Current Vacancies

We are recruiting Care Assistants in South Uist and North Uist

To apply, e-mail HR Manager Hanna on hanna@tagsa.co.uk for a job application.

Job Purpose

Tagsa Uibhist’s Care Assistants provide care and support to clients in their own homes, as well as providing respite for their carers. Our Care Assistants work with the elderly and with people who have additional support needs, meeting their personal needs and assisting with daily living needs, supporting clients to live independently, and meeting additional support as required, in accordance with Scottish National Care Standards. As well as assisting clients with day-to-day activities, our Care Assistants also contribute to their overall wellbeing by providing regular contact, company and emotional support.

The specific tasks Care Assistants undertake are based on the client’s needs, choices, and preferences, as assessed, and agreed by the client and Tagsa’s senior care staff in partnership with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Each client has an up-to-date Care Plan, which is regularly reviewed. Each Care Plan sets out the tasks to be carried out by the Care Assistant for each client. Care Assistants have the responsibility to follow the Care Plan and any other supporting documents and must report any changes in the client’s needs that are identified by the client, a family member/carer, a medical professional or by the local authority.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Care Assistants undertake a wide range of tasks, all of which should be done in a manner which supports independent living, appropriate to their abilities.

Assisting clients to get up in the morning including washing/bathing and dressing and maintaining personal appearance.
Assisting with undressing and getting to bed in the evening.
Assisting with preparation of meals, drinks, and snacks when necessary.
Help with toileting and changing clothes and/or bedding where necessary.
Ensure commodes are emptied and sanitised.
Help with other tasks of personal daily living that service users cannot manage.
Assist and encourage the management of medication or administer where necessary and appropriate, and monitoring health related conditions such as dietary & fluid intake.
Help service users with mobility difficulties, or other physical disabilities, including incontinence.
Help in the use of aids and other personal equipment.
Ensure clients retain individuality and personal dignity by promoting high standards of care and encouraging independence where appropriate.
Ensure that different cultural needs are catered for sensitively.
To respect the confidential nature of the work.
To provide direct care to clients as circumstances require according to the care plan.
To attend staff meetings and training courses as required.
Contribute to an effective system of communication within the team, by discussion and regular team meetings.
To ensure that the Health and Safety policies are implemented at all times.
To undertake any other relevant duties specified by Management.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

Demonstrate an active understanding of the principles of the job as described above, and with appropriate guidance from Tagsa Uibhist’s Care Manager and Care Coordinator.
Ensure that information about Tagsa Uibhist clients and concerning any other individuals Tagsa Uibhist works with, is treated with respect and confidentiality.
Contribute to the overall quality of Tagsa Uibhist’s service delivery, by working closely with other members of the staff team, helping promote good practice, communicating and by taking part in staff meetings, and contributing to meeting the objective of the service.
Take part in regular supervision meetings.
Take part in training as agreed to learn and to develop skills associated with the job.
Work in accordance with all Tagsa Uibhist policies and procedures.
Report immediately any incident of a serious nature such as abuse.
Report all accidents immediately to Tagsa Uibhist’s Care Manager, followed by a written statement.

Working Hours and Location:

Working hours are variable will be as stated on a rota provided by Care Coordinator/Care Manager. Work is undertaken in the homes of service users as agreed.
Tagsa Uibhist provides care at home to clients in South Uist, Benbecula, and North Uist (as well as smaller neighbouring islands). Every effort is made to achieve proximity when assigning Care Assistants to clients.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications:

Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen to patients and clearly verbalise information.
Excellent interpersonal skills, enabling good mutual understanding with vulnerable individuals.
Previous experience working in the care setting is advantageous. However, we also welcome applications from applicants with no previous Care experience and a willingness to learn. Tagsa Uibhist provides and pays for the theoretical and practical training required.
Relevant SVQ/NVQ or similar qualifications. Those that have an SVQ2 in Social Services and Healthcare (or equivalent) qualify for the rate of £15.93/hour. However, we also welcome those without this qualification to apply and be paid the starting rate of £15.27/hour.
An understanding and/or willingness to learn about health issues.
All Care Assistants need to be registered with the SSSC and adhere to SSSC’s Codes of Practice. The fee for this will be refunded by Tagsa Uibhist.
All Care Assistants must submit their details for a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check through Disclosure Scotland. The fee for this will be refunded by Tagsa Uibhist.
Clean driving licence and access to a vehicle.
Ability to work well in a team, as the job often requires working closely together with other healthcare professionals.
Patience and the ability to remain calm and collected in a crisis.
Ability to relate to people from a variety of backgrounds.
Physical strength and endurance.

Tagsa Uibhist is now hiring a Post Diagnosis Support / Link Worker (Dementia). The post is 21 hrs/week on a Fixed-term, one year contract.

Please contact Hanna on hanna@tagsa.co.uk for a job application form before the 6th of May, 2026

Job Purpose

Based within Tagsa Mental Health and Wellbeing Department, this role is also clinically supervised within NHS Western Isles Community Mental Health Team in Balivanich and receives referrals through the NHS. The purpose of this role is to help individuals recently diagnosed with dementia in the year following diagnosis to understand the illness and manage symptoms, to connect with others to reduce isolation, to explore how the person wants to be cared for as the condition progresses, to support processes such as setting Power of Attorney while the person still has the capacity and to support them to stay active and involved in local social networks.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Use the 5 Pillar model to work with people newly diagnosed with dementia, acting as a key worker, where appropriate, and facilitating change of key worker to other specialist team members as individual’s conditions or needs change.
Provide information, advice and support service for people who are in the process, or have been recently diagnosed with dementia, their carers and families and assist the person and their family to come to terms with their condition.
Undertake outcome focused assessments which will lead to agreed and specific personal outcomes to maximise independence.
Monitor and review personalised outcomes as required and in line with Operational Guidance from NHS Western Isles Community Mental Health Team.
Monitor changing circumstances, identifying, and managing risk in line with Operational Guidance.
Ensure that information provided is accurate and up to date and tailored to the personalised outcomes of the individual.
Act as a named person from the onset of a diagnosis to ensure that adults and carers know whom they can contact as and when required for information, advice, and support.
Inform and educate the adult and their carer about the advantages of completing of a Power of Attorney application.
Enable adults and carers to be more informed and plan their own pathway through dementia, including assisting and or sign posting individuals who choose to pursue Self Directed Support.
Utilize health promotion to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the range of diseases known as dementia.
Ensure that information provided is accurate and up to date and tailored to the needs of the individual.
Facilitate access to a range of support services at an early stage of the illness.
Liaise and collaborate with other professionals involved in providing dementia support and care services.
If appropriate, facilitate the establishment of support groups/social groups for adults and /or their carers and families. These may include short term educational groups, mixed groups and social groups.
Ensure accurate and up to date record keeping both manual and electronic.
Participate in NHS WI multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings and training courses as necessary, and to participate in both formal clinical and management supervision sessions.
Contribute to the supervision or development of students or trainees when appropriate.
Undertake any other tasks consistent with the general remit of the post.
Manage and organise own time and activities.
Act within limits of your competence and authority, seeking advice and or guidance from the appropriate person when these limits are identified.
Reflect on and develop own practice.
Refer to Tagsa Uibhist’s Care Plans for each client to ensure appropriate care and good coordination.
Collaborate with colleagues in Tagsa Uibhist’s various departments.
Make referrals to other services that clients may benefit from, as agreed with the client.
Ensure manual and electronic records are maintained and up to date.
Contribute to monthly/annual reports and operational policy.
Adhere to health and safety procedures.
Ability to carry out basic risk assessment.
Act in accordance with legislation e.g., Data Protection Act / Freedom of Information Act / Child Protection / Adult Protection.

General Scope and Range of the Post:

This post will support individuals in the communities of South Uist, Benbecula, and North Uist.
The post-holder may practice in both adults’ homes and a community setting and will provide a high standard of care.
Total caseload numbers will vary depending upon numbers of referrals received and the identified needs of the adult.
The post holder is expected to utilize available resources to maximum effect whilst effectively meeting the essential demands of adult care and use own judgement to determine what action should be taken when required.
The post holder will require to be able to manage their activities to an agreed level of competence which may require them to use their initiative and experience and use own judgement to determine what action should be taken when required, within an agreed set of parameters as indicated by the qualified worker and as recorded in Care Plans.
The post-holder will be expected to practice within a legal & ethical framework as defined by: National mental health related legislation, Community Care legislation, Care Inspectorate (as a registered care service), Self-Directed Support legislation, and National and local policy, guidelines, and protocols.

Decisions and Judgements

Plan caseload/time management.
Prioritize workload.
Recognise changes in adults’ behaviour/dementia symptoms and report changes to senior staff.
Adapt specific interventions according to mental health need and report changes to senior staff.
Adapt interventions according to mental health need and adult’s ability to undertake activities.
Report areas of concern.
Identify their role in the Personal Plan.
Work with and involve other Link Workers where necessary.
Undertake activities relating to risk management/minimizatio.
Involve family members or significant others in the Personal Plan.

Communications and Relationships

Develop good communication with other agencies
Work closely with Older Peoples Mental Health Services.
Develop an understanding of local non-statutory agencies e.g., voluntary; leisure; vocational
Build therapeutic relationships with adults who are difficult to engage and through the nature of their illness may experience barriers to communication.
Form professional relationships with adults and their carers and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy, and culture.
Instruct and guide individuals adults in the use of therapeutic activities.
Report effectively on clients’ progress in areas of self-maintenance, productivity, and leisure.
Provide relevant information, written and verbal, for documents relating to adults’ progress
Participate in MDT clinical meetings.

Working Hours and Location

Working hours are 21 per week with flexible arrangements to be agreed with the Manager of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Deparment.

The Post Diagnosis Support Coordinator / Link Worker (Dementia) is based at Tagsa Uibhist in East Camp, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

A passion for working with people and providing person-centred care.
Experience of working with Older Adults in the field of mental health.
Awareness of the HEAT Target re Post diagnostic Service and the 5 Pillar Model.
Awareness of Adult Protection/Adults with Incapacity/Mental Health legislation in practice including the Dementia Strategy.
Experience of working in health/social care teams.
Comprehensive understanding of elderly health issues.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to communicate with a range of people using a variety of communication methods.
Knowledge of Gaelic is a desirable asset as most of our clients speak Gaelic.
Knowledge of Personal Care Planning and Risk Management.
Knowledge of Health and Social Care Standards.
Ability to plan the work of self and others.
The capacity to work under pressure and to take a problem-solving approach to work.
2+ years’ work experience in social care, public health, or related field.
SVQ2 or above in Social Care or willingness to work towards a SVQ3 or health service equivalent.
Ability to travel locally.
Clean driving licence.