SPA Support Worker | Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 23 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £24,625 - £25,674 per annum |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 July 2025 |
| Location: | Colchester, CO4 5HG |
| Company: | Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7247104/364-A-9107 |
Summary
The Northeast Essex Mental Health Single Point of Access (SPA) Support Worker post will play a role providing initial screening and triage for all referrals into the service. The post holder is responsible for screening incoming referrals, ensuring essential clinical and administrative information—such as blood tests, risk assessments, and demographic details— are complete and accurate. They will assist in telephone triage with clinical guidance from registered professionals in the team, gather key information about presenting concerns, and help escalate urgent issues as required. The role involves significant administrative duties, including maintaining accurate electronic patient records, updating referral information, and supporting the wider multidisciplinary team by attending referral meetings and facilitating coordination between services. The post holder contributes to the safe, timely, and efficient flow of referrals, ensuring patients are directed to the most appropriate care pathway.
PLEASE NOTE
This role is exclusively for applicants seeking a full-time position.
This is an office-based post, opportunities to work from home will be limited.
Referral Screening and Processing
o Review and screen incoming referrals for completeness and appropriateness.
o Check referral information against referral criteria and flag missing data or red flags to clinicians.
o Ensure required investigations (e.g. blood tests, physical health checks, risk assessments) are included or followed up as necessary.
Telephone Triage Support
o Conduct initial telephone triage calls with patients or carers under clinician guidance.
o Gather key presenting complaint, mental state indicators, risk concerns (e.g. self-harm, suicide risk, safeguarding), and social factors.
Escalate urgent concerns immediately to clinicians or duty staff.
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Clinical Documentation and Record Management
o Open and update referrals on electronic patient records (e.g. Paris, SystmOne, EMIS).
o Accurately document triage outcomes and patient contact details.
o Maintain up-to-date demographic and clinical information in the system.
Liaison and Coordination
o Communicate with GPs, other healthcare professionals, social services, and internal teams to request missing information.
o Coordinate collection and collation of relevant clinical documentation (e.g. previous mental health history, safeguarding plans).
Multi-disciplinary Team Support
o Attend and contribute to daily or weekly referral review meetings (MDTs), bringing forward relevant cases or queries.
o Take notes or minutes where appropriate and ensure follow-up actions are logged.
Monitoring and Escalation
o Monitor referral queues and timelines to ensure timely response and triage in line with service standards.
o Identify and escalate any deterioration in mental health or urgent safeguarding issues to appropriate clinical staff.
Safeguarding and Risk Awareness
o Be alert to safeguarding issues and follow appropriate protocols when concerns are identified.
o Participate in risk discussions and assist in compiling risk profiles for new referrals.
Administrative Support to Clinical Pathways
o Assist with booking initial assessment appointments where required.
o Assist in sending reminders for scheduled appointments.
o Upload and tag relevant clinical correspondence and investigations to patient records.
Service User Communication
o Provide information to service users about what to expect from the SPA process.
This advert closes on Wednesday 9 Jul 2025