Job responsibilities
1.Communication & relationship skills
Use highly developed communication skills to conduct assessments of service-users and communicate complex information related to their mental health needs, to service-users, carers, relatives and other professionals.
Effectively communicate complex and/or sensitive information where there are barriers to understanding. This includes communication concerning adult protection, abuse, cognitive impairment and other risks surrounding a clients mental health. Barriers to understanding include working with service-users who could be hostile or highly emotional, who have complex needs and may be vulnerable.
Maintain and develop effective communications and working relationships within the team and with external agencies.
Promote and implement creative ways of working with service-users
Instigate, develop and maintain a relationship with the client and/or carer to facilitate the accurate assessment and delivery of care.
Manage highly confidential information in respect of members of the public in accordance with local and national policy.
Act as care co-ordinator and named worker responsible for specialist assessment.
2.Knowledge, training and experience
The post-holder will hold current registration on part 3 or 13 of the NMC register or hold a Registered Mental Nursing (RMN) certificate and Social Work qualification CQSW, CSS or DipSW or be a Registered Occupational Therapist.
Have specialist knowledge and training of working in a Memory Clinic, gained through formal training and post registration experience and/or training, relating to older people and mental health and apply this knowledge when delivering care to service-users.
Provide advice and support to other agencies around issues relating to Mental Health.
3.Analytical & judgement skills
Make decisions about the range of options for treatment and care plans based on judgement of clients need.
Conduct comprehensive assessments of both service users and carers in line with team operational policies.
4.Planning & organisational skills
Plan and co-ordinate care plan review meetings with colleagues in the team and with staff in other teams and agencies, ensuring that review meetings take place at the appropriate time.
Co-ordinate transfer or referral of service-users to other teams or services where required.
Participate in AMHP Rota, BIA rota if appropriate.
Prioritise, plan and co-ordinate own workload and activities in line with the changing needs of the team and service. This includes planning and monitoring client medication needs, making appointments for service-users, conducting assessments, managing emergencies and enquiries, responding to crisis work within individual caseload, ensuring patient records are up to date and supporting colleagues on a daily basis.
Have the ability to work independently and to be able to resolve complex professional problems.
Crisis response to other staffs service-users in the event of key workers absence, and delegation from manager.
Participate in caseload management and ensure relevant information is available for this to take place.
5.Physical skills
Be trained in RESPECT (de-escalation) techniques.
6.Responsibilities for patient/client care
Develop programmes of care for service-users and act as care co-ordinator for service-users on CPA, non-CPA, ensuring links with Adult Social Care.
Assess and review service-users clinical risk management plan using the DICES risk assessment.
Assess care needs of service-users and carers to develop and implement appropriate care plans.
Provide specialist clinical advice to service-users, their carers, relatives and other professionals on needs relating their difficulties and mental health. This includes a range of health education and advice.
Initiate individual carer support where required. Set objectives, monitor and audit effectiveness.
Participate in clinical governance activities.
7.Responsibilities for policy & service development implementation
Adhere to all Navigo policies and legislation relating to the role.
Contribute to the evaluation and development of the service including Accreditation Reviews.
Comment on policies, procedures and developments where required.
Propose improvements and changes to own work area and critically explore new ways of working where required.
8.Responsibilities for financial and physical resources
Use equipment and resources in a careful and responsible manner.
Respect the resources within the restraints of the team budget.
9.Responsibilities for human resources
Participate in Navigo clinical supervision strategy.
Provide clinical supervision for other colleagues.
Act as a mentor for students and assist other members of the team in supervising and teaching their students.
Assist in induction of new staff.
Participate in Personal Development Reviews, identify own developmental needs and maintain professional portfolio. In addition, participate in PDR with junior colleagues where required.
10.Responsibilities for information resources
Accurately document episodes and information relating to client care in patient notes, using agreed methods of documentation. This will be done in accordance with Navigo policies, professional guidelines and data protection legislation.
Record personally generated information as required by the team or service, as directed by the Clinical Team Leaders.
Provide oral/written clinical reports as required.
Manage highly confidential information in respect of members of the public in accordance with local and national policy.
11.Responsibilities for research and development
Participate in surveys or audits or research in relation to own work, as required by the team or service.
Be aware of up-to-date relevant published research, benchmarking and innovative practice in other areas and ensure own practice is evidence based.
12.Freedom to act
Deliver care for service-users and carers, working within professional codes of practice, organisational policies, local protocols and national legislation.
Have the ability to work independently, with peer support and supervision where required, to deliver care for service-users/carers and resolve complex professional problems.
13.Physical effort
Work in a clinic/office based environment.
Regularly drive, using own transport, to visit service-users in their own homes or in a community setting (provision to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act).
14.Mental effort
Concentration is frequently required in order to carry out client assessments and write up patient episodes in notes on the majority of working days.
Work is carried out in an unpredictable environment. This includes, for example, working with service-users who display unpredictable behaviour, responding to emergency telephone calls, responding to immediate risks to service-users and others, and to deal changes and queries from service-users carers and other professionals and agencies.
15.Emotional effort
Work directly with difficult family situations and circumstances. For example, communication with service-users, families and other agencies around receiving a diagnosis of dementia, adult protection, suicide and overdose, and other mental health issues.
Work with service-users who display challenging and potentially verbally and/or physically aggressive behaviour.
16.Working conditions
Some exposure to unpleasant working condition, much of the work is carried out in the community.
17.Other duties
Report actual or potential problems which may put health, safety and security at risk. Report all adverse incidents as per NAVIGO incident reporting policy (Datix).
Report all incidents of bullying or harassment, as per Navigo personal harassment policy.
To undertake any other tasks or duties associated with the post, appropriate to the level of responsibility, and as directed by line manager.
This job description seeks to outline the key duties and responsibilities of the post; it is not a definitive document and does not form part of the main statement of Terms and Conditions. The job description will be reviewed during the annual appraisal process. The post holder may, with their agreement, which should not reasonably be withheld, be required to undertake other duties as required, which fall within the grading of this post, to meet the needs of this new and developing service.
