Housing Officer

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

To deliver timely individualised person-centred housing assessment, advice, support, and liaison for patients who cannot return home or who are at risk of homelessness.

To work with Cavell Centre MDT to identify current or potential problems which may provide a barrier to returning to current accommodation or that may increase risk of homelessness.

Where alternative housing is required, to work with CPFT staff and community agencies to source safe, appropriate housing in an efficient manner.

To develop and maintain a central signposting service and point of contact for housing, debt, or benefits advice.

To provide information to patients, carers, families, and staff on the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017), Duty to Refer, benefits entitlements and accommodation processes.

To manage a case load of referrals, from the adult wards at the Cavell Centre, autonomously, and efficiently.

To use high level of communication skills to compassionately convey sensitive or disappointing information effectively to patients, families, carers, and staff.

To highlight and report issues with the housing process for patients promptly to the patient, responsible clinicians, community teams and line manager.

Person specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential criteria

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of supporting those with severe and enduring mental health conditions.
• Work within the current housing and benefits systems

Desirable criteria

• Experience of local systems specific to those under care of CPFT services.
• Lived experience of mental health condition.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential criteria

• A clear communicator, supporting patients to express their wishes and needs
• Build positive working relationships with a wider range of internal and external agencies
• Understanding of current housing and benefits system
• Understanding of Mental Capacity Act (MCA)
• Understanding of principles of safeguarding
• Knowledge of private and public sector housing options
• Proven IT skills and good time management skills
• Knowledge of local and national policies and procedures impacting housing provision.

Desirable criteria

• Previous knowledge of mental health care provision
• Awareness of key housing legislation relevant to supporting vulnerable adults, such as the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

• Manage working in a highspeed, emotive environment
• Hold patients in consistent positive regard and advocate for their needs where appropriate
• Manage and prioritise a caseload autonomously, seeking support where appropriate
• Use supervision appropriately to support continuing professional and service development
• Ability to maintain a professional, empathetic, and pragmatic attitude

Other

Essential criteria

• Occasionally the ability to work flexibly may be required.

Here at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) we are dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion. We deliver many of the NHS services that are provided outside of hospital and in the community such as physical, mental health and specialist services.

We are a health and social care organisation, offering a wide range of services, including:

• Integrated physical and mental health services for adults and older people;
• Specialist mental health and learning disability services;
• Children and young people's mental health services;
• Children's community services in Peterborough;
• Social care;
• Ground-breaking research

We strongly encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people and members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities. For further information about our positive equality, diversity and Inclusion work, please visit https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/equalityanddiversity.

CPFT is looking to build upon its pool of temporary workers with Temporary Staffing Services (TSS). You will be asked at interview if you would be willing to register with TSS. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to take on additional hours that are flexible around your personal circumstances.

Please be advised that in line with the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, 2020 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust currently are unable to accept applications from overseas candidates whose country of residence is classed as a 'Red List' country.

Applicants who require entry into the UK will be required to provide a valid police certificate from the relevant authority from each country (except the UK) where the applicant has been present for 12 months or more, 10 years before the date of visa application, while aged 18 or over.

If you are successful at interview you will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a DBS (if appropriate), references and Occupational Health. To ensure a smooth process please bring all identity documents to your interview. A list of required identity documents will be attached to your interview invitation.

All communications will be sent to you via TRAC Systems. By applying for this post you are agreeing to CPFT transferring the information contained in this application to TRAC. If you are made an offer, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

• Job Description and Person Specification (PDF, 356.3KB)
• CPFT Values (PDF, 114.7KB)
• CPFT Mindful Employers (PDF, 51.3KB)
• CPFT Accommodation (PDF, 296.6KB)