Mental Health Liaison Support Worker

Job responsibilities

The post holder will play a vital role in delivering care to the individual presenting in the Emergency Department and will have direct patient contact. The role of the Support Worker is broad and varied. Working amongst a wider team of professionals enables individuals to learn from one another and contribute to providing high levels of care.

Education / Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE in English and Mathematics.
• Evidence of recent development / training to level 3

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in mental health settings
• Experience of working with individuals in distress
• Experience of working with non pharmacological approaches to managing challenging behaviors with people with dementia
• Experience of modelling behaviors to new staff members
• Experience of working with people with physical ill health issues and disabilities

Knowledge

Essential

• Basic understanding of mental health issues including dementia
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection issues
• Consent issues
• Privacy and dignity issues

Desirable

• Awareness of local services.
• Knowledge of benefits / employment systems.
• An understanding of the mental health system

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to listen effectively
• Ability to follow a plan of care and recognise the boundaries of own role
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to create innovative solutions to help empower service users.
• Ability to work without direct supervision in a range of settings
• Ability to form positive therapeutic relationships with service users and carers.
• Ability to acknowledge diversity and promote anti-discriminatory practice / equal opportunities.
• Ability to provide practical support with daily living activities.
• An ability to act calmly in emergencies and to respond in a professional manner to stressful and challenging behavior.
• Basic IT Skills
• Ability to work flexibly and to prioritise workload
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to model appropriate behaviors and communication skills to others
• Ability to de-escalate situations when service users are in distress

Desirable

• An understanding of the mental health system.

Work Related Circumstances

Essential

• Must be flexible and able to work shifts in a 24hrs/ 7 days per week service including bank holidays.
• Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs
• Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
• Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.

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).