Community Mental Health Nurse

Job summary

This role will involve a number of elements which will support people with mental health conditions in the new integrated mental health teams. These roles will be key in providing professional support to the new primary care network based teams and will provide mental and physical health support helping people to engage with their local communities and benefit from all the supports available locally. The post holder will be part of a multi-disciplinary team which will cover a Primary Care Network or locality and will work across networks to form a truly innovative and ground-breaking support structure.

The objectives of the services are:

oTo consider an individual's needs holistically - mental and physical health as well as social needs

oTo reduce the need for repeated long assessments and story telling

oTo provide early advice and guidance with signposting to the relevant services where appropriate therefore supporting individuals to make full use of community resources available

oTo bridge the gaps that can appear between community mental health care and primary care, acute care, social services and support.

oTo ensure easier access to the right level of care such as group programmes, therapy etc.

oFor Care plans to be person centred - developed with the individual and others involved in their care

Main duties of the job

The Integrated Mental Health Team mental health nurse will have a number of key roles and will undertake the following duties:

1.Provide holistic and specialist bio-psycho-social assessment for anyone experiencing mental health difficulties and offer specialist nursing assessment where required

2.Provide advice to primary care to help them provide better support to patients and to (where preferable) meet their mental health needs within a primary care setting.

3.Carry out robust risk assessments, working collaboratively with the patient and their carer to provide a plan that will support them remaining safe.

4.Provide access to a broad range of specialist psychosocial interventions for individual patients where needed.

5.Provide expert advice regarding the pharmacological treatment options available to mental health patients to patients and non-mental health professionals, seeking clinical guidance from the designated Consultant Psychiatrist/GP in relation to any specific prescribing advice.

6.Where required, nurses working within the team will administer intra muscular medication to patients for whom this is prescribed, assessing the effects and side effects at each appointment, working within the NMC guidelines and the Trust's medicines policies

7.To maintain and the safe handling and storage of medication at all times, ensuring the safe disposal of clinical waste and all sharps.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.