Job responsibilities
COMMUNICATION
The post holder will be required to liaise with staff at all levels throughout the organisation in order to effectively carry out their duties.
To work closely with Hospital Managers, the MHRT, service users representatives, solicitors, advocates, carers and service users Nearest Relative under the Act.
To liaise with Health Inspectorate Wales with regards to service user focused visits and the booking of Second Opinion Appointed Doctors when required.
To provide all service user information to HIW as appropriate.
Ensure all medical claims forms for assessments under the Act 1983 are endorsed and processed.
To receive and process incoming telephone messages, receive and relay information to relevant parties, dealing with these in a helpful, confidential and sensitive manner.
Dealing with enquiries from service users/relatives both face to face and by telephone.
To be a point of contact for queries regarding the Mental Health Act 1983
Work additional hours when necessary to cover the MHRT/Hospital Managers Appeals.
Any other reasonable duty in connection with the work of the Department.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ACT 1983
To carry out day-to-day administration of the Act and to ensure that all appropriate procedures have been performed correctly and timely.
To be responsible for the receipt and scrutiny of section papers on behalf of the organisation ensuring that no patient is detained or treated illegally.
To check that any rectifiable errors are amended accurately within the time limits as set out by the Mental Health Act 1983.
To ensure an adequate reminder system is in place to ensure Clinicians are provided with timely reminders for the expiry of sections and consent to treatment due dates.
To ensure existing systems for the administration of the Act continue to support the needs of clinical staff.
To maintain an effective and safe system of storage for the MHA section papers.
To ensure that there is an adequate supply of statutory MHA forms and rights leaflets and to order supplies when necessary.
To take the lead in the setting up of new administrative procedures, developments and working methods for the administration of the Act.
To ensure day to day compliance with the Code of Practice of Mental Health Act 1983.
To ensure that the administration requirements of the Mental Health Act 1983 are followed and adhered to during the admission of detained patients.
PATIENT RIGHTS
To develop and maintain monitoring systems to ensure detained patients are advised of their rights on a regular basis.
To monitor the receipt of rights forms by nursing staff.
To assist service users in seeking to find legal representation or advocacy advice.
To process any request by Nearest Relatives requesting the discharge of their relative and to ensure statutory time scales are adhered to.
To liaise with Approved Mental Health Professionals and remind them of their duty to consult with the Nearest Relative where this may not initially have happened
HOSPITAL MANAGERS
To ensure that all appeals to the Hospital Managers are dealt with promptly and that all such requests are processed within the time limits specified.
To organise and co-ordinate Mental Health Act Managers reviews/appeals liaising with the Mental Health Act Hospital Managers, service users, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, solicitors, advocates and any other agencies as appropriate.
To liaise with relevant care professional, solicitors, advocates and relatives to ensure that the required reports, information and documentation is available and that care professionals remain compliant with the organisations time scales.
To distribute all appropriate documentation prior to the review or appeal.
To ensure venues and adequate refreshments are arranged.
To assist in arranging Hospital Managers informal visits to inpatient units.
To develop and maintain reminder systems to ensure that Coed Du Hall Limited fulfils its commitment to organise automatic reviews for those patients whose detention has been renewed.
To arrange Hospital Managers Committee meetings and to be responsible for and provide organisation and administrative support, such as dissemination of agendas; taking minutes and information for these meetings.
MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNALS (MHRT)
To develop and maintain reminder systems to ensure compliance with the requirement of the Act in arranging automatic hearings for those patients who have not themselves appealed against their detention within the appropriate time scales.
To ensure that all appeals to the MHRT are dealt with promptly and that all requests are processed within the statutory time limits.
To negotiate with MHRT staff hearing dates and to confirm the necessary arrangements.
To ensure venues and adequate refreshments are arranged.
To liaise with relevant care professionals, solicitors, advocates and relatives to ensure that the required reports, information and documentation is available and that care professionals remain compliant with timescales.
To distribute all documentation following the tribunal to attendees.
INFORMATION AND STATISTICS
To collect and collate statistics on a monthly basis for the attention of the Manager and Hospital Managers.
To assist with the preparation of information and statistics for the Hospital Managers, HIW and any other interested parties as required.
To participate in collection of data for audit.
OTHER DUTIES
To provide an administrative/secretarial support service, using knowledge of a range of I.T. applications. This includes typing/word processing, photocopying, spreadsheets, email, filing, dealing with mail, composition of letters, memos as required, typing of reports and ordering of a supply of stock and non stock items.
To act on own initiative to bring to the attention of senior staff members any relevant concerns he/she considers may jeopardise service/delivery and or care provision.
To maintain on a daily basis accurate computerised register for detentions under the Mental Health Act, including record keeping/data base for those on Section 117 MHA.
To bring to the attention of appropriate manager and meetings issues regarding the computerised system and to assist in training staff on the system in relation to the Mental Health Act.
To maintain confidentially at all times and comply with the Data Protection Act, Access to Health Records and Freedom of Information Act.
To attend mandatory training days relevant to the post and maintain necessary skills to fulfil the post and to keep up to date with new legislation relating to the Mental Health Act and attend training courses and dates when necessary.
Other work and general duties as delegated within the overall purview of the post.
This job description reflects the current main organisational priorities for the post. These priorities will develop and change in consultation with the post holder in line with service business needs and priorities.
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssential
- Educated to GCSE level (or equivalent) with qualifications in English and Maths
ExperienceEssential
- Previous administration experience including report preparation, organising meetings, liaising with customers/clients
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Desirable
- Experience of working in a Healthcare environment alongside medical practitioners is desirable
- Knowledge of Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA 1983) is desirable
- Knowledge of compliance and auditing systems required by regulatory bodies (HIW) is desirable
Skills & AttributesEssential
- Exceptional organisational skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent time management skills
