Job summary
Eating Disorder Specialist Practitioner - Liaison Team - 1 Permanent position and 1 Fixed Term 12 Months position
The post-holder will have a base at Vincent Square Eating Disorders Service main base in central London and will also spend time at the satellite clinic in Harrow at Northwick Park Hospital, when required. To work with the Liaison Team, Multidisciplinary Team, collaborating with Doctors, Psychologists, Occupational Therapist, Family Worker, Inpatient and Day Programme Team. In addition there will be liaison with community Mental Health Teams, Primary Care Teams, and Medical and Psychiatric Wards.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Main duties of the job
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Practitioner post within Vincent Square Eating Disorders Service for an experienced mental health clinician. The post holder will be working in the eating disorders liaison team which is part of the wider outpatient service. The team is made up of highly experienced nurses, occupational therapists, dietician, nursing associate and consultant psychiatrist. It is an opportunity for a clinician to further their practice and experience within a specialist setting.
The candidate will require a good level of post qualification experience of working with patients with an eating disorder within a ward or community setting. The liaison team is an integral part of the wider eating disorders service acting as 'front of house' for all stakeholders, doing regular specialist assessment of patients referred to the eating disorder service and managing a small caseload of patients with a range of severe and enduring eating disorders within a personal recovery model. The team also has various treatment pathways including an established early intervention pathway, an expanding primary care pathway, and the newly created intensive community treatment team.
You will need to be a motivated, empathic, skilled and dedicated individual who can work well both autonomously and within a team, and possess excellent communication skills.
About us
You will be well supported in your role by a friendly, dynamic MDT as well as receive regular line management and clinical supervision in various forms. Your primary base will be in vibrant South Kensington in Central London and you will also be required to work at the satellite clinic at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, when required.
Vincent Square Eating Disorders Service is the specialist service provider for patients living in the boroughs of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Brent and Harrow. In addition the service accepts national referrals for specialist in-patient and day-patient care.
Flexible Working Policy:
Since Covid-19 we have adjusted our working practices and staff typically work from home up to 2 days a week. We know staff have lives outside of work, and want to promote balance. We take flexible working seriously, allowing staff to pick working hours as long as they fit with Team capacity. You will be given your own remote working system via laptops and phones to support this.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To process all new referrals by triaging them daily based on clinical risk, for the designated boroughs.
- To undertake specialist eating disorder assessment (at the central London clinic and the satellite Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow).
- To provide treatment for patients suitable for the Liaison Service, who often present with severe and enduring eating disorders, using a supportive clinical management model.
- To provide advice to referring agents on how to access the eating disorders service.
- To advise other teams about management of eating disorders as part of service users package of care, when there is other significant psychiatric or medical co morbidities.
- Monitoring of physical health (as appropriate to discipline) and mental health issues related to patients with eating disorders.
- Ensure practice is in accordance with the relevant Code of Professional Conduct and Mental Health Legislation, which incorporates and respects differences in respect of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, culture and disability.
- Participate as an active member of the team, accountable for your practice, and work in partnership with other health care professionals, patients and others in the delivery of care.
- Plan, prioritise and manage the delivery of assessment of referrals to the clinic from psychiatric and medical service.
- To offer support and advice on suitable treatments for those seriously ill patients awaiting outpatient/in-patient admission to professional staff and to families and carers.
- To participate in the running of a personal recovery focussed group for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders.
- To organise own schedule, maintaining daily contact with the Liaison Team Lead about any issues as they arise.
- To liaise with the Liaison Team Lead, Clinical Nurse Manager, Ward Manager, Day Patient Nurse, Service Manager and Consultant Psychiatrist about priorities on waiting list for admission.
- Always act in a manner as to promote and safeguard the interests and well being of patients, visitors and colleagues.
- To participate in mandatory staff group.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To process all new referrals by triaging them daily based on clinical risk, for the designated boroughs.
- To undertake specialist eating disorder assessment (at the central London clinic and the satellite Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow).
- To provide treatment for patients suitable for the Liaison Service, who often present with severe and enduring eating disorders, using a supportive clinical management model.
- To provide advice to referring agents on how to access the eating disorders service.
- To advise other teams about management of eating disorders as part of service users package of care, when there is other significant psychiatric or medical co morbidities.
- Monitoring of physical health (as appropriate to discipline) and mental health issues related to patients with eating disorders.
- Ensure practice is in accordance with the relevant Code of Professional Conduct and Mental Health Legislation, which incorporates and respects differences in respect of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, culture and disability.
- Participate as an active member of the team, accountable for your practice, and work in partnership with other health care professionals, patients and others in the delivery of care.
- Plan, prioritise and manage the delivery of assessment of referrals to the clinic from psychiatric and medical service.
- To offer support and advice on suitable treatments for those seriously ill patients awaiting outpatient/in-patient admission to professional staff and to families and carers.
- To participate in the running of a personal recovery focussed group for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders.
- To organise own schedule, maintaining daily contact with the Liaison Team Lead about any issues as they arise.
- To liaise with the Liaison Team Lead, Clinical Nurse Manager, Ward Manager, Day Patient Nurse, Service Manager and Consultant Psychiatrist about priorities on waiting list for admission.
- Always act in a manner as to promote and safeguard the interests and well being of patients, visitors and colleagues.
- To participate in mandatory staff group.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- RMN / Occupational Therapist / Social Worker / Psychologist / or equivalent
- Current professional registration appropriate for discipline
Desirable
- Evidence of regular updating in clinical practice since qualification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent Risk assessment and general Mental Health Assessments skills including full psycho-social, physical and mental health assessments
- Knowledge of evidenced based treatment for eating disorders
- Ability to work independently and to manage stressful workload and use time effectively
- To liaise effectively with other agencies, both statutory and non-statutory
- Experience of working with family/ carers
Experience
Essential
- Post registration clinical experience in a mental health setting
- Experience of working therapeutically with patients presenting with an eating disorder and psychiatric/ medical co morbidities
- Experience of completing an assessment and formulating a safe care plan
- Experience of managing a case load of patients as Keyworker or care coordination within a ward / community setting
Desirable
- Experience of completing a specialist assessment for patients with a range of eating disorders within a community setting
- Experience of providing supervision
- Therapy qualification or therapy skills training relevant to working in eating disorders
Other
Essential
- Willingness to work flexible hours to meet the service requirements.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- RMN / Occupational Therapist / Social Worker / Psychologist / or equivalent
- Current professional registration appropriate for discipline
Desirable
- Evidence of regular updating in clinical practice since qualification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent Risk assessment and general Mental Health Assessments skills including full psycho-social, physical and mental health assessments
- Knowledge of evidenced based treatment for eating disorders
- Ability to work independently and to manage stressful workload and use time effectively
- To liaise effectively with other agencies, both statutory and non-statutory
- Experience of working with family/ carers
Experience
Essential
- Post registration clinical experience in a mental health setting
- Experience of working therapeutically with patients presenting with an eating disorder and psychiatric/ medical co morbidities
- Experience of completing an assessment and formulating a safe care plan
- Experience of managing a case load of patients as Keyworker or care coordination within a ward / community setting
Desirable
- Experience of completing a specialist assessment for patients with a range of eating disorders within a community setting
- Experience of providing supervision
- Therapy qualification or therapy skills training relevant to working in eating disorders
Other
Essential
- Willingness to work flexible hours to meet the service requirements.
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).
