early identification of infectious diseases, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses enables timely intervention, reduces transmission risk, and supports rehabilitation.
Our healthcare team have a real impact on promoting health and well-being to those in prison and we pride ourselves on using skills and strategies that instil hope for patients future resettlement back into the community. We directly deliver Mental Health, Physical Health, Pharmacy and Clinical Substance Misuse in an integrated healthcare delivery model to provide effective and responsive care to improve wellbeing and support better outcomes in the future.
Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.
**Previous applicants need not apply**
Healthcare assistants in specialist screening roles are essential in ensuring vulnerable populations receive equitable access to care. Their work helps bridge gaps in health inequalities, promotes public health, and contributes to safer prison environments. Effective screening not only improves individual outcomes but also supports continuity of care upon release, reinforcing the importance of integrated healthcare within the criminal justice system.
Key duties include:
Ensuring the delivery of high quality primary care which will include physically screening for the following pathways; NHS Health Checks, BBV & Sexual Health
Undertaking risk assessments for the people in your care, seeing them holistically, being sensitive to their needs and escalating that risk to senior prison staff where necessary
To lead on and have oversight of all screening programmes within the prison estate
To support qualified staff in all activities relating to the delivery of high-quality patient centred care
Work and act as a key member of the team, supporting each patient in achievement of their planned outcomes
Setting up and supporting clinics
Running reports on SystmOne
Attending performance meetings, showcasing improvements and challenges
Work around the prison establishment to improve attendance and uptake of screening programmes
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
We’re Kind
We’re Fair
We Listen
We Care
To work as directed by a registered nurse.
To provide care physical care to patients in accordance with their care plan
Provide health education and promotion support to the prison population
Be an advocate for the national screening and vaccination programmes within the NHS.
To support the delivery of national screening programmes.
Maintain oversight and links with: Bowel screenings, AAA and Diabetic eye screening teams.
To support and deliver clinics as instructed within the establishments clinic timetable
Participate in planning and liaison activities for patients.
Inform a registered nurse as soon as possible when any change in a patient’s condition is noticed.
Support patients in change due to admission, discharge, death or personal loss and in adapting to their new environment.
Report any complaints or requests for information from patients immediately to the senior nurse on duty to enable prompt response.
Report all risks to the senior nursing staff.
Assist in the general running of the department by undertaking housekeeping and clerical duties as appropriate.
Participate in appraisal and training of self to develop a personal development plan and strive to achieve the set objectives,
Undertake any other duties commensurate to the grade and as requested by the line manager.
Attend staff meetings, updates and attend mandatory training as required.
Work closely with Management to ensure that the Prison Health Agenda is supported at all levels in the Practice.
Actively engaging with offenders in the provision of holistic, needs-led care which takes into account the physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual needs of individuals and groups.
Demonstrates a commitment to equal opportunities for all people. Responding to the needs of people sensitively with regard for age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and disability, especially regarding privacy and dignity
Demonstrates a knowledge of the term ‘professional boundaries’ and how to apply this to working with patients, offenders and others.
Understanding the need for promoting health & well-being and the delivery of health promotion activities and programmes (including self-help programmes) in support of a registered nurse.
Contributing appropriately to risk assessment and individualised care planning
Communication
Communicate effectively with patients and the multi-disciplinary team.
Develop and maintain effective communications with all interested parties.
Provides and receives sensitive information with potentially barriers to understanding
Custodial Responsibilities
Assume personal responsibility for the security of issued keys.
Understand and comply with prison orders, procedures and instructions in your area of work.
Comply with all security requirements.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ:
All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.
You will need to provide:
Proof of right to work documentation
Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID
Proof of address documentation
Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.
Address History:
5 years address history will be needed.
Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.
Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited
In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants
If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website ( http://www.fco.gov.uk/en ).
