Mental Health Liaison Practitioner (CAMHS)

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical

a)To oversee and support the admission process for young people with an eating disorder to Derriford Hospital.

b)The post holder will support communication between UHP and community eating disorder teams within Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall.

c)To work autonomously with children and young people who are experiencing highly complex and persistent mental health difficulties including exposure to domestic violence and other trauma.

d)To establish rapport and build effective working relationships with service users and all those involved in their psychological, emotional, and behavioural well-being.

e)The post holder will communicate with parents/families/young people supporting the ward care plans and risk assessments.

f)To work jointly with other teams within the Eating Disorder Pathway and professionals in delivering the most appropriate clinical service toyoung people, children, and families/carers.

g)To liaise and consult with the wider professional network in the care of young people, offering consultation and supervision where necessary.

h)To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the CAMHS Clinical Pathway Manager.

i)To follow appropriate local Safeguarding Adults and Children policies in all clinical work, including close liaison with all relevant agencies.

j)The post holder will participate in regular reviews, ongoing discussion of cases in treatment with other members of the multi-disciplinary team and where appropriate, co-ordinate and organise network meetings with internal/external agencies.

k)To provide advice, guidance, and consultation to external agencies to assist their understanding of the child / young person and familys complex needs, to assist in developing appropriate care pathways.

l)To provide risk assessment toyoung people and childrenwho may present in local acute settings in line with agreed procedures.

m)The post holder will support the ward staff team regarding any transfer of care to GAUs or SEDUs when required.

n)The post holder will support and provide advice to young people and families around NG feeds.

o)To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of children andyoung peopleunder their care and to effectively evaluate progress.

p)To participate in the multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of children andyoung people.

q)To provide a leadership roleworking alongside the Eating Disorder Multidisciplinary Team.

Teaching, Training, Consultation and Supervision

a)To receive regular individual and group supervision.

b)To continue to access continuing professional development opportunities in line with agreed targets and agreed personal development plan.

c)To assist in providing supervision to nursing students to ensure that they acquire the necessary skills, competencies, and experience to contribute effectively to good mental health care of children andyoung people; and to contribute to the assessment and evaluation of such competencies.

d)To contribute advice, consultation, teaching, and training of professionals from all agencies concerned with the psychological, emotional, and behavioural well-being of young people in community and in-patient settings as appropriate.

Research, Audit and Evaluation

a)To contribute to research in the service area where required,the post holder will audit acute bed use length of stays/number of admissions looking at appropriateness and effectiveness.

b)To utilise theory, evidence-based literature, and research to support evidence-based practice of self and others.

c)To undertake project management as required to aid service development.

d)To follow appropriate ethical and professional standards and research governance procedures when conducting relevant research, audit, and evaluation.

General

a)To maintain a professional registration and to maintain the highest professional standards of practice, through professional self-governance in accordance with the relevant professional codes of practice and Trust policies and procedures, and active participation in internal and external CPD training in consultation with the CAMHS eating disorder Clinical Pathway Manager.

b)To regularly attend and participate in team meetings, away-days and other professional meetings that are appropriate to the role. To attend local and regional groups agreed to be appropriate for the role.

c)To contribute the development and articulation of best practice within professionals registration across the service and inter-agency liaison, by continuing to develop individual skills, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal, and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the fields related to own professional registration.

d)To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice and Trust policies and procedures.

e)To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies, and issues in relation to service users with mental health issues.

f)The post holder will be required to work flexibly in terms of base and in hours of clinical availability.

Physical demands of the job

a) There is a frequent requirement for sitting in a restricted position for extended periods each day (e.g., Workstation).

b) Have the ability to drive most days within the Plymouth locality and will be expected to attend meetings within Devon and Cornwall as required.

c) The writing up and uploading of information into service user electronic notes and other records.

d) Computer based work processing email communications from within the organisation, partners and regional organisations, of which some will have an urgent response time.

Mental effort

a) There is a regular requirement for high levels of concentration particularly when make a detailed clinical assessment or contribution towards one, often within a busy and noisy environment and in sometimes challenging circumstances.

b) The workload will be highly unpredictable. Uncertainty and interruptions often require immediate action from the post holder.

c) To regularly deal with complex and sometimes conflicting information in relation to clinical practice and service delivery.

d) To undertake extended periods of in-depth concentration to enable analysis and preparation of sensitive clinical reports and documentation. Frequently working to restricted and legal deadlines which usually include scheduled/unscheduled external organisational requests of which there is limited control and has to utilise local resources appropriately.

e) To maintain communication with the team, the service, and the wider partner agencies.

Emotional effort

a) Frequent exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances examples include: dealing with Young Person, Family/Carer issues relating to child protection or risk to life.

b) Participation in team processes and with staff issues e.g., safety, Risk management, service continuity.

c) There is a requirement for extended periods of intense concentration whilst delivering clinical practice. Dealing with challenge from inside the team, the service and from partner agencies.

d) Having to breach confidentiality and/or to share information that could cause embarrassment or damage to others, against their wishes and challenging colleagues about their decision-making.

e) The post holder will regularly need to respond to staff concerns and anxieties and to be available to deal with this properly and promptly whilst balancing the timescales and demands as described above.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist (with a minimum of 3 years post qualifying experience in Secondary Mental Health, 18 months of which in a community setting).
• Post graduate diploma / degree level study related to health/social care or equivalent worked experience relevant to the role.

Desirable

• Teaching/Assessing course such as mentorship module or equivalent

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to work as part of a team and autonomously.
• Willingness to work flexibly.
• Ability to embrace change and have capacity to thrive in demanding situations.
• Ability to communicate/listen formally and informally, verbally and in writing.
• Highly reflective, confident, and articulate.
• High reflective capacity on own practice and committed to life-long learning and within supervision.
• Flexible and resourceful in coping under pressure and with conflicting demands.
• Excellent time management skills
• A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Desirable

• Sensitivity to working within a multicultural framework.
• An awareness of own strengths and limitations.

Experience

Essential

• At least 3 years post qualifying experience.
• 1 year experience in senior clinical role or project management role.
• Experience of managing others.
• Wide experience of Multi-disciplinary team working.
• Be able to give unwelcome news sensitively.
• Show respect and treat people with dignity.
• Evidence of transferable clinical, risk management and managerial skills at a senior level.
• Extensive clinical experience in mental health care, crisis management and positive risk taking.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups.
• Experience of delivering teaching and training.
• Maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse, and the threat of physical abuse.
• Car owner / driver, valid driving license with business insurance. Ability to travel between bases and within the community and with Devon and Cornwall if required for the post.

Desirable

• Senior management experience.
• Experience of managing a high level of risk.
• Performance management.
• Experience of implementing competencies and essential training for a team.
• Experience working with eating disorder patients and families across the lifespan.
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across the life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, inpatient, and residential care settings .
• Further specialist training/experience in an evidence-based treatment for eating disorders.
• Experience of supervision of MDT staff.

Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive professional knowledge acquired through clinical practice in a Community Mental Health setting, underpinned by training at degree level/diploma level specialist training or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of the impact of crisis on mental health difficulties.
• Evidence based practice.
• Understanding of Mental Health Act 1983.
• Good knowledge of current NHS and Social Care Policy.
• Evidence of CPD.
• Understand the Principles of Governance, particularly in relation to their Service area.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate and adapt effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to CYP, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health.
• Knowledge of clinical caseload management within a team setting.

Desirable

• Working with people in Crisis.
• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups.
• Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
• Working on an inpatient setting.

Skills

Essential

• Evidence of transferable Leadership and Operational Management skills.
• Accomplished Chairperson for meetings.
• Teaching, Coaching and supervision skills.
• Assessment, Risk Assessment & Care Planning of acutely Psychiatrically ill patients.
• Crisis management skills.
• Change management skills.
• Motivation skills.
• Complex clinical decision making skills.
• Facilitation and influencing skills.
• Good time management.
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must have self-confidence to challenge traditional practice and the persistence to address difficult enduring issues.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Competent IT skills and knowledge of databases
• Evidence of ability to manage complex clinical situations within a defined caseload

Desirable

• Able to use across system organisational IT systems.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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