Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Senior Practitioner for our In-reach team at HMP Thameside contributing to the Mental Health team delivery at HMP Thameside.
The post holder will be an expert practitioner, and a source of expert advice to the Primary Care team, Substance Misuse team, Prison staff, and Offenders. With overall responsibility for the mental and physical health & well-being of offenders in their care; operational management and day-to-day leadership of the In-reach team at HMP Thameside.
Working hours is Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or 8.30am to 4.30pm.
The successful post holder will be required to pass all prison security clearance.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified RMN with experience in any of the following areas:-
- Learning Disability
- Personality Disorder
- Substance Misuse/Dual Diagnosis
- Mentally Disordered Offenders
In addition to the above an in-depth knowledge of the Care Programme Approach and experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team is required. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate excellent communication skills both written and verbal and an understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983 and in particular, management of patients within secure locations.
Experience in prisons would be advantageous.
About us
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values: o We're Kind o We're Fair o We Listen o We Care
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist mental healthcare to offenders and to work as part of the Mental Health In-Reach Team and wider mental health services in HMP Thameside
- To deliver a range of specialist interventions at primary and secondary care level; to include
- Referral management, screening assessment, triage and evidence based interventions
- One-to-one and group-work facilitation
- Assertive outreach interventions
- Managing a mixed and challenging caseload
- To contribute to alternatives to inpatient admission and assisting with early discharge, through the implementation of high intensity specialist interventions and complex case management arrangements resulting in continuity of care for an offender on ordinary location, reduced length of stay (both in relation to prison inpatient services and external NHS or independent in-patient services).
- To perform robust assessment, screening and interventions to offenders with a learning disability
- Ensure that all waiting time, assessment and interventions are delivered in a timely manner, and positively contribute to the achievement of the services performance targets
- Ensure integrated and collaborative working with other specialist services, including continuity of care and through the gate arrangements and liaison
- Work closely with community mental health teams (CMHTs) to ensure appropriate sharing of information, continuity of care and the Care Programme Approach (CPA) for all offenders as necessary.
- To provide comprehensive and timely reports and mental health expertise to multi agency public protection panels (MAPPA), police, probation services, solicitors and court liaison teams as directed.Provide supervision to junior staff and to receive supervision as directed (line management and clinical).
- To participate in resource centre services as directed, delivering psychological therapy and specialist activities under the direction of the clinical lead.
- To work in a psychologically minded way with offenders in achieving their agreed goals and quality health outcomes.
- No direct budgetary responsibility, but must be aware of the financial impact of decision-making.
- Close working relationships with all prison and Serco staff, to include participation in sentence planning, resettlement, safer custody and ACCT processes.
- To develop and take on a specialist lead role as appropriate, and provide peer support and training in this area.
- To contribute towards support, advice, consultation and training for other prison departments.
- To communicate effectively on a range of issues that are often complex in their nature and in complex situations.
- Participate in the annual appraisal reviews and demonstrate reflective practice through the Knowledge and Skills FrameworkTo maintain comprehensive and timely electronic clinical records ensuring confidentiality is maintained at all times.
- Provide supervision, mentorship & leadership for junior staff.Be mindful of the unpredictable nature of the working environment, the job requirement and offender groups.
- Take all necessary care in the working environment, adhering to relevant health and safety policies.
- Participate and positively contribute to the services integrated clinical governance arrangements
- Carry out administrative tasks as directed including research, audit, data and activity statistics.
- To work positively and effectively in a difficult environment where the need for safe and secure containment may often challenge access to services and provision of quality mental health services.
- The post-holder will be expected to work within the established prison regimes.
- To understand the complexity of inter-agency involvement in offender welfare and to resolve issues that may occur across organisational boundaries.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist mental healthcare to offenders and to work as part of the Mental Health In-Reach Team and wider mental health services in HMP Thameside
- To deliver a range of specialist interventions at primary and secondary care level; to include
- Referral management, screening assessment, triage and evidence based interventions
- One-to-one and group-work facilitation
- Assertive outreach interventions
- Managing a mixed and challenging caseload
- To contribute to alternatives to inpatient admission and assisting with early discharge, through the implementation of high intensity specialist interventions and complex case management arrangements resulting in continuity of care for an offender on ordinary location, reduced length of stay (both in relation to prison inpatient services and external NHS or independent in-patient services).
- To perform robust assessment, screening and interventions to offenders with a learning disability
- Ensure that all waiting time, assessment and interventions are delivered in a timely manner, and positively contribute to the achievement of the services performance targets
- Ensure integrated and collaborative working with other specialist services, including continuity of care and through the gate arrangements and liaison
- Work closely with community mental health teams (CMHTs) to ensure appropriate sharing of information, continuity of care and the Care Programme Approach (CPA) for all offenders as necessary.
- To provide comprehensive and timely reports and mental health expertise to multi agency public protection panels (MAPPA), police, probation services, solicitors and court liaison teams as directed.Provide supervision to junior staff and to receive supervision as directed (line management and clinical).
- To participate in resource centre services as directed, delivering psychological therapy and specialist activities under the direction of the clinical lead.
- To work in a psychologically minded way with offenders in achieving their agreed goals and quality health outcomes.
- No direct budgetary responsibility, but must be aware of the financial impact of decision-making.
- Close working relationships with all prison and Serco staff, to include participation in sentence planning, resettlement, safer custody and ACCT processes.
- To develop and take on a specialist lead role as appropriate, and provide peer support and training in this area.
- To contribute towards support, advice, consultation and training for other prison departments.
- To communicate effectively on a range of issues that are often complex in their nature and in complex situations.
- Participate in the annual appraisal reviews and demonstrate reflective practice through the Knowledge and Skills FrameworkTo maintain comprehensive and timely electronic clinical records ensuring confidentiality is maintained at all times.
- Provide supervision, mentorship & leadership for junior staff.Be mindful of the unpredictable nature of the working environment, the job requirement and offender groups.
- Take all necessary care in the working environment, adhering to relevant health and safety policies.
- Participate and positively contribute to the services integrated clinical governance arrangements
- Carry out administrative tasks as directed including research, audit, data and activity statistics.
- To work positively and effectively in a difficult environment where the need for safe and secure containment may often challenge access to services and provision of quality mental health services.
- The post-holder will be expected to work within the established prison regimes.
- To understand the complexity of inter-agency involvement in offender welfare and to resolve issues that may occur across organisational boundaries.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Grade
- Appropriate experience post qualification
Desirable
Skills / Abilities / Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Grade
- Appropriate experience post qualification
Desirable
Skills / Abilities / Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
