CAMHS Liaison Senior Clinician

Job responsibilities

If you're a Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Psychologist or Occupational Therapist looking for a varied role in a team which bridges the gap between physical and mental health, this could be your next role.

The CAMHS liaison team offer a holistic approach to supporting the young people we work with, by offering a bio-psycho-social assessment to young people under the age of 18 who present in the Acute General Hospital as a result of mental health issues, associated risk-taking behaviours, physical illness and distress. We also offer a 7-day follow up and liaison with other services as identified as part of the assessment, to check how the young person is doing.

We work collaboratively with colleagues in other teams, such as the Specialist Community CAMHS service, Children's Social Care, Paediatrics charities and Education to offer a responsive service that places the young persons at the centre of all we do.

You should be a team player with a willingness to teach and educate acute colleagues, improve mental health awareness, as well as a commitment to help develop the service further to achieve the best possible outcomes for young people within the acute hospital setting.

In return, we can offer you the opportunity to be part of a dynamic service, bespoke CAMHS Liaison Training and a high level of Clinical Supervision and support.

The role includes working on a 7-day rota shift pattern and there is potential for flexibility where possible.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will deliver high quality rapid assessment, formulation of risk management and treatment plans to young people who present in acute care services. These assessments will take place in acute care settings such as A&E and Paediatric Wards.

They will act as a key member of the multi-disciplinary team, liaising with statutory services and other agencies. The post holder will act as a gatekeeper to admissions on Paediatric Wards for young people presenting in mental health crisis and following deliberate self-harm. They will work closely with community CAMHS, Children's Social Care, and the paediatric team to formulate and provide alternatives to admission. They will be expected to maintain a high standard of electronic patient records.

The post holder will devise and ensure delivery of specialist CAMHS mental health education to Acute Trust staff to increase awareness, with the ultimate aim of improving the young person's experience in an acute care setting.

They will work autonomously but closely liaising with colleagues in the CAMHS Enhanced Outreach Team, adult psychiatric liaison, and CAMHS community mental health teams

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To work independently to carry out skilled and comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessments. To use agreed assessment tools to conduct comprehensive assessments.

Use advanced level skills to provide safe, high quality, evidence-based care for patients presenting to an emergency department in need of urgent mental health care.

To be autonomous in decision-making including making recommendations to the acute hospital team.

Provide supervision to junior qualified and unqualified staff, through monthly supervision and annual appraisal and will assist in the development of Personal Development Plans in accordance with the Knowledge Skills Framework.

Exercising leadership within the team by actively contributing to its management where delegation has occurred.

Acting as a link person between the team and other agencies, maintaining and promoting positive working relationships with all referring agencies.

Promoting staff morale and maintaining supportive relationships within the Team.

Participating in the development of initiatives within the Team and wider service.

To have an awareness of the clinical thresholds for different teams within CAMHS.

To design and implement comprehensive, safe, creative, and effective care plans in collaboration with young people, families/carers, medical and other professionals including the ongoing assessment and review of the client. Interventions will be evidence-based and will be designed to reduce distress, manage risk, and aid recovery through assisting clients in the management of their daily living skills, education, personal finance, problem behaviours and communication with others. This will be fed back to the team involved with the young person.

To have an awareness of local resources and interventions and signpost children, young people, and their families for such interventions as appropriate.

Qualifications

Essential

• Current registration with relevant professional body (such as RCN HCPC or Social Work England)
• Recognised professional qualification in nursing, social work, or occupational therapy
• Evidence of continuous post-qualifying professional development
• Training in psychological interventions or a willingness to undertake qualification to support the care of this client group.

Desirable

• Mentoring/ practice teacher or Assessor
• Childhood Exploitation and safeguarding training

Experience

Essential

• Significant post registration experience in CAMHS community, Outreach, or in-patient settings.
• Experience of managing risk of young people in crisis.
• Experience of assessment, care-plan, development, and evaluation in conjunction with clients and carers.
• Experience of working with children displaying challenging and risky behaviours.
• Experience of working in multi-agency teams and multi-agency service planning
• Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision
• Significant experience in assessing and managing risk and supporting teams in this process.
• Experience and understanding of lone working practices.

Additional Criteria

Essential

• SKILLS & ABILITIES
• Compassionate - Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with patients, carers and relatives remaining sensitive and empathetic.
• Leadership skills.
• Experience of clinical leadership in an area related to this client group.
• Ability to work autonomously, managing highly complex clinical dilemmas effectively in a pressured environment.
• Listens to others' views respecting and valuing individual patient needs.
• Professional and patient focussed approach with inspirational skills, acting as a role model to colleagues and junior staff members.
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities for staff and patients.
• Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.
• Able to take instruction and direction, and work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to record and retrieve information on charts/paper and electronic patient records in a timely and efficient manner
• High standards of written communication skills with the ability to use email and internet.
• Ability to undertake PMVA training and other mandatory training required for role.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including presentation of cases to multi-disciplinary case conferences.
• Able to carry out evidence-based interventions.
• Proven team player and commitment to team.
• Ability to use email and internet and Basic Computer Literacy
• Ability to work in partnership with other agencies.
• Willingness to lead groups.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working in a community setting.
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS
• Evidence of a good standard of Literacy / English language skills
• Speaks to distressed patients and their relatives in person and on the telephone.
• Compassionate - Open minded, treats colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.
• Intuitive and caring nature.
• PLANNING & ORGANISING SKILLS
• *Complete work whilst being subjected to frequent unpredictable interruptions
• *Develop and maintain good working relationships both within the team and the organisation.
• *Act in ways that support equality and promote diversity
• PHYSCIAL SKILLS
• *Able to travel within the Organisational boundaries
• *Work under pressure, dealing with a complex range of competing priorities and agendas
• *Concentrate for long periods on a daily basis
• *Make immediate decisions
• OTHER
• *Physical dexterity required for basic keyboard skills. Ability to work creatively, cooperatively, reliably, and consistently both independently and in multidisciplinary settings
• *Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service.
• *Ability to travel on a regular basis to locations across Somerset County

Desirable

• Skills and abilities
• Ability to work in partnership with other agencies.
• Willingness to lead groups.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working in a community setting.

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).