Band 6 Specialist Mental Health Control Room Practitioner

The Mental Health Control Room Triage Service is looking for a new part-time team member to join our team, based in the Wiltshire Police control room.

We are a small and friendly team of mental health professionals. We support each other and pride ourselves on the strong working relationships we have built with our Wiltshire Police colleagues.

If you are enthusiastic and looking for a challenging, different, yet rewarding role, this could be the job for you

Unlike many other nursing roles, this team does not hold a caseload. We work with the "here and now," helping to support police officers and staff in dealing with any mental health-related incidents that arise.

Mental health demand has increased in all areas during the pandemic and continues to rise as we move beyond it. We are here to help relieve some of that pressure for the police.

This role is fast-paced and requires the new team member to be confident in making good, concise, and quick decisions, mainly based around clinical risk. Therefore, a background in crisis work would be highly desirable, although not essential.

This role is focused on working closely with the police to ensure the most effective pathway is followed when they are called upon to address the needs of individuals with mental health problems.

The role involves using information technology as a matter of course, so being reasonably confident and competent in IT is desirable. Full training on the systems we use will be provided as part of the induction.

The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; therefore, the new team member will be expected to work shifts, which will include some bank holidays, unsocial hours, and night shifts.

The aim of the role is to facilitate the following:

Reduction of inappropriate use of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act (MHA)

Improved communication through partnership working

Increased police confidence in dealing with individuals experiencing mental health issues

Faster response for those suffering from mental health problems

Reduction in the number of people accessing A&E inappropriately

Improved information sharing between agencies

Better patient outcomes and experience

Enhanced working relationships between police and health services

Direct access to mental health services

The successful candidate will work in a friendly and supportive environment at Police Headquarters in Devizes, Wiltshire. We enjoy access to on-site facilities such as free parking, a canteen, rest areas, kitchen spaces, and a gym.

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We deliver services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire, and parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees provide better care.

AWP is committed to supporting and creating a positive, research- and evidence-based environment and culture, which benefits everyone who works for the organisation and enhances the care we provide to those who use our services.

At AWP, we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds. We are particularly keen to receive applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

In a wide range of situations, deliver comprehensive mental health assessments, including in emergencies for service users who may be distressed and in crisis. This will include:

The use of standardised assessment tools (e.g., SBAR, Risk Assessment, Progress Notes).

Accessing available information on RiO and recording on RiO:

History, strengths, and aspirations.

Mental state.

Impact of culture and diversity.

Functional needs.

The needs of family and carers.

Evaluation of risk.

Physical health.

Complicating factors.

Identifying and ensuring specialist involvement where required.

Determining interventions and treatments required to enable positive change.

Social care considerations.

Safeguarding and public protection.

Assessing capacity under the Mental Capacity Act.

Effective use of Police IT systems.

Additional responsibilities include:

Participating in developing comprehensive plans for individuals with mental health needs who frequently contact emergency services, including strategies to manage risk for service users with complex needs and involving other resources as required.

Providing effective liaison with healthcare and other professionals.

Coordinating and undertaking protective interventions required for the protection of others, as outlined in the protection plan, and taking individual action where indicated.

Undertaking active clinical leadership and supervision within the team, covering for the Manager and colleagues as required.

Maintaining the single health and social care record, ensuring both paper (if required) and electronic records are kept up to date in accordance with professional and organisational standards.

Providing mentoring and training for others in relevant practice areas, according to professional requirements, taking a collaborative approach to practice development and evidence-based care. Specifically, this includes:

Providing a safe and effective learning environment for mentoring and supervising students.

Participating in their learning objectives and assessments.

Demonstrating responsibility for developing own practice in line with professional qualifications and contributing to the development of others by making use of and providing effective feedback, supervision, and coaching.

Adhering to professional codes of conduct and ensuring required skills and competencies are maintained.

Monitoring and maintaining health, safety, and security of self and others, undertaking assessments and taking appropriate action where required.

Developing own knowledge and practice and contributing to the development of others, making use of available feedback, supervision, and appraisal to identify appropriate areas of development for this work role, and taking responsibility for accessing identified learning and training opportunities.

Leading, maintaining, and participating in practices that enable effective team working.

Participating in local arrangements where required to manage unexpected staff absences.

Supporting all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up to date and identifying the learning and development needs of all team members, ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date Personal Development Plan (PDP).