Mental Health Practitioner

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

The closing date is 14 April 2025

Job summary

1 x 37.5 hours per week

The Specialist Community Forensic Team have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated practitioner within our All-Age Forensic Community Service.

The Specialist Community Forensic Team is a multi-disciplinary team support transition, and continued rehabilitation for service users, out of secure care into the community. The team provides specialised intervention and forensic risk management across West Yorkshire.

The role includes working shifts including long days and mids that cover a 7 day service within the hours of 08:00-20:00pm to support the pathway development of the service, providing intensive support, case management and intervention to service users. Access to a vehicle is essential.

To discuss the post please contact Donna Somers, Team Manager on donna.somer@swyt.nhs.uk or 01924 316067 or Stacey Hayton, General Manager on stacey.hayton@swyt.nhs.uk or 07789 753526.

At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. We look forward to receiving your application.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.

Main duties of the job

The All-Age Forensic Community Service is a developing service line within the Forensic Care Group. It also includes:

Forensic CAMHS (inclusive of Y&H FCAMHS, Focus Secure and Focus Wakefield)

Forensic Outreach and Liaison Service for Learning Disability and/or Autism (FOLS LDA)

Our adult forensic community service (Forensic Community Transition Team (Bretton Centre) and the Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT))

The vision is to create a collaborative environment between our community forensic services and to develop and overarching clinical framework that will support the way in which a community forensic population is understood, supported and intervened upon, no matter what age. The purpose of the role is therefore to:

Be the lead professional in the case management of service users.

Undertake comprehensive assessments and risk assessments

Be enthusiastic about this service user group and motivated to support change and transition needs of individuals.

Able to demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and collaboratively with other agencies to make clinical judgements promoting joint decision making about care delivery to individuals with complex presentations.

Be thoughtful and resilient in the way you engage with a multidisciplinary team.

Have strong and effective engagement skills to service users, family, friends and carers.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means were accountable to our members, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Date posted

31 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9378-F0639

Job locations

Newton Lodge Fieldhead Hospital

Ouchthorpe Lane

Wakefield

WF1 3SP


Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

Has continuing responsibility for the provision of skilled interventions to people with mental health needs within a community setting. Works within a multi-disciplinary team as a member of the

Forensic Community Team and wider Forensic pathway.

Key Result Areas:

Management of own caseload in line with C.P.A. procedures and risk management protocols.

Provision of leadership to the Forensic Community Team in respect of psycho-social interventions to people and their carers in line with national and local practice standards e.g. NICE

  • Supervision and support of other team members.
  • Participation in service development and clinical governance structures.

Professional:

1. Assesses needs and identifies problems relevant to the care of people referred.

  1. Devises a plan of care in partnership with the person and carers.
  2. Implements the planned programme of care to ensure a high standard is achieved.
  3. Reviews the effectiveness of the care provided and where appropriate initiates any action.
  4. Advises and supports the person and carers to promote health and well-being and to prevent illness.
  5. Recognises situations that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of the person and initiates action that may be required.
  6. Establishes and maintains satisfactory communication with all agencies involved in the persons care in both hospital and community.
  7. Functions as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
  8. Management of enquiries and direct referrals of people in accordance with Enhanced team operational Policy and participates in the team duty rota.
  9. Maintain professional registration and demonstrate commitment to statutory codes of practice and continued professional development requirements.
  10. Responsible for acting up in the absence of the team leader

Administrative:

1. Maintains accurate patient care records in accordance with professional codes of conduct and trust procedures and ensures records are made available when required by the appropriate agency.

2. Participates in the formulation of policies at unit level.

3. Maintains accurate mileage records.

4. Manages caseload with due economy of cost and time.

5. Ensures safe carriage, storage and administration of drugs prescribed (registered nurses only).

6. Responsible for the ordering of stock with due economy.

7. Produces monthly statistics in line with trust directives.

8. Keeps the Management Team and colleagues informed of developments relevant to the area of responsibility.

Education:

1. Supervises students and trainees on placement.

  1. Assists in the teaching and in-service training of staff.
  2. Is conversant with current trends in clinical practice.
  3. Participates and accepts delegated responsibility in research and clinical audit as required.
  4. Attends courses or training sessions relevant to the updating of knowledge and experience.

Personnel:

1. Promotes an understanding of mental health and well being.

  1. Ensures health and safety regulations are observed.
  2. Attends mandatory training sessions as directed by the Trust.
  3. Participates in the values based induction and the annual appraisal process.
  4. Attends team meetings.
  5. Supports the Trusts commitment to a healthy work-life balance.

Trust Values:

The Trust is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care and treatment and expects that all staff treat people e.g, service users, their carers, relatives, friends, colleagues, visitors etc, with dignity and respectat all time. The post holder must all time act in accordance with the Trusts Values:

Honest, open, transparent

Respectful

Person first and in the centre

Improve and be outstanding

Relevant today, ready for tomorrow

Families and carers matter

Safeguarding:

Report any concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of children, adults service users, members of their families etc, in accordance with Trust Policy.

Prevent and respond appropriately to abuse and understand own role in this by undertaking Safeguarding training.

Trust policies and commitments to be read in line with the relevant Trust Policy:

All staff employed by the Trust must comply with the Trusts policies and procedures, undertake appropriate training required for their role and commit to:

ensure they are aware of the Whistleblowing Policy and how they raise concerns;

maintain confidentiality, in line with the Trusts Confidentiality Policy and Code of Conduct;

understand their personal responsibilities with regards to data quality for any information which they create, use or process in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Trust Data Protection Policy;

comply with the provisions of The Trusts Health and Safety Policy and Protocol. Ensuring their own safety and that of colleagues, service users and visitors. Know the action to be taken in the event of a fire and must undertake fire training annually;

receive supervision in line with the Trusts Supervision Policy and an annual Appraisal in line with the Trusts Appraisal Policy, during which mandatory, role specific and personal development needs should be identified and agreed;

understand their responsibilities under the Trusts Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy and ensure that they adhere to the provisions of the policy;

Recognise, respect and support the equality diversity of staff, colleagues, service users, carers and the public. Contribute to a working environment which promotes and responds positively to difference and diversity;

ensure they carry out their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 years, as issued under Section 11 of The Children Act 2004, by being familiar with and adhering to Trust safeguarding policies and participatingin relevanttraining;

comply with their professional responsibilities to develop their practice and deliver care through a Clinical Governance framework (i.e. CPD, Audit, Supervision);

demonstrate, through practice and practical understanding, the importance of the continual development of individual, team and service wide quality improvement;

abide by relevant codes of professional practice, with the organisation taking action when codes of conduct are breached;

work flexibly to meet the needs of the service/organisation, whilst working within a culture of progressive employment practices and commitment to the Investors in People (IiP) Standards.

adhere to the Trusts smoke free policies, which prohibits smoking anywhere on Trust grounds;

being socially responsible by complying with measures that support the Trust in reducing or offsetting our environmental impact;

Identify and report risks, hazards, incidents, accidents and near misses promptly;

In addition to the Trusts own responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, for your safety, ALL staffs (and contractors) are responsible for ensuring their work adheres to this Code in the delivery of safe patient care.

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The post-holder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the band as directed. The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the post-holder when necessary and in line with the service developments.

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

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

Has continuing responsibility for the provision of skilled interventions to people with mental health needs within a community setting. Works within a multi-disciplinary team as a member of the

Forensic Community Team and wider Forensic pathway.

Key Result Areas:

Management of own caseload in line with C.P.A. procedures and risk management protocols.

Provision of leadership to the Forensic Community Team in respect of psycho-social interventions to people and their carers in line with national and local practice standards e.g. NICE

  • Supervision and support of other team members.
  • Participation in service development and clinical governance structures.

Professional:

1. Assesses needs and identifies problems relevant to the care of people referred.

  1. Devises a plan of care in partnership with the person and carers.
  2. Implements the planned programme of care to ensure a high standard is achieved.
  3. Reviews the effectiveness of the care provided and where appropriate initiates any action.
  4. Advises and supports the person and carers to promote health and well-being and to prevent illness.
  5. Recognises situations that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of the person and initiates action that may be required.
  6. Establishes and maintains satisfactory communication with all agencies involved in the persons care in both hospital and community.
  7. Functions as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
  8. Management of enquiries and direct referrals of people in accordance with Enhanced team operational Policy and participates in the team duty rota.
  9. Maintain professional registration and demonstrate commitment to statutory codes of practice and continued professional development requirements.
  10. Responsible for acting up in the absence of the team leader

Administrative:

1. Maintains accurate patient care records in accordance with professional codes of conduct and trust procedures and ensures records are made available when required by the appropriate agency.

2. Participates in the formulation of policies at unit level.

3. Maintains accurate mileage records.

4. Manages caseload with due economy of cost and time.

5. Ensures safe carriage, storage and administration of drugs prescribed (registered nurses only).

6. Responsible for the ordering of stock with due economy.

7. Produces monthly statistics in line with trust directives.

8. Keeps the Management Team and colleagues informed of developments relevant to the area of responsibility.

Education:

1. Supervises students and trainees on placement.

  1. Assists in the teaching and in-service training of staff.
  2. Is conversant with current trends in clinical practice.
  3. Participates and accepts delegated responsibility in research and clinical audit as required.
  4. Attends courses or training sessions relevant to the updating of knowledge and experience.

Personnel:

1. Promotes an understanding of mental health and well being.

  1. Ensures health and safety regulations are observed.
  2. Attends mandatory training sessions as directed by the Trust.
  3. Participates in the values based induction and the annual appraisal process.
  4. Attends team meetings.
  5. Supports the Trusts commitment to a healthy work-life balance.

Trust Values:

The Trust is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care and treatment and expects that all staff treat people e.g, service users, their carers, relatives, friends, colleagues, visitors etc, with dignity and respectat all time. The post holder must all time act in accordance with the Trusts Values:

Honest, open, transparent

Respectful

Person first and in the centre

Improve and be outstanding

Relevant today, ready for tomorrow

Families and carers matter

Safeguarding:

Report any concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of children, adults service users, members of their families etc, in accordance with Trust Policy.

Prevent and respond appropriately to abuse and understand own role in this by undertaking Safeguarding training.

Trust policies and commitments to be read in line with the relevant Trust Policy:

All staff employed by the Trust must comply with the Trusts policies and procedures, undertake appropriate training required for their role and commit to:

ensure they are aware of the Whistleblowing Policy and how they raise concerns;

maintain confidentiality, in line with the Trusts Confidentiality Policy and Code of Conduct;

understand their personal responsibilities with regards to data quality for any information which they create, use or process in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Trust Data Protection Policy;

comply with the provisions of The Trusts Health and Safety Policy and Protocol. Ensuring their own safety and that of colleagues, service users and visitors. Know the action to be taken in the event of a fire and must undertake fire training annually;

receive supervision in line with the Trusts Supervision Policy and an annual Appraisal in line with the Trusts Appraisal Policy, during which mandatory, role specific and personal development needs should be identified and agreed;

understand their responsibilities under the Trusts Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy and ensure that they adhere to the provisions of the policy;

Recognise, respect and support the equality diversity of staff, colleagues, service users, carers and the public. Contribute to a working environment which promotes and responds positively to difference and diversity;

ensure they carry out their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 years, as issued under Section 11 of The Children Act 2004, by being familiar with and adhering to Trust safeguarding policies and participatingin relevanttraining;

comply with their professional responsibilities to develop their practice and deliver care through a Clinical Governance framework (i.e. CPD, Audit, Supervision);

demonstrate, through practice and practical understanding, the importance of the continual development of individual, team and service wide quality improvement;

abide by relevant codes of professional practice, with the organisation taking action when codes of conduct are breached;

work flexibly to meet the needs of the service/organisation, whilst working within a culture of progressive employment practices and commitment to the Investors in People (IiP) Standards.

adhere to the Trusts smoke free policies, which prohibits smoking anywhere on Trust grounds;

being socially responsible by complying with measures that support the Trust in reducing or offsetting our environmental impact;

Identify and report risks, hazards, incidents, accidents and near misses promptly;

In addition to the Trusts own responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, for your safety, ALL staffs (and contractors) are responsible for ensuring their work adheres to this Code in the delivery of safe patient care.

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The post-holder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the band as directed. The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the post-holder when necessary and in line with the service developments.

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

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • RMN Current NMC registration.
  • Social Worker/Occupational Therapist-current HCPC registration.
  • Experience of mentoring/supporting learners or ability to demonstrate the skills required for effective mentoring.
  • Practice Education/Practice Assessor Preparation Certificate.

Personal Attributes

Essential

  • Time management.
  • Self-direction.
  • Reliability, enthusiasm, motivation, flexible resourcefulness, adaptable.
  • A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).
  • Autonomy.
  • Diplomacy.
  • Leadership skills.

Physical Attributes

Essential

  • Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Working knowledge of recent government legislation e.g. Mental Health Act, Health & Safety, Care Programme Approach.
  • Able to work incorporating principles of Clinical Governance.
  • Proven skills in partnership working with people who use services and their carers.
  • Shows awareness of equality and diversity and is able to incorporate this into care planning and the delivery of care. Ability to act up in the absence of the team manager.
  • Knowledge of using IT systems to record clinical activity.
  • Knowledge of audit processes.
  • Analytical and creative problem solving skills.
  • Knowledge of carer services/ issues.

Desirable

  • Proven activity in audit.
  • Knowledge and skills in specialist areas such as dual diagnosis, peri-natal mental health, working with people experiencing psychosis, working with people with a diagnosis of personality disorder.

Experience

Essential

  • Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing people experiencing complex mental health problems.
  • Experience of supporting and supervising colleagues/ students/ trainees.
  • Experience of using IT systems to support, record and monitor clinical activity.
  • Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing risk in a variety of settings.
  • Proven ability in assessing the needs and strengths of people and their carers Experience of delivering a range of therapeutic interventions.
  • Working within an integrated multi-disciplinary environment and co-working with other teams and professions within team meetings, case conferences and professional meetings.
  • Ability to support colleagues with day-to-day caseload management including prioritisation of responsibilities in times of high clinical demand.
  • Ability to promote and develop links with other professionals for e.g practitioners within long term conditions, primary care.
  • Evidence of knowledge and application in practice of national guidance and standards, e.g. NICE, CQC, CQUINs.
  • Experience of working holistically with older adults in a bio psycho-social model of care with emphasis on physical ill health that impacts on mental wellbeing.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in an assertive/ community treatment model.
  • Experience of working in different cultural contexts.
  • Knowledge and experience of working with Equality and Diversity.

Training

Essential

  • Assessment and care planning skills.
  • Risk assessment and risk management.
  • Relevant post-registration qualifications and / or training.
  • Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills.

Desirable

  • Successful completion of venepuncture course and able to demonstrate competence.
  • Training in relation to specialist forensic interventions, including HSB, Violence & Fire Setting.
  • Experience of delivering training to others.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • RMN Current NMC registration.
  • Social Worker/Occupational Therapist-current HCPC registration.
  • Experience of mentoring/supporting learners or ability to demonstrate the skills required for effective mentoring.
  • Practice Education/Practice Assessor Preparation Certificate.

Personal Attributes

Essential

  • Time management.
  • Self-direction.
  • Reliability, enthusiasm, motivation, flexible resourcefulness, adaptable.
  • A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).
  • Autonomy.
  • Diplomacy.
  • Leadership skills.

Physical Attributes

Essential

  • Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Working knowledge of recent government legislation e.g. Mental Health Act, Health & Safety, Care Programme Approach.
  • Able to work incorporating principles of Clinical Governance.
  • Proven skills in partnership working with people who use services and their carers.
  • Shows awareness of equality and diversity and is able to incorporate this into care planning and the delivery of care. Ability to act up in the absence of the team manager.
  • Knowledge of using IT systems to record clinical activity.
  • Knowledge of audit processes.
  • Analytical and creative problem solving skills.
  • Knowledge of carer services/ issues.

Desirable

  • Proven activity in audit.
  • Knowledge and skills in specialist areas such as dual diagnosis, peri-natal mental health, working with people experiencing psychosis, working with people with a diagnosis of personality disorder.

Experience

Essential

  • Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing people experiencing complex mental health problems.
  • Experience of supporting and supervising colleagues/ students/ trainees.
  • Experience of using IT systems to support, record and monitor clinical activity.
  • Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing risk in a variety of settings.
  • Proven ability in assessing the needs and strengths of people and their carers Experience of delivering a range of therapeutic interventions.
  • Working within an integrated multi-disciplinary environment and co-working with other teams and professions within team meetings, case conferences and professional meetings.
  • Ability to support colleagues with day-to-day caseload management including prioritisation of responsibilities in times of high clinical demand.
  • Ability to promote and develop links with other professionals for e.g practitioners within long term conditions, primary care.
  • Evidence of knowledge and application in practice of national guidance and standards, e.g. NICE, CQC, CQUINs.
  • Experience of working holistically with older adults in a bio psycho-social model of care with emphasis on physical ill health that impacts on mental wellbeing.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in an assertive/ community treatment model.
  • Experience of working in different cultural contexts.
  • Knowledge and experience of working with Equality and Diversity.

Training

Essential

  • Assessment and care planning skills.
  • Risk assessment and risk management.
  • Relevant post-registration qualifications and / or training.
  • Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills.

Desirable

  • Successful completion of venepuncture course and able to demonstrate competence.
  • Training in relation to specialist forensic interventions, including HSB, Violence & Fire Setting.
  • Experience of delivering training to 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.

UK Registration

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

Additional information

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.

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 West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Newton Lodge Fieldhead Hospital

Ouchthorpe Lane

Wakefield

WF1 3SP


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Newton Lodge Fieldhead Hospital

Ouchthorpe Lane

Wakefield

WF1 3SP


Employer's website

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


For questions about the job, contact:

Donna Somers

donna.somers@swyt.nhs.uk

01924316067

Date posted

31 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9378-F0639

Job locations

Newton Lodge Fieldhead Hospital

Ouchthorpe Lane

Wakefield

WF1 3SP


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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