This role is offered on a permanent basis. The hours are part-time, 22.5 hours per week.
Hope House Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) is a service in Gloucestershire offering emotional and practical support; as well as forensic medical care, to anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted.
The role of a Crisis Worker exists to provide initial crisis intervention and support to those attending the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC); based at Hope House Sexual Health Clinic, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
The post holder will receive and respond to telephone enquiries, via the SARC 24-hour advice line. They will provide support to victims of sexual abuse; as well as to their friends and family. They will carry out assessments and refer on to appropriate support agencies.
The postholder will act as an advocate for victims attending the centre; empowering them to feel in control and where applicable, supporting them during the Forensic Medical Examination process. The postholder will ensure a standard of DNA decontamination between forensic cases.
The post holder will work 22.5hrs, from the SARC Gloucester office (Hope House) Monday- Friday. They will also be available, for on-call duties out-of-hours (weeknights, weekends and bank holidays), on an adhoc basis; when the service requires.
Any hours worked while on call will be paid at the Agenda for Change hourly rate, and a retainer fee will be provided.
The post holder will report directly to the SARC Team Leader who is responsible for co-ordinating the team of Crisis Workers and administrator.
The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.
We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people’s homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:
72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust’s priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.
This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
To provide 24-hour support to victims of sexual abuse; who may or may not wish to make a report to the police.
To provide support and information, both in person and over the phone, to enable victims to make informed decisions in relation to medical care, forensic examination and police involvement. To complete necessary onward referrals and signposting.
To provide a sensitive and non-judgmental service, using effective communication skills.
To know and understand the processes and procedures involved in attending the SARC and to explain these clearly to the victim in order to gain informed consent for examination.
To inform victims about the self-referral service and the choices available; ensuring that they are supported and informed in a sensitive and appropriate way.
To advocate for the victim when needed, ensuring that their dignity, wishes and beliefs are respected and that they are involved in a shared decision-making process. This will include liaising with the Police and other professionals.
To offer a welcoming, safe and confidential environment for the victim and their families, attending the centre.
To provide support to the Sexual Offences Examiner (SOE), during the Forensic Medical Examination (FME).
To assist with the collection of forensic samples, ensuring continuity and chain of evidence are maintained.
To undertake a Forensic Medical Examination at any location outside the SARC, in order to meet the victims needs (ie, hospital).
To forensically clean the examination suite to maintain the forensic integrity of the SARC; in accordance with the ISO 15189 FSR Accreditation.
This role is not eligible for sponsorship as per the Government’s UK VISA and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information please visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
