Job summary
The transformation of community forensic services at West London NHS Trust has seen the development of the new Specialist Community Forensic Team. Following a successful pilot programme beginning in 2020 the SCFT has now expanded across all 8 North West London Boroughs.
The Specialist Community Forensic Team works to transition service users out of secure settings, and support their ongoing recovery in the community. This can improve quality of life, reduce inequality, and give hope to people who may have been detained for many years.
We are looking for a Forensic CPN committed to working collaboratively with individuals and providers in the community to find positive and safe ways of working with people who use these services.
You will work as part of the ground-breaking new team that will improve the lives of forensic mental health service users and their carers. This is a rare chance to be part of shaping a new service, providing opportunities to develop your skills and your career.
Main duties of the job
As a Forensic CPN you will provide high quality nursing assessment and case management skills to service users in secure care as well as those leaving secure care.
You will maintain a high standard of clinical work when carrying out nursing procedures.
You will be responsible for the safe custody of medication, including checking and administration.
Ensure compliance with our clinical governance framework, you will motivate colleagues, champion service user safety and dignity and drive continuous improvement.
You will work closely with service users and their families to establish a collaborative care plan that supports individuals to live safe and fulfilled lives.
You will be part of an MDT responsible for assessing, managing and reviewing risk and will receive comprehensive training to do this.
You will maintain a limited caseload in order that you can provide intensive support to individuals in the community and their families.
You will provide supervision, leadership and mentoring of CPNs within the team.
You will be a named lead for projects to develop the quality of the service.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.
Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.
We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.
We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To manage a caseload of clients, in close collaboration with other members of the Multi-disciplinary team, within the CPA framework and to agreed local and national standards.
- To regularly visit service users in their homes and seek to engage them in feedback about patient care and experience.
- To monitor medication treatments and administer depot medications.
- To liaise with inpatient and outpatient clinical teams in identifying social care needs and systemic risks. This may require liaison with external agencies responsible for the provision of resources, services, and vulnerable adult or child protection.
- To refer and consult with the home and host MAPPP authorities and to maintain accurate data collection in relation to this.
- To refer and consult with other public protection agencies as necessary, such as: - MARAC; JIGSAW; Channel Panel and other police services.
- To liaise with GPs and other healthcare agencies to ensure optimum physical health care for service users.
- To participate in the MDT completing the HCR20 for individual service users.
- To liaise with Secondary and Primary Mental Health Services to plan handover of care where appropriate.
- To develop individual recall plans for forensic service users and ensure these are shared with the relevant parties.
- To provide quality reports to tribunals, courts and other agencies as required.
- To ensure that quality of care is maintained and that appropriate and timely plans are made for the discharge of clients from the inpatient faculties ensuring Section 117 and CPA responsibilities are discharged.
- To provide professional nursing services to clients with mental health needs and to provide assessments and care to adults with severe and enduring mental health needs.
- To undertake initial assessments of new transfers / referrals received by the department and to recommend appropriate action and formulate individual care plans for adults with severe and enduring mental health needs and their carers.
- To continue to support clients to live as independently as possible in the community within the Recovery Model framework by ensuring access to services.
- To assess the needs of individuals preparing for discharge and to ensure that there is a continuity of health care provided after discharge.
- To participate in pre-discharge MDT risk assessment and ensure aftercare providers have received sufficient information to manage individual risk.
- To have knowledge of local resources and provide casework services for clients in the departments care or referred by outside agencies using a recovery focused model.
- To keep up to date records of visits / assessments undertaken, completing reports on electronic records using local protocols in consultation with their senior.
- To maintain expert knowledge of community and forensic mental health risk assessment (including identifying any Safeguarding Children/safeguarding adult issues) and following appropriate procedures to address these.
- To provide facilitation of groups including the promotion of wellbeing and those designed to address the offending needs of service users.
- To provide joint assessments and on-going joint work with generic mental health teams where there is a forensic component to the service users presentation.
- To undertake assessment and intervention relating to dual diagnosis as an integrated part of service user treatment and care, supporting patients in minimising their drug and / or alcohol misuse and assisting them in gaining insight into the impact of using in respect of their mental health and offending behaviours.
- To ensure that the views and wishes of service users and cares are central to the care planning process and that their participation is maximised.
- To ensure that robust clinical assessment and management systems are in place and that all documentation including electronic records are up to date
- To ensure that the team delivers services which maximises the choice and independence of service users, promotes social inclusion and ensures that individualised budgets and direct payments are fully utilised by service users and carers.
- To ensure that effective links are developed with relevant organisational partners including statutory, voluntary and private providers as well as community groups and networks.
- To provide specialist forensic assessment and intervention to other Mental Health Teams and Criminal Justice Agencies as requested
- To support clients and carers in their contact with the Criminal Justice System including acting as an Appropriate Adult within police custody
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To manage a caseload of clients, in close collaboration with other members of the Multi-disciplinary team, within the CPA framework and to agreed local and national standards.
- To regularly visit service users in their homes and seek to engage them in feedback about patient care and experience.
- To monitor medication treatments and administer depot medications.
- To liaise with inpatient and outpatient clinical teams in identifying social care needs and systemic risks. This may require liaison with external agencies responsible for the provision of resources, services, and vulnerable adult or child protection.
- To refer and consult with the home and host MAPPP authorities and to maintain accurate data collection in relation to this.
- To refer and consult with other public protection agencies as necessary, such as: - MARAC; JIGSAW; Channel Panel and other police services.
- To liaise with GPs and other healthcare agencies to ensure optimum physical health care for service users.
- To participate in the MDT completing the HCR20 for individual service users.
- To liaise with Secondary and Primary Mental Health Services to plan handover of care where appropriate.
- To develop individual recall plans for forensic service users and ensure these are shared with the relevant parties.
- To provide quality reports to tribunals, courts and other agencies as required.
- To ensure that quality of care is maintained and that appropriate and timely plans are made for the discharge of clients from the inpatient faculties ensuring Section 117 and CPA responsibilities are discharged.
- To provide professional nursing services to clients with mental health needs and to provide assessments and care to adults with severe and enduring mental health needs.
- To undertake initial assessments of new transfers / referrals received by the department and to recommend appropriate action and formulate individual care plans for adults with severe and enduring mental health needs and their carers.
- To continue to support clients to live as independently as possible in the community within the Recovery Model framework by ensuring access to services.
- To assess the needs of individuals preparing for discharge and to ensure that there is a continuity of health care provided after discharge.
- To participate in pre-discharge MDT risk assessment and ensure aftercare providers have received sufficient information to manage individual risk.
- To have knowledge of local resources and provide casework services for clients in the departments care or referred by outside agencies using a recovery focused model.
- To keep up to date records of visits / assessments undertaken, completing reports on electronic records using local protocols in consultation with their senior.
- To maintain expert knowledge of community and forensic mental health risk assessment (including identifying any Safeguarding Children/safeguarding adult issues) and following appropriate procedures to address these.
- To provide facilitation of groups including the promotion of wellbeing and those designed to address the offending needs of service users.
- To provide joint assessments and on-going joint work with generic mental health teams where there is a forensic component to the service users presentation.
- To undertake assessment and intervention relating to dual diagnosis as an integrated part of service user treatment and care, supporting patients in minimising their drug and / or alcohol misuse and assisting them in gaining insight into the impact of using in respect of their mental health and offending behaviours.
- To ensure that the views and wishes of service users and cares are central to the care planning process and that their participation is maximised.
- To ensure that robust clinical assessment and management systems are in place and that all documentation including electronic records are up to date
- To ensure that the team delivers services which maximises the choice and independence of service users, promotes social inclusion and ensures that individualised budgets and direct payments are fully utilised by service users and carers.
- To ensure that effective links are developed with relevant organisational partners including statutory, voluntary and private providers as well as community groups and networks.
- To provide specialist forensic assessment and intervention to other Mental Health Teams and Criminal Justice Agencies as requested
- To support clients and carers in their contact with the Criminal Justice System including acting as an Appropriate Adult within police custody
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualification in Mental Health Nursing
Desirable
- Post Qualifying training and development
Experience
Essential
- The applicant must have a minimum of two years post graduate experience.
- The applicant must have two years post qualification experience in a mental health setting.
- The applicant must have experience of autonomous working.
Desirable
- Experience of community forensic working practises
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Demonstrate an ability to undertake assessments of risk using specific risk assessment tools.
- Demonstrate an ability to formulate implement and evaluate programmes of care for those individuals in the Community Forensic Service and those being referred.
- Demonstrate an ability to use a range of therapeutic interventions with clients who have a range of disorders that will include personality disorder dual diagnosis.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the NMC Code of Conduct and also an understanding of medication management.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Part 3 of the Mental Health Act and its application to Mentally Disordered Offenders.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the Criminal Justice Act and its implication for the management of Forensic clients.
- Demonstrate an ability to work with a range of organisations including Courts, Police and Probation, ministry of Justice.
- Demonstrate ability to lead projects and development of services.
- Demonstrate an ability to manage stress and competing demands prioritising appropriately.
- Ability to wok in an autonomous manner.
Desirable
- Demonstrate knowledge of actuarial and clinical risk assessment and how this might be applied to the management of clients.
- Demonstrate an ability to teach.
- Demonstrate a good understanding of CPA and its application.
- Demonstrate good communication skills, especially listening, empathy, facilitation, persuasion, motivation, negotiation, education, and reassurance.
- Demonstrate an ability to communicate complex issues to users and carers.
- Demonstrate the ability to understand the role of the Community Forensic Service.
- Demonstrate ability for cross cultural working ensuring whatever the cultural background of clients they are treated holistically.
- Demonstrate skills associated with good documentation.
- An ability to work as part of a team.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualification in Mental Health Nursing
Desirable
- Post Qualifying training and development
Experience
Essential
- The applicant must have a minimum of two years post graduate experience.
- The applicant must have two years post qualification experience in a mental health setting.
- The applicant must have experience of autonomous working.
Desirable
- Experience of community forensic working practises
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Demonstrate an ability to undertake assessments of risk using specific risk assessment tools.
- Demonstrate an ability to formulate implement and evaluate programmes of care for those individuals in the Community Forensic Service and those being referred.
- Demonstrate an ability to use a range of therapeutic interventions with clients who have a range of disorders that will include personality disorder dual diagnosis.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the NMC Code of Conduct and also an understanding of medication management.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Part 3 of the Mental Health Act and its application to Mentally Disordered Offenders.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the Criminal Justice Act and its implication for the management of Forensic clients.
- Demonstrate an ability to work with a range of organisations including Courts, Police and Probation, ministry of Justice.
- Demonstrate ability to lead projects and development of services.
- Demonstrate an ability to manage stress and competing demands prioritising appropriately.
- Ability to wok in an autonomous manner.
Desirable
- Demonstrate knowledge of actuarial and clinical risk assessment and how this might be applied to the management of clients.
- Demonstrate an ability to teach.
- Demonstrate a good understanding of CPA and its application.
- Demonstrate good communication skills, especially listening, empathy, facilitation, persuasion, motivation, negotiation, education, and reassurance.
- Demonstrate an ability to communicate complex issues to users and carers.
- Demonstrate the ability to understand the role of the Community Forensic Service.
- Demonstrate ability for cross cultural working ensuring whatever the cultural background of clients they are treated holistically.
- Demonstrate skills associated with good documentation.
- An ability to work as part of a team.
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.
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).
Additional information
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).
