Mental Health Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Governance

To develop and take an active role in quality monitoring of the service, including leading of research projects and audit activity with the aim of improving the service/service area. Partnership with service users and carers is integral to these activities.

The Post Holder will be able to evaluate and review research and other relevant literature and beware of the implications of the social and local policies, procedures and information packages related to service delivery. Will have the ability to work under pressure and manage staff and services

Management and Leadership

The Post Holder will act as a role model for Sussex House staff, which will involve providing support and guidance in order to maximise the experience for the service user whilst they are residing in a crisis assessment bed.

The Post Holder will work within an environment that involves taking responsibility for the use of a significant number of resources, including two crisis beds, access to in-patient services, processing of referrals and allocation of activity to achieve rapid response to crisis referrals.

Will plan and organise workloads for staff within the area to include allocation of staff, planning patient care and groups etc.

The Post Holder will supervise the day to day care of the work of the crisis and home treatment ensuring staff are designated to appropriate areas. They will also be involved in the recruitment and selection of staff along with personal development reviews and supervision.

Education and Development

The Acute Mental Health and Memory Service is a learning environment which accepts short-term placements, any qualified practitioners and a wide variety of other agencies, wishing to gain an insight into the Mental Health Services.

There is an expectation that the Post Holder will be involved in the provision of internal training sessions and presentations to other services and students. Alongside this, it is a requirement that the post holder is motivated by learning and development and is willing to take part in specialist training to meet the needs of the service users and service area.

The Post Holder may be asked to provide specific training or mentorship to students.

Acute Mental Health and Memory Service staff are expected to become actively involved in the change process and demonstrate commitment to changing roles, ie in the development of specialist protocols and specialised programmes of care.

Team members will provide continuous development and evaluation of patient information packages to the service.

Individuals within the team will provide teaching and education to services users and carers with regard to living with mental ill health, and how to access service providers. This will involve working closely with other care providers, including relatives in a constructive manner using education, advice and support.

The Post Holder will be expected to organise and manage their own clinical supervision, and supervise peers, within NAViGO agreed guidelines.

Clinical Patient Care Duties and Responsibilities

To provide high quality care and treatment in either the home, Sussex house, inpatient and hospital settings. Service users referred to the service will usually have complex needs and problems. Families/carers will also need appropriate support and there will be regular liaison/referral to other agencies. This will require capability in the following areas:

1.To maintain accurate records, both written and computerised to a standard that reflects their level of clinical expertise. This may involve the use of specialised psychometric tools to complement the assessment and evaluation of client care.

2.The Post Holder must have experience of using psychosocial interventions in clinical practice.

3.Liaison with community based services and resources such as education, welfare systems, employment, housing, Police and voluntary sector organisations to facilitate the delivery of the most appropriate and best possible care for the individual and their families.

4.Discuss complex issues surrounding risk management and plan care accordingly advising others regarding management of care.

5.Discharge planning.

6.To respond to service user crisis in a positive pro-active manner.

7.To develop clear care pathways, including methods to reduce the risk of further crisis developing.

8.To work in a manner which is flexible according to service user need.

9.To provide telephone support to any service users, carers, outside agencies or clinicians who require information, advice or crisis intervention. This will require the Post Holder to make immediate, effective decisions that will have implications for the outcomes of the service users mental health.

10.Be able to assess complex mental health conditions, then to develop and implement care and treatment interventions in a variety of settings.

11.If required (or at their request) undertake Mental Health Act Training (AMHPs) and if qualified take part in the rota.

Person Specification

Skills & Attributes

Essential

• Proven and advanced skills in the following areas:
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Approaches to risk assessment
• Communication and liaison with a range of others
• Management and change management
• Clinical decision making
• Working at a fast pace

Experience

Essential

• Three years post-registration, 1 year of which at a senior level
• Experience of working with clients with mental health problems of a severe and enduring nature
• Knowledge of relapse prevention
• IT Literacy

Desirable

• Psychosocial interventions
• Use of clinical assessment measures
• First Aid training
• Leadership
• Working with older people with mental health problems

Other requirements

Essential

• Knowledge of issues involved in the treatment of mental illness for older people and relapse prevention
• Broad knowledge of risk assessments
• Team Worker
• Determination
• Flexibility
• Positive attitude to change
• Able to work across organisational boundaries
• Strong team player
• Self-motivated
• Able to use initiative
• Committed to developing and improving mental health services
• Commitment to flexible working patterns
• Access to and use of transport to ensure timely response to service users in the community

Desirable

• Knowledge of the principles of nurse prescribing and the use of service users group directives/protocols
• Can demonstrate experience in audit and research

Qualifications

Essential

• A current professional qualification (RMN, Social worker, Occupational Therapy)
• Ability to demonstrate clinical leadership in a multi-disciplinary team setting
• Evidence of post graduate training / studies

Desirable

• Post qualification award in health/social care at degree or equivalent level
• D32/33 or ENB998 (equivalent)
• Clinical Supervision Training
• Nurse prescribing
• Degree level study
• AMHPs trained/willingness to undertake training

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Navigo Health and Social Care CIC

Address

Tees House

Second Avenue

Grimsby

DN33 1NU

Employer's website

https://navigocare.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)