Duty Lead

Job Introduction **The Role**
- To oversee the successful operational management of the NHS Talking Therapies Kent and Medway Duty team.
- To work autonomously whilst facilitating and maintaining excellent relationships across service areas to ensure smooth delivery of the service aims. To problem solve and identify ways of working which will support the duty team to deliver a highly effective resource.
- To proactively manage the operational running of a Duty team within a large Talking Therapies service, whilst maintaining a small Talking Therapies caseload (as either an accredited Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner or High Intensity Therapist - CBT/CfD/IPT/DIT/CTfD).
- The Duty system provides advice and support to our staff (Therapists, Administrative team, Assistant Psychologists, Employment Advisors and Health and Wellbeing Coaches) about all aspects of clinical risk, supporting robust risk management and safeguarding processes across the service.
- This is an excellent opportunity for a Talking Therapies Practitioner who wants to continue delivering therapy whilst adding variety to their role and developing their operational and leadership skills.
- The service welcomes applicants who have significant experience of managing risk and a working knowledge of primary and secondary mental health care services. The role would also suit an individual with strong organisational skills who is able to inspire and motivate colleagues.
- Supporting staff wellbeing is something that VHG prides itself on; a high level of support will be provided from the service and wider organisation, along with opportunities for excellent continuing professional development.
- The role will be a blend of 60% remote and 40% on site working (based in the Kent and Medway area) and the post holder will be expected to attend meetings with relevant external agencies as necessary.

**Skills and Experience**
**Essential**:Either:

- Qualified & Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist with MH specialism

OR
- Completed an accredited Talking Therapies training course at high intensity level.
- Knowledge of local and national policies relating to safeguarding children and adults at risk, relevant professional and NHS policy initiatives.
- Experience of assessing multiple presentations of risk.

**Desirable**:

- Completed an accredited Talking Therapies training course at either low intensity or high intensity level.
- Individual accreditation with a professional/accrediting body (e.g. BABCP, BPS, BACP, UKCP, NCPS)
- HCPC registration
- Talking Therapies Supervision training.
- Evidence of working within both secondary and community healthcare settings
- Experience of delivering risk/ safeguarding supervision.

Why Vita Health Group?

Vita Health Group celebrates life. Improving lives physically and mentally drives everything we do.

We are physical and mental health specialists with over 30 years of experience. We work in partnership with the NHS, are engaged by insurers and some of the UK’s largest corporate companies to support their workforce and provide a full range of physiotherapy services to private customers.

To progress your skills and enable career development we provide Continued Professional Development opportunities including secondments, management training, a mentoring scheme and regular events and webinars across a range of clinical disciplines.

We are committed to equitably support the wellbeing of all employees as demonstrated by:

- Our association with the MINDFUL EMPLOYER Charter for Employers who are Positive About Mental Health.
- Our Ethnicity Matters Scheme where all applicants for senior roles (£40,000+) from a minority ethnic group that meet the essential criteria will be invited for interview.
- Our sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant.
- Our status as a Menopause Friendly Committed employer.
- Our sign up to the Employer with Heart Charter.
- Our commitment to meet the standards outlined in the NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS). Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES).
- The provision of access to health and wellbeing services for colleagues which includes a team of trained Mental Health Advocates and an Employee Assistance Programme.
- An embedded “speaking up” culture facilitated by Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.