Job Description

The Whiteley Homes Trust "the Trust" is a charity that manages Whiteley Village in Surrey. The purpose of the charity is to provide homes for older people of limited means from all over the country. Founded over a hundred years ago in Walton on Thames, Surrey, the Village is located in 225 acres of beautiful grounds and is a very special place to live and work.

Established in 1917 the village has many Grade 2 listed buildings and provides housing for nearly 400 older people of limited means. There are 265 Almshouses and 51 extra care apartments and the Village also has a church, social and leisure club, shop and cafe.

Huntley House is CQC Registered Extra Care Accommodation in the heart of the Village. The Senior Support Worker / Deputy Registered Manager will play a pivotal role in ensuring the effective and safe delivery of high-quality care in a CQC-registered enhanced care housing service. This role requires an individual who is passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of older adults, promoting their independence, health and wellbeing. It also involves supporting the psychological, spiritual, emotional and physical needs of those not interfacing with the care elements of the emergency service, but engaging with the social aspects, such as communal dining and activities either promoted, organised or run by the Whiteley Homes Trust.

You will be responsible for providing leadership and guidance to the support team, delivering person-centred emergency care, and ensuring that the service complies with regulatory standards. You will support the Registered Manager in the day-to-day management of the service, including overseeing care delivery, staff training, and operational procedures and ensuring all quality and governance regulation and standards are met by the service.

Main Responsibilities

Leadership & Supervision

Deputise for the Registered Manager in their absence, ensuring that the service runs smoothly, and that staff and residents are supported effectively. Lead, supervise, and support a team of support workers, ensuring they are delivering high-quality emergency care in line with Whiteley Homes Trust policies and CQC standards. Provide mentoring, coaching, and guidance to support staff to enhance their professional development and performance. Conduct supervisions and annual appraisals for support staff. Facilitate regular team meetings in the absence of the registered manager to ensure effective communication and the continuous development of the team. Always be a point of contact for staff for advice and support. Participate in the on call rota.

Care Delivery & Person-Centred Support

Work on the rota as an enhanced support worker and also on management days to support and supervise colleagues and undertake compliance activities. Ensure that person-centred care plans are developed, implemented, and reviewed regularly in collaboration with residents, families, and other professionals. Monitor the delivery of the emergency care service to ensure that it meets the individual needs and preferences of each resident. Lead on risk assessments and safeguarding processes, ensuring that all concerns are reported promptly and appropriately. Provide hands-on support to residents as needed, ensuring their dignity, respect, and well-being at all times. Lead, supervise and manage creative and coproduced resident activities that meet the psychological, social, spiritual and physical needs of all Huntley House residents. Work as a Dementia champion for Huntley house and the wider Whiteley community. Liaise and work creatively and collaboratively with the volunteer services manager to find solutions to engage with more volunteers, to provide befriending support, dining companions and activities support etc for the residents of Huntley House.

Regulatory Compliance

Assist the Registered Manager in ensuring the service meets all CQC requirements and is prepared for inspections. Help to maintain accurate and up-to-date records, including care plans, risk assessments, and incident reports, in accordance with CQC and company policies. Ensure that all service policies, procedures, and best practices are followed consistently by staff. Support the registered manager with audits, quality assurance, and continuous improvement initiatives. Undertake the relevant health and safety audits Encourage robust health and safety reporting of any accidents, incidents and issues relayed by the team. Actively encourage a culture of openness and transparency and a speaking up culture within the team Ensure robust forums for learning from mistakes and evidencing continuous improvement cycles. Work collaboratively with the housing and community teams to ensure both requirements of the CQC and the Regulator of social housing (RSH) are met.

Staff Training & Development

Ensure that staff are appropriately trained and have the necessary skills and qualifications to deliver high-quality care. Lead and promote training programs, both mandatory and developmental, to ensure the staff team is up-to-date with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Assist in the recruitment, induction, and onboarding of new staff members. Offer line management support to the enhanced support worker team.

Health & Safety

Ensure that the service operates in a safe and healthy environment for both residents and staff, in compliance with health and safety legislation. Conduct regular health and safety checks and ensure that equipment and resources are well maintained. Participate in any health and safety inspections and audits as requested by the Director of operations or the registered manager.

Communication & Reporting

Maintain clear and effective communication with residents, families, external professionals, and the management team. Ensure professional boundaries of self and team members are maintained at all times. Assist in the preparation and submission of reports and documentation as required by the CQC, local authorities, and other relevant bodies. Address any complaints or concerns promptly and effectively, ensuring the well-being of residents and staff is maintained.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Experience and skills

Essential

A minimum of 3 years experience in a care setting with at least 1 year in a senior support worker or supervisory role A strong understanding of CQC standards, safeguarding protocols, and relevant legislation (e.g., Care Act, Health and Social Care Act, Mental Capacity Act). Proven ability to lead and manage a team, with experience in staff supervision, performance management, and training. Experience of person-centred care planning and risk assessment. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with residents, families, and colleagues. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately. Ability and confidence to work alone and autonomously. Ability and confidence to design, implement and evaluate social activities for elderly residents in an independent living setting

Desirable

Experience in managing complex health conditions and behaviours in a supported living or housing setting. Previous experience as a Deputy Manager or in a similar leadership role. Knowledge of quality assurance processes and auditing

Personal Attributes

Essential

Compassionate and empathetic, with a genuine desire to improve the lives of older adults. Resilient, with the ability to manage stress and challenging situations effectively. Flexible and adaptable to changing needs and priorities Flexibility to work 12.25 hour shifts including evenings, weekends and bank holidays

Qualifications

Essential

Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent Enhanced DBS
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 15.00 per hour

Expected hours: 36.75 per week

Benefits:

Company pension Free parking Health & wellbeing programme On-site parking Sick pay Store discount
Schedule:

12 hour shift Day shift Night shift
Ability to commute/relocate:

Walton-on-Thames KT12 4BF: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Work Location: In person