Iapt Assessment Worker

**IAPT Assessment Worker - Band 5**

**37.5 hours per week**

**12 months fixed post. This is a pilot post for service development and expansion.**

**Location: Sandwell.**
- **WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU**_if you are a motivated, flexible, self-directed mental health professional with an existing professional training looking to build your assessment skills and your experience in primary care. You will have experience as an IAPT Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner or Qualified Counsellor who is willing to complete and IAPT compliant training course.

Qualified PWP or Minimum Level 5 Counsellor.

Sandwell Healthy Minds is committed to improving health and well being, tackling inequalities and providing a high quality service within the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) guidelines.

We are a dynamic and dedicated team that offers a range of psychological therapies and services to treat people and support their recovery within a stepped care model. The service hours are from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday. The team comprises of a Clinical Lead, Service Manager,
Team Leaders, High Intensity Psychological Therapists, Senior PWP’, PWP’s and Counsellors. The service is committed to developing staff to
reach their full potential within an exceptionally supportive environment. This role is a blended role of office working and home working.

The post holder will be part of an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service. They will assess and offer Step 1 interventions to all patients referred. They will liaise with the duty workers and practitioners from other teams in the service, external stakeholders and referrers such as GPs and secondary care mental health services.

They will need to maintain an informed and up to-date knowledge of all interventions and innovations offered by the service to ensure they are able to refer patients to the correct treatment. Upon request they will offer face to face assessment.

The post holder will deliver and offer high quality and comprehensive advice to both referrers and patients regarding emotional health and wellbeing needs. The post holder will deliver a high quality and comprehensive assessment and first step intervention service to patients referred to Talking Therapies. Collaborative risk assessment and management skills will be essential. The post holder will be expected to maintain a high standard of electronic patient records. They will work closely with the Duty Co-ordinators and enhance the assessment process. Liaison with a wide range of agencies is central to the role; and in particular building and maintaining links with GPs and Practice Managers.

The post holder will be required to work flexible hours; including evening and possible Saturday working. Applicants should have a good understanding of the National IAPT programme, including the Key Performance Indicators alongside a flexible clinical approach.

**Working for our organisation**

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Across the whole of the region we provide:

- Adult and older adult mental health services
- Specialist learning disability services
- Mental health services for children and young people
- Community healthcare services for children, young people and families in Dudley

**Person specification**

**Essential**

**Essential criteria**
- Possess a qualification in IAPT Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Training Course or Minimum Level 5 Counselling and willing to complete and IAPT compliant training programme.
- Accredited or working towards accreditation with British Psychological Society or British Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Psychotherapists as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner or British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
- Evidence of working with people who have experienced a mental health problem
- Experience of completing assessments and identifying the outcome within the stepped care model.
- Experience of robust risk assessment skills.
- Able to write clear reports and letters.
- Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including telephone skills
- High level of enthusiasm and motivation.
- Advanced communication skills
- Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
- Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
- Ability to work under pressure

**Desirable criteria**
- Experience of working in Primary Care Services
- Ability to manage own caseload and time
- Completion or near completion of IAPT compliant training/ Willingness to complete required training.
- Fluent in languages other than English

**Job Types**: Full-time, Temporary contract
Contract length: 12 months

**Salary**: £28,407.00-£34,58