Job responsibilities
COMMUNICATION
The
post holder will be required to liaise with staff at all levels throughout
NAViGO in order to effectively carry out their duties.
To
work closely with Hospital Managers, the MHRT, service users representatives,
solicitors, advocates, carers and service users Nearest Relative under the
Act.
To
liaise with the MHA Office Manager and or the NAVIGO Legal team to seek
clarification on particular points of the Act.
To
liaise with the Care Quality Commission with regards to service user focused
visits and the booking of Second Opinion Appointed Doctors when required.
To
provide all service user information to the Care Quality Commission as
appropriate.
Ensure
all medical claims forms for assessments under the Act 1983 are endorsed and
processed.
To
receive and process incoming telephone messages, receive and relay information
to relevant parties, dealing with these in a helpful, confidential and
sensitive manner.
Dealing
with enquiries from service users/relatives both face to face and by telephone.
To be
a point of contact for queries regarding the Mental Health Act 1983
Work
additional hours when necessary to cover the MHRT/Hospital Managers Appeals.
Any
other reasonable duty in connection with the work of the Department.
ADMINISTRATION
OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1983
To
carry out day-to-day administration of the Act and to ensure that all
appropriate procedures have been performed correctly and timely.
To be
responsible for the receipt and scrutiny of section papers on behalf of NAViGO
ensuring that no patient is detained or treated illegally.
To
check that any rectifiable errors are amended accurately within the time limits
as set out by the Mental Health Act 1983.
To
ensure an adequate reminder system is in place to ensure Clinicians are
provided with timely reminders for the expiry of sections and consent to
treatment due dates.
To
ensure existing systems for the administration of the Act continue to support
the needs of clinical staff.
To
maintain an effective and safe system of storage for the MHA section papers.
To
ensure that there is an adequate supply of statutory MHA forms and rights
leaflets and to order supplies when necessary.
To
take the lead in the setting up of new administrative procedures, developments
and working methods for the administration of the Act.
To
ensure day to day compliance with the Code of Practice of Mental Health Act
1983.
To
ensure that the administration requirements of the Mental Health Act 1983 are
followed and adhered to during the admission of detained patients.
To
provide administration support to the Mental Health Act Office Manager
PATIENT
RIGHTS
To
develop and maintain monitoring systems to ensure detained patients are advised
of their rights on a regular basis.
To
monitor the receipt of rights forms by nursing staff.
To
assist service users in seeking to find legal representation or advocacy
advice.
To
process any request by Nearest Relatives requesting the discharge of their
relative and to ensure statutory time scales are adhered to.
To
liaise with Approved Mental Health Professionals and remind them of their duty
to consult with the Nearest Relative where this may not initially have happened
HOSPITAL
MANAGERS
To
ensure that all appeals to the Hospital Managers are dealt with promptly and
that all such requests are processed within the time limits specified in
NAViGO.
To
organise and co-ordinate Mental Health Act Managers reviews/appeals liaising
with the Mental Health Act Hospital Managers, service users, psychiatrists,
social workers, nurses, solicitors, advocates and any other agencies as
appropriate.
To
liaise with relevant care professional, solicitors, advocates and relatives to
ensure that the required reports, information and documentation is available
and that care professionals remain compliant with NAViGO's time scales.
To
distribute all appropriate documentation prior to the review or appeal.
To
ensure venues and adequate refreshments are arranged.
To
assist in arranging Hospital Managers informal visits to inpatient units.
To
develop and maintain reminder systems to ensure that NAViGO fulfils its
commitment to organise automatic reviews for those patients whose detention has
been renewed.
To
arrange Hospital Managers Committee meetings and to be responsible for and
provide organisation and administrative support, such as dissemination of
agendas; taking minutes and information for these meetings.
MENTAL
HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNALS (MHRT)
To
develop and maintain reminder systems to ensure that the Care Trust Plus
complies with the requirement of the Act in arranging automatic hearings for
those patients who have not themselves appealed against their detention within
the appropriate time scales.
To
ensure that all appeals to the MHRT are dealt with promptly and that all requests
are processed within the statutory time limits.
To
negotiate with MHRT staff hearing dates and to confirm the necessary
arrangements.
To
ensure venues and adequate refreshments are arranged.
To
liaise with relevant care professionals, solicitors, advocates and relatives to
ensure that the required reports, information and documentation is available
and that care professionals remain compliant with NAViGO time.
To
perform the role of Mental Health Review Tribunal Clerk within the confines of
the Trusts service level agreement with the Department of Health which
necessitates direct contact with service users and relatives, solicitors and
the Mental Health Review Tribunal members.
To
distribute all documentation following the tribunal to attendees.
INFORMATION
AND STATISTICS
To
collect and collate statistics on a monthly basis for the attention of the MHA Manager, Hospital Managers and central
trust requirements Mental Health Act
To
assist with the preparation of information and statistics for the Hospital
Managers, the CQC and any other interested parties as required.
To
participate in collection of data for audit.
MENTAL
HEALTH ACT SUB COMITTE
To
arrange MHA Sub Committee meetings and to be responsible for and provide
organisation and administrative support, such as dissemination of agendas;
taking minutes and information for these meetings.
OTHER
DUTIES
To
provide an administrative/secretarial support service to the MHA Office
Manager, using knowledge of a range of I.T. applications. This includes typing/word processing,
photocopying, spreadsheets, email, filing, dealing with mail, composition of
letters, memos as required, typing of reports and ordering of a supply of stock
and non stock items.
To
act on own initiative to bring to the attention of MHA Office Manager or senior
staff members any relevant concerns he/she considers may jeopardise
service/delivery and or care provision.
To
maintain on a daily basis accurate System One and Thalamos computerised
register for detentions under the Mental Health Act, including record
keeping/data base for those on Section 117 MHA.
To
bring to the attention of appropriate manager and meetings issues regarding the
computerised system and to assist in training staff on the system in relation
to the Mental Health Act.
To
maintain confidentially at all times and comply with the Data Protection Act,
Access to Health Records and Freedom of Information Act.
To
attend mandatory Trust training days relevant to the post and maintain
necessary skills to fulfil the post and to keep up to date with new legislation
relating to the Mental Health Act and attend training courses and dates when
necessary.
Other
work and general duties as delegated within the overall purview of the post.
This
job description reflects the current main organisational priorities for the
post. In the context of rapid change
taking place within the NHS, these priorities will develop and change in
consultation with the post holder in line with service business needs and
priorities.
