Senior Mental Health Practitioner

JOB SUMMARY 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 grade 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. To provide highly specialist skills and expertise, facilitating interventions of the highest quality in the field of mental health, including emergency assessments and intensive interventions with children, young people and their families.

To work autonomously and collaboratively within the MDT, providing consultation and teaching for other agencies/professionals. To provider supervision and teaching to all other disciplines within CAMHS and to deputise as agreed for the team leader. To promote safeguarding and the welfare of children and young people KEY RESULT AREAS: CLINICAL 1To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility in accordance with the Trust Policies and procedures 2The post-holder will have highly developed skills in assessing the needs of children and their carers based on the analysis of highly complex facts and situations. Interventions will be planned based on the assessment information and interpretation of this.

The clinical assessment will include gathering appropriate historical information from the child and family, allied to clinical observation of family relationships and mental state of the child and other family members, and obtaining relevant information from other agencies. Offering highly specialist expertise in child and adolescent mental health, ensuring clear documentation in all appropriate case notes and sharing assessments and information with the family and all relevant professionals. 3To undertake highly specialist initial assessments of young people following acts of serious self-harm and attempted suicide in line with evidence based practice. 4To undertake highly specialised risk assessments following referral for presentations requiring urgent mental health or psychiatric assessment and plan relevant interventions.

5To implement intensive interventions with young people and their families, as relevant to the post-holders main clinical role, i.e. group and individual work, systemic family interventions. This will include analysis, interpretation and evaluation to reformulate plans of care. 6The post-holder will provide therapeutic care to emotionally demanding clients in highly emotive situations.

7The post-holder will develop and maintain therapeutic relationships with children and carers. This will include cases of high complexity which require more specialised levels of assessment and therapeutic skills. 8As part of multi-disciplinary team, the Senior Mental Health Practitioner will deliver and devise complex packages of care. Provide individual and family review/follow-up sessions to children, young people or their carers.

9To take a lead role in setting guidelines and standards that will ensure all young persons identified with complex problems are discharged from Specialist CAMHS with an appropriate package of care from universal services. 10The post-holder will have skills to communicate highly complex information regarding personal psycho-social problems in an empathic and supportive way using the highest level of interpersonal skills in situations which can be highly emotional and sometimes antagonistic. Service users and families may have difficulty or be reluctant to understand what is communicated to them. 11Communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information utilising highly developed interpersonal skills.

Take into account issues of confidentiality and the consent of Adults and Young People. Considering and assessing a childs maturity to consent. 12To work with children, young people and their families, liaising with external agencies, e.g. Education, Social Services and Paediatric Services.

Presenting problems are frequently complex and require that sophisticated packages of care are negotiated and delivered. To actively promote user/carer involvement in all aspects of care planning/delivery whilst respecting the rights, capabilities and wishes of the individuals concerned. 13To apply a sound knowledge of safeguarding children and guidelines in clinical work. 14To deputise for the team leader in his/her absence.

15Apply Trust policies and procedures in instances of aggression, acute distress and disturbed mental health presentations. HUMAN RESOURCES 1The Senior Mental Health Practitioner will take the responsibility in developing, managing and coordinating the supervision systems for the team. 2The post-holder will support other team members in managing cases, providing joint working where appropriate on specific therapeutic techniques. 3To manage and coordinate rotas for all disciplines within CAMHS specific to their own area of specialism.

4To support the Clinical Governance Lead within the service and participate in the development and maintenance of governance processes, i.e. clinical incident reporting, risk management. 5Contribute to the induction of new starters in the service. 6Responsible for first line resolution of complaints in line with Trust policy.

7Responsible for budgetary requirement of equipment necessary for clinical interventions. For full job description, please see attached supporting documents. We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms.Over reliance on AI-generated content in application forms is strongly discouraged and we will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.