Family Support WorkerNHS

Job summary

Make a meaningful difference when families need it most. As a Family Support Worker, youll join our compassionate Wellbeing Services and In-Patient Unit teams, providing practical, emotional and bereavement support to patients living with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carersincluding children and young people. Youll build trusted relationships, help people navigate challenging circumstances and support NHS Continuing Healthcare processes, using your health or social care experience, empathy, sound judgement and strong organisational and IT skills to deliver truly person-centred support.

Main duties of the job

Provide compassionate practical, emotional, psychosocial and bereavement support to patients with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers, including children and young people, across our In-Patient Unit and Wellbeing Services. Manage a varied caseload, complete holistic needs assessments and develop tailored support plans. Building trusted relationships and recognising when people need counselling, spiritual care, safeguarding or other specialist support. Contribute to daily triage, handovers and multidisciplinary meetings, sharing family and psychosocial updates, anticipating changing needs and working alongside clinical colleagues to support safe, well-coordinated discharge planning. Offer guidance and practical advocacy on welfare benefits, housing, grants and community support, helping patients and carers navigate services while referring complex, contested or regulated matters to specialist organisations. Support NHS Continuing Healthcare processes by identifying potential eligibility with the clinical team, completing Checklists once competent, guiding families through the process and liaising with NHS and Local Authority partners. Maintain accurate, timely and confidential records, contribute to audits and service development, support volunteers, undertake occasional community visits and work within clear professional, safeguarding and clinical boundaries. Were looking for someone who: Has relevant experience in health, social care or hospice settings, supporting people affected by life-limiting illness, bereavement or complex family circumstances, with an appropriate NVG/QCF Level 3 qualification or equivalent experience. Communicates with empathy, compassion and clarity, listens carefully and feels confident handling sensitive conversations with patients, carers and families who may be distressed, anxious or navigating difficult decisions. Is highly organised, attentive to detail and able to prioritise a busy caseload, meet external timescales, maintain confidential records and use digital systems confidently for reporting and case management. Understands safeguarding, professional boundaries and mental capacity principles, recognises the limits of the role and knows when to seek supervision or escalate statutory, clinical or complex concerns appropriately. Works confidently both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, remaining calm and flexible under pressure while contributing positively to inclusive, compassionate and person-centred support for diverse communities. Holds a full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle, can undertake community visits and occasional evening or weekend work, and is willing to complete required training and checks.

Job description

Help people live well with a life-limiting illness

Make a meaningful difference when families need it most. As a Family Support Worker, youll join our compassionate Wellbeing Services and In-Patient Unit teams, providing practical, emotional and bereavement support to patients living with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carersincluding children and young people. Youll build trusted relationships, help people navigate challenging circumstances and support NHS Continuing Healthcare processes, using your health or social care experience, empathy, sound judgement and strong organisational and IT skills to deliver truly person-centred support.

What youll do:

• Provide compassionate practical, emotional, psychosocial and bereavement support to patients with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers, including children and young people, across our In-Patient Unit and Wellbeing Services.
• Manage a varied caseload, complete holistic needs assessments and develop tailored support plans.
• Building trusted relationships and recognising when people need counselling, spiritual care, safeguarding or other specialist support.
• Contribute to daily triage, handovers and multidisciplinary meetings, sharing family and psychosocial updates, anticipating changing needs and working alongside clinical colleagues to support safe, well-coordinated discharge planning.
• Offer guidance and practical advocacy on welfare benefits, housing, grants and community support, helping patients and carers navigate services while referring complex, contested or regulated matters to specialist organisations.
• Support NHS Continuing Healthcare processes by identifying potential eligibility with the clinical team, completing Checklists once competent, guiding families through the process and liaising with NHS and Local Authority partners.
• Maintain accurate, timely and confidential records, contribute to audits and service development, support volunteers, undertake occasional community visits and work within clear professional, safeguarding and clinical boundaries.

Were looking for someone who:

• Has relevant experience in health, social care or hospice settings, supporting people affected by life-limiting illness, bereavement or complex family circumstances, with an appropriate NVG/QCF Level 3 qualification or equivalent experience.
• Communicates with empathy, compassion and clarity, listens carefully and feels confident handling sensitive conversations with patients, carers and families who may be distressed, anxious or navigating difficult decisions.
• Is highly organised, attentive to detail and able to prioritise a busy caseload, meet external timescales, maintain confidential records and use digital systems confidently for reporting and case management.
• Understands safeguarding, professional boundaries and mental capacity principles, recognises the limits of the role and knows when to seek supervision or escalate statutory, clinical or complex concerns appropriately.
• Works confidently both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, remaining calm and flexible under pressure while contributing positively to inclusive, compassionate and person-centred support for diverse communities.
• Holds a full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle, can undertake community visits and occasional evening or weekend work, and is willing to complete required training and checks.

About us

Set in the tranquil grounds of Willen Lake, Willen Hospice is the leading provider of specialist palliative care in the Milton Keynes area. We offer round-the-clock, expert care to local patients with a life-limiting illness, both in their own homes and in our In-Patient Unit. Our passionate staff and volunteers make sure our care is personalised to each patients needs and supports their loved ones too. We have a thriving Therapeutic & Wellbeing service providing counselling, physiotherapy, activity groups and more, and a specialist Lymphoedema service. As a registered charity, we raise vital funds through our dedicated Income Generation team and our growing portfolio of high street and online shops, to ensure our care stays free of charge.