Senior Mental Health Practitioner

This is a role within the Green Paper for Transforming children and young people's mental health programme. The post holder will work within Harrow Mental Health Support Team providing short-term evidence-based interventions to children and young people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression and/or behavioural difficulties and their parent(s)/carer(s).

The post holder will work with children, young people and parents with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

There is an expectation that the post holder will commit to undertaking the EMHP supervisor 1-year training programme as and when this training becomes available to the service.

The MHST works with Young people with mild to moderate mental health presentations attending school/education setting in the Harrow area.

The purpose of the team is to

Provide evidence-based 1-1 and group interventions to CYP and parents for mild to moderate mental health issues.

Support the senior mental health lead in each education setting to introduce or develop their whole school or college approach.

Give timely advice to school and college staff, and liaising with external specialist services, to help children and young people to get the right support and stay in education.

Young people have access to the MHST through their education setting. School staff and other potential referrers are able to contact a team of clinical staff to discuss potential referrals.

The MHST clinician will manage referrals, deal with queries, undertake clinical telephone triage and face to face assessment, give advice and signpost young people where appropriate.

The role involves regular supervision of junior clinicians within the team including Trainee and Qualified Education Mental Health Practitioners.

The postholder will also join the duty rota for the service.

Central and North West London NHS Trust expects all staff to act in a way which shows you understand our core values and are willing to put them into practice with young people, their friends family and carers and also other staff members.

We expect you to show COMPASSION , contribute to a caring and kind environment and recognise that what you do and say helps can make the lives of others better

We expect you to RESPECT everyone and acknowledge and welcome people's differences rather than ignore them or see them as problematic.

We expect you to EMPOWER others and continually try to provide information, resources and support to help others make their own decisions and meet their own needs.

We expect you to work in PARTNERSHIP and behave in a way that shows that you recognise the importance of working collaboratively with all who come into contact with this service.

To find out more about working in CAMHS CLICK HERE for our video.

The key roles and responsibilities of the Senior Mental Health Practitioner will include:

Forming strong working relations with a variety of stakeholders

Working in partnership with schools/colleges and other educational settings.

Provide training to team members and other professionals/trainees

Supervising junior staff in the team.

Providing consultations to education colleagues and support education settings to embed a whole school approach to wellbeing

Developing and delivering evidence-based individual and group time limited interventions to young people within education settings in accordance with Children and Young People's IAPT principles

Holding a caseload of CYP with mild-moderate mental health difficulties

Completion of thorough assessments, risk assessments, care planning and reviews.

Ensuring that there is accurate and timely documentation to a high standard, and that Routine Outcome Measures are completed.

Evidencing the outcomes of the MHST service and feeding back this data to key stakeholders

Providing clinical supervision to Education Mental Health Practitioners and day to day clinical and supervisory support for the Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners.

Contributing to group supervision spaces within the team.

Working as part of a senior team, supporting the Senior Clinical Supervisors and Service Development Leads to expand the service within the Harrow area and improve the quality of the service.

Supporting and developing the interventions that can be delivered as part of the MHST within the education setting, including SEN settings.

Appropriately raise and report safeguarding concerns where identified and to support colleagues with this process.

Patient Safety

Safeguarding people by recognising and responding when an adult or child might be at risk from abuse but also recognising their own limits and asking for help and escalate concerns when necessary

Escalating safety concerns and by doing so acting as effective advocates for those who use our services

Being open and transparent about your own practice

Identifying areas where improvements in safety or quality can be made. Report to the Team Manager any areas of concern, which may affect the safe delivery of care and/or the safe working of other members of the team.

Working closely with others to improve services

Maintaining accurate, legible, comprehensive records

Maintaining compliance with your mandatory and core training requirements

Be aware of and understand one's responsibilities in relation to the Policies and Procedures regarding:

Fire

Lone Working

Health & Safety

Absence management

Report any accidents / incidents as per the reporting procedures of the service.

Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to providing safe, effective services and providing young people and families with a positive experience.