Associate Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will:

Work alongside and under supervision of the criminal justice liaison and diversion practitioners as part of a team under direction of the team manager. Providing support with practical concerns or difficulties that might be affecting service users mental health and wellbeing.

Provide time limited 1:1 support to service users, giving information to access a wide range of agencies and services that can provide help and advice with housing, social isolation, education, debt management and employment to service users who have been in contact with the criminal justice system.

Support service users who are typically hard to engage to access and utilise community services which is likely to reduce the risk of them reoffending the service users may have a history of offending, may have co-existing complex needs for example substance misuse and homelessness and who at times may present with extremely challenging behaviors.

deliver the highest standards of safe and compassionate, evidence based care.Thereby enabling service users to reach an optimum level of functioning, independence, rehabilitation and recovery.

work collaboratively across a range of disciplines, developing knowledge and practical skills to perform non-complex, protocol led, tasks with minimal supervision. To be responsible for own actions.

provide care within well established procedures, protocols, guidelines etc, and established clinical care plans, whilst acting within the required sphere of clinical competences for the role at all times.

exercise initiative and judgement in the assessment, care planning, goal setting, delivery, implementation and evaluation of psychological/physical care under the supervision of a registered professional.

demonstrate sound knowledge of the care and treatment programmes of a designated group of service users to enable you to instruct, advise & guide support staff, and to inform registered professionals, service users, and carers.

make appropriate care adjustments, independently and be able to communicate any changes to service users and the multi- disciplinary team.This may include areas of work requiring physical effort or intense concentration, with regard to risk, health & safety etc, and requiring regular assessment, evaluation and reporting on actions taken to relevant professionals

maintain meaningful therapeutic relationships with people. Adopt a positive empathetic approach, communicating effectively and appropriately using active listening/questioning skills where possible.

organise, implement and adjust care/activities within well-established policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines and established clinical care plans and communicate any changes to those who need to know.

apply knowledge of longer term health conditions eg, Diabetes, Obesity, smoking cessation, etc, providing advice and support or signpost to the appropriate service if appropriate.

deal with verbal/physical aggression using de-escalation techniques.

supervise and delegate work to health care support workers, participate in their induction, training, appraisal etc.

participate in a flexible rostering arrangement to meet the needs of the service.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

1.1 Care provision:

To attend police custody suites and magistrates courts to contribute to mental health assessments, advice and delivery of care pathways for individuals where a potential mental health and or learning disability need has been identified.

To communicate complex, sensitive and at times contentious information where persuasion, motivational and empathetic skills are required, often in situations where there are barriers to understanding and high stress levels, eg court rooms and police custody settings.

Work independently, prioritising own work, exercising initiative and judgement. Refer and seek guidance/supervision on issues outside of post holders level of competence or authority to senior health care professionals.

Participate in the provision of assessment disposal and the care pathway of particular cases.

Promote comfort and well-being by ensuring service user needs are timely met eg, emotional, personal, environmental, physical etc. Including, where appropriate, vital signs, continence care, pressure area care, wound care, nutrition, hydration, foot care, mood identification and suicide risk etc. Support individuals to manage their own health and social wellbeing and promote individual positive self-esteem and sense of identity where and if appropriate.

Work with sensitivity and an understanding of the issues experienced by service users.

Work in a flexible and collaborative manner with others, adapting to the needs of the service, despite many demands on attention.

Act as a link or associate link for a specific area of practice.

Assist in the promotion of an open, welcoming, person-centred culture for service users, carers and colleagues, Seek and support feedback from service users and undertake patient satisfaction surveys to aid service improvement as required.

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous care documents. Report observations and other service user information in written and electronic format. Use appropriate documentation/systems in accordance with local and Trust standards demonstrating competent IT skills, accurate data inputting and use of the internet.

Use effective verbal/written communication at all times, incorporating tact, empathy, consideration, courtesy and confidentiality. Adapt style of communication to respond to service user communication difficulties and psychological, social, physical and spiritual needs.

Build and sustain effective communications with others as required to ensure good team working and collaborative working practices. Disseminate knowledge, and information to those who need to know.

Effectively manage and support individuals who exhibit challenging behaviour or present a significant imminent risk to themselves or others. Recognise and respond to changes in their presentation, including reporting the issue to a registered health care professional as required. Respond appropriately to any emergency situation.

Undertake supportive observation/interventions minimising the negative effects of disruptive/abusive behaviour, or in the prevention and management of violence and aggression (PMVA). Utilise de-escalation as necessary. Taking reasonable steps to protect themselves from the risk of violence.

If appropriate to the role, when directed by a health care professional, accompany/escort service users within/outside Trust grounds. Apply care principles to enable service users to achieve maximum levels of independence.

Ensure action to reduce risks to health and safety and all possible steps are taken in identifying, managing and reporting risks, to help safeguard the welfare, safety and security of people, eg, children, service users visitors and staff. Contribute to the reduction of hazards in the environment, considering safety, security, theft or damage.

Responsible for ensuring safe infection prevention and control by usingl protective equipment, safe disposal of healthcare waste, performing hand hygiene, cleaning, disinfecting etc.

Understand the roles and contributions of other care providers in and outside of the team, enabling those who are significant to the service user to play an active role in their care.

Proactively identify additional activities in accordance with the role, which would increase postholder efficiency and the efficiency of the team; offer suggestions for improvement and implement these activities in agreement with the team.

Develop and support the Trusts culture of collaborative, flexible cross-team working and commitment to delivering quality services and outcomes, which maintain the Governments policies on public health.

Maintain and continuously improve skills and understanding of health and social care services, including systems, policy and current good practice. Particularly with regards to own area of work and service users and which significantly contributes to the services stated objectives & aims.

Make use of opportunities for sharing good practice and learning.

Proactively identify additional activities in accordance with your role, which would increase your efficiency and the efficiency of the service, offer suggestions for improvement and implement these activities in agreement with your team.

Undertake any additional duties deemed appropriate to the role.

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

Person Specification

Training

Essential

• Must be willing/able to undertake all appropriate Trust mandatory training requirements, and subsequent refresher training relevant to the area.
• Must be willing/able to undergo job development and training and maintain skills.
• Demonstrate excellent knowledge of service user safety, eg, Prevention & management of violence & aggression, moving and handling, etc

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Responsive attitude and approach.
• Ability to travel around the Trust as appropriate to role.
• Listening skills including the need for awareness and sensitivity to disability impairment, including learning disability within the service user group.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience:
• In working in a caring environment at a band 3 or equivalent level of competence.
• In dealing with the public.
• In working as an effective team member.
• In working effectively, professionally and independently or as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• In demonstrating initiative, decision-making and prioritisation skills.
• in user/carer involvement.

Physical Attributes

Essential

• A satisfactory sickness record over previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy)
• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary)

Qualifications

Essential

• Foundation Degree/NVQ4 in Health & Social Care.
• Or, QCF diploma level3/NVQ 3 with the ability to demonstrate competencies at level 4 and required to achieve Foundation Degree in health and social Care.

Desirable

• Group Facilitation skills.
• Willingness to undertake further study/development.

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• As appropriate to the role:
• Demonstrates excellent customer care skills.
• Of care procedures, practice, recovery model, care pathway and person centred care.
• Provide and receive practice supervision.
• Enthusiastic, able to work flexibly to meet the needs of service users.
• Demonstrates safe decision making skills commensurate with role.
• Excellent communicator, numeracy/ literacy, IT/keyboard skills.
• Diversity/Cultural understanding.
• Knows responsibilities regarding confidentiality and trust.
• Resilience to pressure and exposure to emotional, distressing or hazardous situations eg, verbal aggression, body fluids, etc.
• Non-judgemental, empathetic manner.
• Demonstrates Trust Values.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Good administration and organisational skills.
• Able to use observation skills to identify potential risks and act appropriately.
• Able to fulfil the requirements of the value based induction.

Desirable

• Language skills other than English.
• Experience of supervising/inducting others.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Address

South Yorkshire Police

College Road

Doncaster

South Yorkshire

DN1 3HX

Employer's website

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