Outreach Practitioner

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

The closing date is 11 May 2025

Job summary

We are seeking a committed, experienced Outreach Practitioner to join our dynamic SUN Service team. The SUN (Service User Network) Service supports individuals with longstanding emotional and behavioural difficulties often associated with personality disorder. These individuals may have found it difficult to access adequate support through mainstream services. The SUN Service offers group-based interventions in community venues across five boroughs and is fully integrated within the Sutton and Merton Complex Needs Service. We would particularly like to hear from you if you are a qualified and experienced nurse or social worker, with a solid background in risk and crisis management, including boundary setting. Experience supporting individuals with personality disorder or working in services tailored to complex emotional needs will be highly beneficial.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will:

Be a core member of the Trust-wide SUN Service, delivering and supporting a structured group programme.

Collaborate closely with senior clinicians and personality disorder services across the Trust.

Promote recovery-oriented, flexible, and needs-led support based on each service user's Crisis and Support Plan (CASP).

Contribute to effective multidisciplinary team working and uphold the principles of the SUN group model.

Conduct risk assessments, crisis planning, and risk management in line with best practice.

Demonstrate a strong understanding of the social and emotional challenges experienced by people with personality disorder and their carers.

Work Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, with occasional flexibility as service needs require.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Date posted

01 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£44,806 to £53,134 a year per annum inclusive of Inner London HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

294-COMM-7173630-JB-D

Job locations

Springfield University Hospital

15 Springfield Drive

London

SW17 0YF

Job description

Job responsibilities

To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the delivery of groups across five London boroughs.
To participate in individual supervision, team meetings and clinical direction meetings.
To undertake work with SUN group members where this is deemed appropriate (e.g. planning and running Core Groups), and actively engage service clients in working to achieve the outcomes sought through their CASPs, including the maintenance of contact with mental health services.
To undertake care coordination responsibilities if required.
To work within policy, professional and legal frameworks at all times and have a clear understanding of ones Code of Professional Conduct, risk assessment and safeguarding children protocols, Mental Health Act and CPA, and Trust clinical policies.
To ensure effective communication within the team and share relevant information as required.
To implement and/or participate in crisis intervention measures with the client/family or in conjunction with other agencies.
To maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with Professional and Trusts record keeping standards.
To act as an effective link between the specialist, secondary and primary care services, an advisor to other professionals and develop joint working relationships.
To be aware of the role of health promotion and actively seek to promote its benefits.
To share the task of taking minutes with other members of the team.
To contribute to the effective working of the multidisciplinary team and participate in team and service development and in the regular audit of team practices.
To participate in the Trusts complaints procedure and critical incident reporting when required and work within the policies and procedures of the Trust.
To maintain the professional standards set out by the professional registration body and keep up to date with developments and contemporary issues within the field of mental health.
To provide out of hours work as and when required including Saturday mornings.
To help SUN Members to gain access to resources to include benefits and welfare rights.
To help identify early signs of relapse by monitoring the clients progress, level of functioning and mental state through group work and updating other members of the team as appropriate.
To undertake any other tasks as required as the service continues to develop achieve service improvements e.g. participate in the development/maintenance of a SUN service website.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the delivery of groups across five London boroughs.
To participate in individual supervision, team meetings and clinical direction meetings.
To undertake work with SUN group members where this is deemed appropriate (e.g. planning and running Core Groups), and actively engage service clients in working to achieve the outcomes sought through their CASPs, including the maintenance of contact with mental health services.
To undertake care coordination responsibilities if required.
To work within policy, professional and legal frameworks at all times and have a clear understanding of ones Code of Professional Conduct, risk assessment and safeguarding children protocols, Mental Health Act and CPA, and Trust clinical policies.
To ensure effective communication within the team and share relevant information as required.
To implement and/or participate in crisis intervention measures with the client/family or in conjunction with other agencies.
To maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with Professional and Trusts record keeping standards.
To act as an effective link between the specialist, secondary and primary care services, an advisor to other professionals and develop joint working relationships.
To be aware of the role of health promotion and actively seek to promote its benefits.
To share the task of taking minutes with other members of the team.
To contribute to the effective working of the multidisciplinary team and participate in team and service development and in the regular audit of team practices.
To participate in the Trusts complaints procedure and critical incident reporting when required and work within the policies and procedures of the Trust.
To maintain the professional standards set out by the professional registration body and keep up to date with developments and contemporary issues within the field of mental health.
To provide out of hours work as and when required including Saturday mornings.
To help SUN Members to gain access to resources to include benefits and welfare rights.
To help identify early signs of relapse by monitoring the clients progress, level of functioning and mental state through group work and updating other members of the team as appropriate.
To undertake any other tasks as required as the service continues to develop achieve service improvements e.g. participate in the development/maintenance of a SUN service website.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

Core Mental Health Qualification (RMN, CQSW, OT, DipSW, CPsychol, MRCPsych) or Evidence of continuing Professional Development

Desirable

Diploma in Psycho-social interventions, or similar post registration qualification relevant to the post
UKCP registered psychotherapist/BACP accredited counsellor
Full and current UK driving licence
MBTI trained

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Knowledge of Personality Disorders and understanding behaviours in context of this diagnosis.
Knowledge of the recovery model and other theoretical models related to the care of people with personality Disorder
Excellent understanding of Mental Health disorders and a range of evidence based treatment models
Knowledge of the principles of risk management and risk assessment and positive risk taking in this client group.
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Clear understanding of the Mental Health Act, and National Policy

Desirable

Audit and Research skills
Knowledge of psycho-social interventions
Group facilitation skills
Report writing skills Demonstrable knowledge (at least theoretical) of MBT

Experience

Essential

Considerable experience of working psycho-therapeutically with people with mental health difficulties particularly
people with personality disorders Experience of working with people in a community mental health setting using principles of the therapeutic community
Considerable experience of facilitating therapeutic group interventions.
Experience of working as a Care Co-ordinator and implementing CPA
Experience of working within an integrated multi-disciplinary team
Experience of working in partnership with service user and carer groups
Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours

Desirable

Experience of working in a community nursing environment
Experience in the delivery of psychological therapy, particularly for patients with personality disorder

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

Core Mental Health Qualification (RMN, CQSW, OT, DipSW, CPsychol, MRCPsych) or Evidence of continuing Professional Development

Desirable

Diploma in Psycho-social interventions, or similar post registration qualification relevant to the post
UKCP registered psychotherapist/BACP accredited counsellor
Full and current UK driving licence
MBTI trained

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Knowledge of Personality Disorders and understanding behaviours in context of this diagnosis.
Knowledge of the recovery model and other theoretical models related to the care of people with personality Disorder
Excellent understanding of Mental Health disorders and a range of evidence based treatment models
Knowledge of the principles of risk management and risk assessment and positive risk taking in this client group.
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Clear understanding of the Mental Health Act, and National Policy

Desirable

Audit and Research skills
Knowledge of psycho-social interventions
Group facilitation skills
Report writing skills Demonstrable knowledge (at least theoretical) of MBT

Experience

Essential

Considerable experience of working psycho-therapeutically with people with mental health difficulties particularly
people with personality disorders Experience of working with people in a community mental health setting using principles of the therapeutic community
Considerable experience of facilitating therapeutic group interventions.
Experience of working as a Care Co-ordinator and implementing CPA
Experience of working within an integrated multi-disciplinary team
Experience of working in partnership with service user and carer groups
Experience of working with people with challenging behaviours

Desirable

Experience of working in a community nursing environment
Experience in the delivery of psychological therapy, particularly for patients with personality disorder

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).