Job summary
A new opportunity has arisen to join the Community Physical Health Team as a Physical Health Support Worker covering Mid Mersey footprint, including St Helens, Knowsley, Warrington & Halton.
The post holder will need to travel across sites.
The post holder will complete a range of activities to assist with the completion of physical health checks in service users with Severe Mental Illness (SMI).
The post holder will be required to use their initiative when working independently in the community, in both a primary and secondary care setting.
Main duties of the job
To contribute to the delivery of a physical health assessment, care plans under the direct supervision of the practitioner.
To report any concerns or identify any physical health care issues to the MDT, Nurse Practitioner and GP.
To report to the qualified staff any observations made whilst providing care to service users activities and leisure, providing details of mental state and risk factors.To work with service users on an individual and group basis as outlined in the care plan and as directed by the appropriate named lead professional.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To coordinate the assessment and delivery of a planned programme of care with guidance and indirect supervision from a qualified practitioner and to contribute to formal assessment and delivery of an individuals plan of care.To assist with signposting with activities of daily living, social, recreational and occupational activities.
To report general observations and provide feedback to a qualified practitioner both verbally and in written formats, if required. This should include any concerns arising from the service user physical or mental health.To contribute to effective running of the service by providing and receiving information to/from other departments or services. Ensure this information is provided in the most effective wayTo assist service users with self-administration of oral medication and ensure any concerns / issues about medication are reported back to a qualified practitioner.To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome communication barriers presented by service users due to their mental health needs.To contribute to maintaining a safe environment for service user in the community (where appropriate).
To carry out specific duties that contributes to the assessment of service users as requested by a qualified practitioner.To develop and maintain links with other agencies and services, both statutory and voluntary (where appropriate).To use skills and techniques, to de-escalate situations where service users become physically or verbally aggressive.To carry out observations and inform the Registered Nurse of any concerns. e.g. temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, diet and fluid intake, weight as requested by a qualified practitioner.To contribute to the development of risk management plans for service users by reporting, to the qualified practitioner any issues or concerns regarding service users behaviour / action towards themselves or others.Respond to the changing needs of service users.Control the assessments of implemented individual service users care plans.Provide advice and guidance related health promotion to the service user.Participate in presenting multi disciplinary reviews, daily reviews and handovers.Undertake surveys and audits.Assist in the collection of data from a variety of resource.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To coordinate the assessment and delivery of a planned programme of care with guidance and indirect supervision from a qualified practitioner and to contribute to formal assessment and delivery of an individuals plan of care.To assist with signposting with activities of daily living, social, recreational and occupational activities.
To report general observations and provide feedback to a qualified practitioner both verbally and in written formats, if required. This should include any concerns arising from the service user physical or mental health.To contribute to effective running of the service by providing and receiving information to/from other departments or services. Ensure this information is provided in the most effective wayTo assist service users with self-administration of oral medication and ensure any concerns / issues about medication are reported back to a qualified practitioner.To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome communication barriers presented by service users due to their mental health needs.To contribute to maintaining a safe environment for service user in the community (where appropriate).
To carry out specific duties that contributes to the assessment of service users as requested by a qualified practitioner.To develop and maintain links with other agencies and services, both statutory and voluntary (where appropriate).To use skills and techniques, to de-escalate situations where service users become physically or verbally aggressive.To carry out observations and inform the Registered Nurse of any concerns. e.g. temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, diet and fluid intake, weight as requested by a qualified practitioner.To contribute to the development of risk management plans for service users by reporting, to the qualified practitioner any issues or concerns regarding service users behaviour / action towards themselves or others.Respond to the changing needs of service users.Control the assessments of implemented individual service users care plans.Provide advice and guidance related health promotion to the service user.Participate in presenting multi disciplinary reviews, daily reviews and handovers.Undertake surveys and audits.Assist in the collection of data from a variety of resource.
Person Specification
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respect
- Enthusiam
- Support
- Discreet
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Care Certificate
- H & SC Level 2
- NVQ 3 or equivalent level
Desirable
- Phlebotomy trained
- Physical Health competency basic passport
- MEWS Level 2 Smoking Cessation
KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Able to communicate effectively.
- Understanding of issues of confidentiality.
- Ability to work as a member of a team.
- Ability to demonstrate a nonjudgemental attitude.
- Ability to work on own initiative under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
- Willing to work towards Level 3 Health Care
Desirable
- Good standard of education.
- Qualification in craft, domestic skills, leisure or health equivalent to City & Guild Part 1-, or 2-year experience working in a health setting.
- Experience of working in a LD/mental health setting and supporting individuals who display complex behaviours of concern.
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Experience of completing physical health checks and escalation for physical health concerns. Willingness to achieve this within 6 months of starting in post.
- Sound knowledge of the physical health inequalities experienced by the mental health population.
SKILLS
Essential
- Ability to provide support and guidance to junior staff.
- Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with service users of varying levels of understanding
- Able to present factual information and refer questions to others where appropriate.
- Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.
- Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in the health care setting.
Desirable
- IT skills
- Venepuncture training
- First Aid
- CPR training
- ECG
- Health Promotion
Person Specification
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement
- Accountability
- Respect
- Enthusiam
- Support
- Discreet
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Care Certificate
- H & SC Level 2
- NVQ 3 or equivalent level
Desirable
- Phlebotomy trained
- Physical Health competency basic passport
- MEWS Level 2 Smoking Cessation
KNOWLEDGE/ EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Able to communicate effectively.
- Understanding of issues of confidentiality.
- Ability to work as a member of a team.
- Ability to demonstrate a nonjudgemental attitude.
- Ability to work on own initiative under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
- Willing to work towards Level 3 Health Care
Desirable
- Good standard of education.
- Qualification in craft, domestic skills, leisure or health equivalent to City & Guild Part 1-, or 2-year experience working in a health setting.
- Experience of working in a LD/mental health setting and supporting individuals who display complex behaviours of concern.
- Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Experience of completing physical health checks and escalation for physical health concerns. Willingness to achieve this within 6 months of starting in post.
- Sound knowledge of the physical health inequalities experienced by the mental health population.
SKILLS
Essential
- Ability to provide support and guidance to junior staff.
- Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with service users of varying levels of understanding
- Able to present factual information and refer questions to others where appropriate.
- Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.
- Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in the health care setting.
Desirable
- IT skills
- Venepuncture training
- First Aid
- CPR training
- ECG
- Health Promotion
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.
