Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (LMWS) deliver a service that is patient focussed and evidence based for people with Common Mental Health Disorders complying with the National IAPT Programme.

The service is delivered as a partnership of Community Links. Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Touchstone, Northpoint Wellbeing, Womens Counselling and Therapy Service, Home-Start Leeds, IESO Digital, Silvercloud and SignHealth. Together we provide a range of different therapies and mental health support at venues throughout the city.

The service operates a stepped care system, providing evidence based N.I.C.E. Guidance interventions appropriate for the clients clinical presentation. Theseinclude Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Guided Self Help, Psycho-Educational Classes, CBT Interpersonal Therapy, EMDR, Counselling for Depression and Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy.

The post holder will be responsible for the screening of referrals into the service via the online platform and via telephone and face to face appointments. You will deliver evidence based low intensity interventions including classes and groups, computerised CBT and 1-1 guided self-help.

You will work to professional protocols and regulatory body codes, standards and guidance at all times ensuring that their practice is grounded in the best available evidence based theoretical and practical knowledge.

MAIN TASKS:

1. To deliver online, telephone and face to face screenings involving assessment of need and risk, identifying appropriate evidence-based interventions within LMWS and/or signposting to other services where appropriate.

2. To assess and support people with common mental health problems in the self-management of their recovery. To facilitate guided self-help through delivering groups/classes and via online platforms and 1-1 sessions.

3. To ensure support undertaken is meaningful, respectful, promotes self-determination and in line with the individuals goals and to utilise agreed protocols, evidence based and best-known practice wherever possible when delivering facilitated self-help.

4. To work closely with other members of the workforce ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.

5. To provide a culturally sensitive and accessible service.

6. To work to standards of proficiency identified by your professional and regulatory body and prioritising your own workload within agreed objectives.

7. To actively contribute to the multi-disciplinary team, wider organisation and consortium as well as other agencies, working towards developing and maintaining effective clinical and corporate collaborative working relationships.

8. To work with managers and colleagues to continually improve the quality of service delivery, adapting to the changing needs of the client group including identifying, managing and minimising risks and applying sound safeguarding and incident management principles, including multi-agency working.

9. To contribute to and undertake clinical audit, assist with research projects and share learning opportunities with students, team members and other agencies in order to develop self and others.

10. To ensure that client records and other information systems are completed accurately and within agreed timescales.

11. To adhere to organisational policies and procedures relating to risk and personal safety.

12. To contribute to the achievement of annually set individual and team targets.

13. To participate in regular supervision.

14. To represent Community Links in a knowledgeable and professional manner at all times.

15. To maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.

16. To identify own training and development needs in conjunction with your line manager and participate in training opportunities as directed.

17. To partake in Community Links Personal Development Review system.

18. Any other duties commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Please note this job description is intended to provide a guide to the general duties and responsibilities of the role the post holder is expected to adopt a flexible approach to the tasks. It should not be regarded as a contractual document. It will be reviewed regularly and may be varied at the discretion of Community Links.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Good verbal, written and numeracy skills sufficient to be able to make accurate written records.
• Good technical literacy of Microsoft Applications e.g. Word, Excel, and Access etc.
• Good interpersonal skills including listening and display empathy.
• Creative, flexible and imaginative approach to working with people with mental health problems.
• Understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.
• Understanding of anxiety and depression and how it can present in primary care.
• Knowledge of clinical governance principles.
• Knowledge of mental health risk assessment.
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively.
• Access to a car for work purposes and hold a full current UK driving licence.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health.
• Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.
• Language skills e.g. Urdu, Polish, BSL, etc.

Qualifications

Essential

• Accredited with the BABCP or BPS as a PWP (or working towards accreditation if within six months of qualifying).
• Post graduate qualification in primary care mental health/low intensity interventions (or equivalent core professional qualification).

Desirable

• Further qualifications or evidence of CPD in evidence based psychological approaches.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of using CBT-based techniques for anxiety and depression.
• Worked in a service where agreed targets were in place, demonstrating clinical outcomes.
• Experience of managing own caseload under supervision.

Desirable

• Experience of working in primary care and / or IAPT services.
• Experience of mental health either as service user, carer, worker or volunteer.

Approach

Essential

• Demonstrate a commitment and enthusiasm for working with our client group.
• Demonstrate understanding and commitment to equal opportunities and diversity.
• Demonstrate a commitment to enabling and empowering clients to become actively involved in Community Links.
• Able to build and maintain relationships whilst maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Demonstrate a willingness to participate in shaping the future of the organisation by taking on responsibilities and projects in addition to core workload.
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to our anti-racism agenda.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).