Mental Health Advanced Practitioner

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual interested in working as an Advanced Practitioner in the Older Peoples and Adult Community mental health service in the Huntingdon area.

We are looking to recruit an experienced mental health practitioner to both provide care and treatment but also lead a group of experienced and developing mental health practitioners.

The St Ives / St Neots locality includes Huntingdon, with a mix of urban and rural villages. Patients are over age 65 in the main (some younger with a dementia diagnosis) and live mostly in domestic settings with some in care homes. The presentations include the spectrum of mental health disorders (anxiety, depression, psychosis) and/ or dementia. Many have physical co-morbidities, so patients have a number of issues that require a coordinated approach.

For discussion or further information relating to this role please contact Christine Robertson 07789941199

We are collocated with district nursing and physical rehabilitation colleagues as well as close working relationships with the mental health multi-disciplinary team that include psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and social workers.

You will require a solid understanding of secondary mental health requirements, coupled with an ability to guide and support clinicians as we endeavour to meet the needs of a diverse community.

You will have frequent peer support / joint working from other North area advanced practitioners.
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Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities

The post holder will work within the Integrated Neighbourhood Team with stakeholders including the General Practitioners, core team members, specialist services and partner professionals and agencies from within and beyond the organisation.

To ensure that mental health pathways are delivered within the neighbourhood teams and work closely with both neighbourhood team staff and the locality teams to ensure smooth communication and transitions within local services.

Undertake assessments to determine patient need and collaborate with key partners and stakeholders including local authorities and independent/private sector providers to meet the individual needs of patients and their families/carers whilst working at all times to reduce risk.

To ensure that adults and older people experience a timely, effective and person-centred approach to the delivery of integrated care

To manage and provide clinical supervision and leadership to a defined group of Integrated staff working within locality especially mental health practitioners.

The post holder will support the development of skills in relation to Multi-disciplinary working, discharge planning/transfer and co-ordination of care in order to achieve a standardised approach and competency within the locality and contribute to the reduction of avoidable bed days.

Work within the model of the NT(Neighbourhood teams), providing clinical leadership on the matters relating to mental health interventions.

Clinically supervise mental health practitioners within the NT and ensure that there is excellent communication and planning for mental health interventions across the NT and ICT

To promote the understanding of common mental health conditions and develop skills and knowledge in the wider neighbourhood team and with key partners.

Ensure systems are in place to receive and prioritise mental health referrals to the team and delegation to staff members with the level of skill and competence required to meet patient need.

Facilitate the assessment and care planning/ interventions for patients whose needs may frequently be complex and multi-factorial in nature, collaborating with the integrated team, Advanced Practitioners/ medical colleagues, social services and other stakeholders involved in the transfer of care.

Engage proactively with key stakeholders to identify patients who require supportive intervention and case management to prevent avoidable hospital admission and enable those individuals to remain in their own home environment.

Negotiate the timely transfer home for those patients whose presentation does not require them to remain within or the acute/