Crisis Intervention Specialist

Job Overview

The Crisis Response and Home Treatment Team at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust plays a vital role in the Urgent Care Pathway, addressing the needs outlined in the Ten-Year Plan for Crisis Response and Home Treatment Services across the region.

Our clinicians are integral to an innovative and evolving service dedicated to assisting our most at-risk patients and their families in the least restrictive environments, offering a range of intensive interventions in the comfort of their homes.

Key Responsibilities

Crises can present with diverse needs, and we seek professionals from backgrounds in mental health nursing, social care, or occupational therapy to leverage their expertise in crafting tailored care packages for our service users and their families.

We provide home-based treatment interventions, alongside an online acute treatment program and clinics, with the backing of psychiatrists, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals. Training in brief interventions is highly encouraged and supported, along with any additional training pertinent to Crisis Intervention and Home Treatment.

Service users can access crisis support through various channels, including referrals from general practitioners and visits to emergency departments, as well as when they require community care and are approached by police and street triage teams. The objective of the Urgent Care Pathway is to unify all access points under one cohesive team, which includes:

• Two Crisis and Home Treatment Teams
• Psychiatric Liaison Services
• Overnight Response Team
• Gateway (Single Point of Access)
• Health-Based Places of Safety

Working with Us

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to providing comprehensive physical, mental health, and social care services for individuals of all ages across multiple regions.

Our services are delivered in community settings, hospitals, clinics, and patients' homes, ensuring care is as close to home as possible.

Our vision is to ensure that every individual receives: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our core values are: "Caring, Safe, and Excellent"

At Oxford Health, we offer a variety of benefits designed to enhance your career and well-being, including:

• Excellent opportunities for career advancement
• Access to tailored individual and Trust-wide learning and development programs
• 27 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, increasing to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS discounts across numerous retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (subject to availability)
• Networking and support groups facilitated by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities

We are looking for a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist, or Social Worker who can operate independently while receiving support from team leaders and the broader crisis team. Candidates should bring their professional expertise to a dynamic team and demonstrate confidence in managing risk in a minimally restrictive manner.

Crisis work inherently requires professionals with a wide array of skills, including proficiency in mental health assessments and a proven ability to guide service users toward the most effective treatment pathways. The role of Crisis Clinician is a significant advancement in nursing care provision and is crucial in delivering safe and effective care to our patients.

Successful candidates will participate in a duty rota comprising early, late, or long day shifts, covering seven days a week. We are dedicated to supporting staff in achieving a balance between their personal and professional lives. Our team is friendly and supportive, with strong leadership and direction. The work is engaging and varied, providing ample opportunities to acquire new skills both in the workplace and through our exceptional Learning & Development team. The primary location for this role is Saffron House, with potential travel required within the region.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential Criteria

• Registered Nurse, Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist with a degree or equivalent qualification.
• Teaching qualification or actively pursuing one.

Desirable Criteria

• Phlebotomy qualification.
• Health promotion qualification, including smoking cessation.
• PSI qualification.
• Brief PSI qualification.

Experience

Essential Criteria

• Understanding of team dynamics and collaborative models.
• Experience in implementing evidence-based practices.
• Ability to manage pressure and solve problems in complex situations with competing priorities.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in contributing to service improvement initiatives.

Knowledge

Essential Criteria

• Strong negotiation skills and initiative.
• Comprehensive knowledge of physical health management strategies and interventions.
• High level of clinical knowledge and skills, including awareness of recent health strategies at national, regional, and local levels.
• Ability to reflect on and critically evaluate personal performance.
• Effective communication skills with empathy across various levels.
• Experience in working independently and setting priorities aligned with team objectives.
• Familiarity with a range of IT programs, including Microsoft Excel and Office.
• Ability to identify training and development needs for individuals, teams, and services.

Desirable Criteria

• Capacity to analyze professional and ethical issues.
• All new employees undergo a six-month probationary period, along with an induction process aimed at fostering a supportive working environment that allows new hires to learn essential aspects of their role within a reasonable timeframe.
• Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 positions are required to complete numeracy and literacy assessments.
• Appointment to this position is contingent upon the Trust receiving satisfactory references covering three years of employment or education. Referees should be prepared to respond promptly to reference requests.
• Employees are expected to complete mandatory and statutory training relevant to their role.
• We are committed to excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just, and fully inclusive organizational culture enables our teams to provide the highest quality of care and services. We strive to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities we serve.
• We welcome applications from all community sectors and are an Equal Opportunities employer, with various internal networking groups to support our employees. Whenever feasible, we will make reasonable adjustments to help you fulfill your role and realize your full potential. All employees are expected to demonstrate our core values of safety, care, and excellence through their behavior.
• Oxford Health is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• Oxford is a globally recognized center for research excellence. Oxford Health collaborates closely with the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary Care, hosting a Biomedical Research Centre focused on enhancing mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site. The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC), which conducts applied research that directly influences patient health and well-being.