Mental Health Link Practitioner

This is a great opportunity for an individual who is looking to further their career development and thrives working within an integrated MDT team. We would like someone to join Swansea Community Integrated Services who enjoys working with older people and their support networks. We are a friendly, motivated and passionate team focussed on improving health and wellbeing in our local communities. We are looking for someone with excellent communication and leadership skills to provide links between the older person and their carers and Older People’s Community Mental Health Teams and Specialist Services. The Mental Health Link Practitioner also provides support to the community MDT team in managing patients with co-occurring mental health problems such as cognitive impairments, which also impact on their physical health and wellbeing. You will act as the lead specialist for mental health within the team and provide training and advice to the MDT to improve the team’s knowledge and skills.

Ideally you will have attended the Wales Dementia Faculty Dementia Diagnosis Course or be willing to achieve this requirement with the opportunity to develop these skills with support and training.

You will need to be a registered professional with clinical experience in mental health settings - preferably with older people.

You will need to be able to travel in a timely manner across Swansea Bay to undertake domiciliary visits, attend clinics and meetings.

To assess, develop and implement specialist clinical interventions and care programmes with service users who have mental health problems.

To support / supervise and act as an expert source for intermediate care services team members for patients with concurrent mental health and physical I social issues I frailty.

To carry out a full Mental Health Assessment for patients utilising agreed framework of assessment and the required specialist mental health assessment

To evaluate and make decisions about therapeutic options, taking into account theoretical and therapeutic models of complex care, the individual family or group.

To provide regular and systematic consultation regarding mental health issues and working with individuals with cognitive impairment to clinical staff and to contribute to and support intermediate team development.

To proactively direct and give advice as to referral to the most appropriate service.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

We believe staff are our best asset and we want you to be happy and confident about starting your career here in Swansea Bay University Health Board.

As one of the biggest healthcare groups in the UK we can offer a wealth of professional training and development opportunities in an innovative, forward-thinking organisation.

You might be a nurse or doctor, maybe you specialise in a health science/therapy or can offer skills in one of our support services - we have a job for you.

There are also apprenticeships, work placements and volunteering roles available.

Our values - Caring For Each Other, Working Together and Always Improving, show that our commitment to equality is at the heart of everything we do.

If you want excellent career and training opportunities while living on the doorstep of some of Europe's most spectacular scenery, with all the benefits of a thriving and cosmopolitan city - look no further.

To enhance awareness of psycho education and health promotion for service users, their families and carers and participate in psychological education when appropriate to do so.

To be aware of and demonstrate best practice based on current advances in mental health practice.

To identify and develop opportunities to improve community care options across organisations.

To provide expert clinical advice and support to team members.

To liaise and work collaboratively with other colleagues within the Service at all times.

To work collaboratively with professional groups from secondary health care, primary care, social care, local authority, voluntary sector and carers groups, acting as a mental health information resource.

Actively build integrated cross organisation networks to enable effective service delivery across the physical / social I mental health care spectrum.

To escalate appropriate referrals to the appropriate clinicians effectively using existing pathways in order to safeguard patients and staff.

To participate in clinical and management meetings to ensure a safe, effective and efficient service is delivered.