Job summary
We are seeking a Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisor to join our expanding service, the role provides an exciting opportunity to work within a dedicated Primary Care Network (PCN) consisting of 2 GP practices Leeds Student Medical Practice (LSMP) and The Light Surgery (TLS) with a focus on the needs of the student population within LSMP and a wider demographic range within TLS.
The post-holder will work under the day-to-day direction of the locality manager while supported by/accountable to the Northpoint service manager. The post-holder will provide face-to-face and telephone triage, assessment and decision-making support to ensure that patients with mental health needs gain access to the most appropriate pathway and intervention.
The role combines the skills of triage/assessment, care navigation, and psychological formulation.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will be required to carry out
assessment & formulation of mental health needs in order to assist patients
towards increased self-management of anxiety and depression symptoms and better
tolerance of distress. The role will also involve identifying opportunities to
support individuals with their mental health by helping them to access
appropriate community support, including IAPT & CMHT services.
Key to the role will be the ability to utilise
psychological formulation (i.e. construct meaning out of mental distress) and build
trusting relationships quickly whilst motivating individuals to make sustained
changes.
Please refer to Job Description and Person Specification.
About us
Northpoint Wellbeing is a charity which provides a range
of services to promote emotional wellbeing. We believe that timely access to
appropriate support, particularly talking therapies, is an effective way of
promoting emotional wellbeing and relieving mental distress, for people of all
ages and backgrounds.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Purpose of the role: The post-holder will be based at the Leeds Student Medical Practice and The Light Surgery, working under the day-to-day direction of the locality manager while supported by/accountable to the Northpoint service manager. The post-holder will provide face-to-face and telephone triage, assessment and decision-making support to ensure that patients with mental health needs gain access to the most appropriate pathway and intervention.
The role combines the skills of triage/assessment, care navigation, and psychological formulation.
The purpose of the post is:
To ensure that patients experiencing chronic common mental health problems are better supported in primary care and that GP workload is reduced appropriately
To allow patients to receive a timely triage/assessment of their mental and emotional health needs, ideally within 7 working days
To ensure patients are enabled to manage their own mental and emotional health where appropriate
To ensure patients are supported to access appropriate mental health services where these exist – including Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (IAPT), CMHT, YCED, and the university support services
To minimise duplication of existing mental health services
To reduce self-harm and suicide attempts, A&E contacts, and inappropriate crisis team assessments
To reduce the need for students to drop out of studies
The post-holder will be required to carry out assessment & formulation of mental health needs in order to assist patients towards increased self-management of anxiety and depression symptoms and better tolerance of distress. The role will also involve identifying opportunities to support individuals with their mental health by helping them to access appropriate community support, including IAPT & CMHT services.
Key to the role will be the ability to utilise psychological formulation (i.e. construct meaning out of mental distress) and build trusting relationships quickly whilst motivating individuals to make sustained changes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Purpose of the role: The post-holder will be based at the Leeds Student Medical Practice and The Light Surgery, working under the day-to-day direction of the locality manager while supported by/accountable to the Northpoint service manager. The post-holder will provide face-to-face and telephone triage, assessment and decision-making support to ensure that patients with mental health needs gain access to the most appropriate pathway and intervention.
The role combines the skills of triage/assessment, care navigation, and psychological formulation.
The purpose of the post is:
To ensure that patients experiencing chronic common mental health problems are better supported in primary care and that GP workload is reduced appropriately
To allow patients to receive a timely triage/assessment of their mental and emotional health needs, ideally within 7 working days
To ensure patients are enabled to manage their own mental and emotional health where appropriate
To ensure patients are supported to access appropriate mental health services where these exist – including Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (IAPT), CMHT, YCED, and the university support services
To minimise duplication of existing mental health services
To reduce self-harm and suicide attempts, A&E contacts, and inappropriate crisis team assessments
To reduce the need for students to drop out of studies
The post-holder will be required to carry out assessment & formulation of mental health needs in order to assist patients towards increased self-management of anxiety and depression symptoms and better tolerance of distress. The role will also involve identifying opportunities to support individuals with their mental health by helping them to access appropriate community support, including IAPT & CMHT services.
Key to the role will be the ability to utilise psychological formulation (i.e. construct meaning out of mental distress) and build trusting relationships quickly whilst motivating individuals to make sustained changes.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A relevant qualification at NVQ Level 3 (e.g. NVQ Level 3 in Mental Health & Social Care) or equivalent (psychology graduate), and/or significant experience in mental health support work.
Experience
Essential
- At least two years experience of working in a mental health setting with clients presenting with multiple & complex issues.
- Experience of undertaking specialist mental health and risk assessments & formulation.
- Experience of delivering appropriate therapeutic, risk management and relapse prevention interventions in a time-limited manner.
Desirable
- Relevant experience in Primary or Secondary Care mental health services and/or Higher Education.
- Experience of working within a Third Sector organisation.
- Experience of working in a service with agreed targets for outputs and clinical outcomes.
- Experience of SystmOne/EMIS or similar IT system for outcome and case- management recording.
- Experience of working with diverse communities and within a multicultural setting.
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- An understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Higher Education and Primary Care services.
- An understanding of the work of secondary care mental health services and complex mental health presentations.
- Working knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
- Working understanding of safeguarding issues.
- Working understanding of confidentiality issues.
Desirable
- An understanding of the principles underlying the Stepped Care model of mental health treatment.
- Knowledge of existing services within the area, including an understanding of student support services.
- Knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting students (undergraduates, postgraduates, mature and international).
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Ability to deliver a range of mental health support appropriate to the needs and capacities of the client group.
- Can demonstrate sound clinical skills and ability to make clinical decisions, in line with professional standards, NICE guidelines and service protocols.
- Can demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of disadvantaged groups in the planning and delivery of interventions and services.
- Creative, flexible and imaginative approach to working with people with mental health problems.
- Demonstrate a commitment to enabling and empowering clients to become actively involved in their own wellbeing.
- Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, & in own personal and professional development, and to use supervision positively and effectively
- Able to build and maintain relationships with others both internal and external to the organisation whilst maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
- Ability to plan and organise workload in line with targets
- Able to work according to organisational policies and procedures
- Actively committed to personal & professional development
- IT skills i.e. able to use Microsoft Office packages including Word and Outlook and video conferencing such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including communicating clearly and concisely at all levels (both orally and in writing).
- Commitment to the principles of coproduction and supporting others to deliver according to these principles.
Desirable
- Ability to deliver support in community languages.
- Ability to employ psychological formulation.
Qualities and Values
Essential
- An understanding and sensitivity towards mental health issues.
- Evidence of a positive and proactive attitude, motivated and solution-focused.
- Commitment to the principles of inclusivity, equality and diversity, demonstrated in practice.
- Demonstrates values consistent with those of the Northpoints.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A relevant qualification at NVQ Level 3 (e.g. NVQ Level 3 in Mental Health & Social Care) or equivalent (psychology graduate), and/or significant experience in mental health support work.
Experience
Essential
- At least two years experience of working in a mental health setting with clients presenting with multiple & complex issues.
- Experience of undertaking specialist mental health and risk assessments & formulation.
- Experience of delivering appropriate therapeutic, risk management and relapse prevention interventions in a time-limited manner.
Desirable
- Relevant experience in Primary or Secondary Care mental health services and/or Higher Education.
- Experience of working within a Third Sector organisation.
- Experience of working in a service with agreed targets for outputs and clinical outcomes.
- Experience of SystmOne/EMIS or similar IT system for outcome and case- management recording.
- Experience of working with diverse communities and within a multicultural setting.
Knowledge and Understanding
Essential
- An understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Higher Education and Primary Care services.
- An understanding of the work of secondary care mental health services and complex mental health presentations.
- Working knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
- Working understanding of safeguarding issues.
- Working understanding of confidentiality issues.
Desirable
- An understanding of the principles underlying the Stepped Care model of mental health treatment.
- Knowledge of existing services within the area, including an understanding of student support services.
- Knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting students (undergraduates, postgraduates, mature and international).
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Ability to deliver a range of mental health support appropriate to the needs and capacities of the client group.
- Can demonstrate sound clinical skills and ability to make clinical decisions, in line with professional standards, NICE guidelines and service protocols.
- Can demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of disadvantaged groups in the planning and delivery of interventions and services.
- Creative, flexible and imaginative approach to working with people with mental health problems.
- Demonstrate a commitment to enabling and empowering clients to become actively involved in their own wellbeing.
- Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, & in own personal and professional development, and to use supervision positively and effectively
- Able to build and maintain relationships with others both internal and external to the organisation whilst maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
- Ability to plan and organise workload in line with targets
- Able to work according to organisational policies and procedures
- Actively committed to personal & professional development
- IT skills i.e. able to use Microsoft Office packages including Word and Outlook and video conferencing such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including communicating clearly and concisely at all levels (both orally and in writing).
- Commitment to the principles of coproduction and supporting others to deliver according to these principles.
Desirable
- Ability to deliver support in community languages.
- Ability to employ psychological formulation.
Qualities and Values
Essential
- An understanding and sensitivity towards mental health issues.
- Evidence of a positive and proactive attitude, motivated and solution-focused.
- Commitment to the principles of inclusivity, equality and diversity, demonstrated in practice.
- Demonstrates values consistent with those of the Northpoints.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
