Primary Link Worker

The Older People’s Mental Health Service (OPMHS) is a supportive, caring, integrated service where staff work together closely to support our patients and their families. We have strong links with medical teams, Allied Health Professionals, Carers and the local community. We are immensely proud of our staff and their passion, professionalism and dedication to changing people’s lives. If you share that passion and want to make a difference, then come and join us.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for Band 4 Dementia Link Workers to join our team.

**As part of this programme**:

- You will be visiting patients with dementia and their carers to provide a comprehensive support and information service in the community in the London Borough of Hounslow - linking them with appropriate social and health services.
- You will receive training and development opportunities.
- You will be working within a friendly, well established team.
- This will be an excellent opportunity for you to develop your skills working with older people and in working with individuals with dementia.
- You will receive monthly supervision to support your development and practice from a member of staff from the Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Service

**The Dementia Link Worker will**:
1. Be responsible for the management of a defined caseload as a key named worker for the person with dementia and their carer. This caseload will be overseen and monitored by the Hounslow OPMHS Team Manager.
2. Provide relevant support and information to GP networks/surgeries and Care Co-ordinators to reduce inappropriate referrals made to West London NHS Trust
3. Attend post-diagnostic and multi-disciplinary meetings where required to provide support and information regarding on-going care.
4. Carry out home assessments to identify the social and health care needs of people with dementia and their carers during the whole period of the illness
5. Provide information and signposting to people with dementia and their carers and work with them so that they can have choice and control over their care plans.
6. Monitor and provide on-going emotional support for people with dementia and their carers phone or home visit.
7. Provide specialist advice and information to people with dementia and their carers regarding services and support people with dementia and their carers to access these services.

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.

Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.

We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.

We’re rated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Together, we’re committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.

We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.

We would likely to encourage applicants from a range of diverse backgrounds and would be keen to hear about how you could bring experience of diversity to your clinical practice.

For further information, please contact Rukhsana Younus, Team Manager

Please refer to the JD