Mental Health & Wellbeing Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

Carry out relevant risk assessments and risk management with the multi-disciplinary team

Engage calmly and with sensitivity and empathy to support service users in highly distressing or emotional circumstances.

Engage with and gather information from service users, relatives and patient records.

To work in collaboration with the individual service user and their family and carers as appropriate to develop care plans that are focused on strengths and are outcome based.

To attend multi-disciplinary reviews and act as a care co-ordinator, for a caseload of service users in order to support and monitor progress during the course of multi-disciplinary psychological treatment.

To deliver specified wellbeing-focused psychologically-informed interventions, in line with best available evidence, under close supervision from a clinical psychologist or CBT therapist including:

o Behavioural activation and graded exposure

o Teaching problem-solving skills

o Improving sleep

o Recognising and managing emotions

o Guided self-help for bulimia and binge-eating

o Building confidence

o Medication support

To be responsive to service users needs and choices; and uphold their right to be treated with dignity and respect.

To include carers and families in line with the service users wishes.

To liaise with other health and care providers, including third sector agencies and primary care, to ensure continuity of care for service users.

To communicate information concerning the assessment, formulation and care plans of service users in a skilled and sensitive manner in order to promote effective multi-disciplinary working and therapeutic outcomes for clients.

KR 2 Responsibilities for team or service clinical functioning

To form professional relationships with service users and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

To monitor and record progression, highlight concerns and report any perceived changes in service users wellbeing to the team

To demonstrate effective communication skills in discussing highly sensitive and complex information appropriately with people whose understanding may be temporarily or permanently impaired.

To provide relevant information, written and oral, for records and reviews relating to service users progress under supervision from a suitably qualified member of the team.

Provide highly effective written communications as required for service users and other health and care professionals

Participate in clinical governance and quality improvement programs as directed by the line manager

KR 3 Care or management of resources

To maintain and order stock and advise on resources necessary to carry out the job, including the responsible management of petty cash if required.

To be responsible for the care and cleaning of any equipment and materials used

KR 4 Management and supervision

Report regularly and in detail to the clinical skills supervisor and case management supervisor.

Make good use of clinical skills and case management supervision to discuss casework, make plans for action, reflect on and implement best practice in care planning and interventions.

KR 6 Teaching and Training

To participate in the induction, training and education of students and other staff in this setting.

To participate in the dissemination and sharing of information and skills with staff, students and volunteers.

KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance

To ensure that up to date clinical records are maintained in accordance with professional and Trust standards

KR 8 Research and development

As part of a team, incorporate up-to-date evidence-based methods into the intervention programme as directed by the clinical skills supervisor

To participate in complex audit and research projects as applicable

KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development

To adhere to the employers expectations of professional behaviour and all relevant policies and procedures.

To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of clients and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs and that actively addresses inequity of access and outcome across protected characteristics.

To complete and stay up to date with all statutory and mandatory training.

Attend and fulfil all of the requirements of the training element of the post, including practical, academic and practice-based assessments

To undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with line manager.

KR10 General

To exercise good personal time management, punctuality and consistent, reliable attendance.

To contribute to a healthy and safe working environment by adhering to health and safety regulations and the employers policies.

To travel as appropriate and across the Trust as required for example for meetings, home visits, community liaison.

To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

A graduate certificate (Level 6) or postgraduate certificate (Level 7) delivering the national curriculum for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (Adult Specialist Mental Health)

Desirable criteria

Any training relevant to the service user group

Experience

Essential criteria

Experience of working with people with mental health needs including personality disorder gained through a graduate certificate or postgraduate certificate training with significant supervised practice

Experience running groups/activities

Experience working as part of a team

Experience of being supervised

Experience of analysing and communicating complex information verbally and in writing

Desirable criteria

Lived experience of mental health issues/difficulties

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

Able to establish and maintain empathic, supportive relationships with people in significant distress and who have personality disorder, their families and carers

Able to receive, understand and communicate confidential client information of a sensitive and often complex nature, including discussing care with family members within boundaries of confidentiality

Able to communicate in a sensitive and reassuring manner, with empathy, and where appropriate reassurance

Able to make good use of clinical supervision in a group and/or individual format

Able to assist in assessment and observation activities related to individuals health and wellbeing, arriving at judgments about how to respond within the care plan

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A graduate certificate (Level 6) or postgraduate certificate (Level 7) delivering the national curriculum for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (Adult Specialist Mental Health) (A)

Desirable

• Any training relevant to working with personality disorder (A/I)

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people with mental health needs gained through a graduate certificate or postgraduate certificate training with significant supervised practice (A/I)
• Experience running groups/activities (A/I)
• Experience working as part of a team (A/I)
• Experience of being supervised (A/I)
• Experience of analysing and communicating complex information verbally and in writing (A/I)

Desirable

• Lived experience of mental health issues/difficulties (A/I)
• Experience of working with patients with personality disorder (A/I)

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Able to establish and maintain empathic, supportive relationships with people in significant distress or who are cognitively impaired, their families and carers (A/I)
• Able to receive, understand and communicate confidential client information of a sensitive and often complex nature, including discussing care with family members within boundaries of confidentiality (A/I)
• Able to communicate in a sensitive and reassuring manner, with empathy, and where appropriate reassurance (A/I)
• Commitment to team working and ability to work successfully in a team (A/I)
• Able to make good use of clinical supervision in a group and/or individual format (A/I)

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Croydon Personality Disorder Service

Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road

Beckenham

BR3 3BX

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)