Mental Health Support Worker – South Island Eating Disorders Service (SIEDS)

• Hillmorton Hospital, Christchurch
• Part-time 0.5FTE
• Fixed term until 30^th June 2026

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

We’re looking for a Mental Health Support worker  to join us on a temporary part-time basis (24 hours per week). How these hours are arranged is to be negotiated with the successful applicant.

Please include a cover letter in your application.

About the Team/Service/ Location

The South Island Eating Disorders Service based at Hillmorton Hospital provides inpatient and community treatment for people experiencing an eating disorder. Education, liaison, and consultation are also provided  for mental health services and primary health services around the South Island. We are a small but experienced multidisciplinary team who are passionate about ensuring the best health outcomes for service users.  

About you

In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Developing relationships with the clinicians and the people who are being treated by SIEDS
• Assisting and supporting the specialist eating disorder clinicians in the delivery of quality health care, ensuring that services are provided efficiently, safely and effectively. This will be in both the inpatient and community arms of the service
• Communicating and reporting changes, concerns and issues back to the clinical team
• Using your experience to support people across a range of ages and offering encouragement in their journey through the service, fostering and developing independent living skills
• Supporting people through the promotion of choice and self-determination, through the implementation of the MDT plan of care and support, using a strengths-based and trauma informed approach
• Understanding and promoting the importance of connections with family-whānau, communities, and other specialist mental health services
• Being an integral and valued member of the multi-disciplinary team, contributing to the team culture and developing relationships with SIEDS staff
• Using clear communication and being able to articulate support principles, values and tasks
• Contributing to written documentation and quality initiatives
• Adhering to all SMHS  training requirements, policies and protocols
• Having a sound knowledge of the community and NGO mental health sector, particularly community providers so that practical information and connections can be made with the people you are working with
• Challenging stigma and discrimination and proactively promoting inclusion and diversity
• Respecting and maintaining confidentiality
• Assisting with a wide range of tasks for care delivery under the direction and delegation of clinical staff and the MDT
• Recording tasks undertaken and observations accurately and in a timely manner
• Identifying and reporting unexpected or changing patient status

Skills and Experience

• A working understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and demonstrated commitment to culturally responsive practice
• Experience as a support worker, and desirable to have NZQA Level 3: New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing - Health Assistance Strand. (If not previously attained, to be completed within 2 years of commencement or to be commenced within 1 year of employment.)
• Ability to communicate well with a broad range of people
• Ability to work as part of a team as well as independently
• Demonstrated networking skills and engaging/consulting with communities
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office applications ie: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

YWorking for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellnesses. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Equity Work Programme at Health NZ focuses on helping everyone in the health system think about equity when they do their work. It also promotes the cultural change needed for the whole system to reach equity in health outcomes.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

• We want to see the real you in your application and welcome the real you on board if you come and work with us. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just in formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the ad, but the experience was gained through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.
• We particularly welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59pm on Friday 3rd January. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Natalie Gaunt at Natalie.Gaunt@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz.

Please note, we will be reviewing applications when received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.