Band 4 Intensive Mental Health Worker

Job summary

This role is focussed on supporting people, in the community, with a range of acute mental health needs, who may be in crisis, and their carers (including friends and relatives) and supporters, enabling and assisting them to meet daily health, social care and well being needs, in line with personal recovery goals, and facilitating engagement with mainstream services.

We are looking for a mental health worker to work within North Somerset Intensive team. The position is offering full time hours. The team cover a twenty four seven period and we work a shift pattern.

Main duties of the job

We are looking to recruit a suitably experienced mental health worker to join the Intensive teamThe Intensive Team is part of the North Somerset access services.

The Intensive Team provides assessment and home treatment to individuals and their carers as an alternative to hospital admission, relapse prevention, short term therapy work and help provide facilitated discharge from hospital.

The team operates 24 hours per day 7 days per week 365 days per year, as such the successful candidate will be expected to be able to undertake a shift pattern of working.

Night provision is currently under review.

Mental Health Workers in this team, offer a variety of psychosocial skills to service users, whilst working under the guidance of registered practitioners there is also the expectation of lone working at times. The Intensive team has a shared caseload so Mental Health Workers are not required to provide care co-ordination.

We are ideally looking for someone who has successfully undertaken the NVQ Level 3 in Mental Health or equivalent qualification, is enthusiastic, has experience of working with people and families in distress due to mental health crisis and are able to work under pressure. The North Somerset Intensive team works to promote recovery and operates a non-exclusion policy.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To undertake the role of recovery coordinator alongside an MDT for an allocated caseload of service users organising and participating in the ongoing assessment, planning, delivering and review of care to meet identified physical and mental health social care and well being needs.

This will include:

Organising and participating in defined assessment methods/activities

Arranging CPA meetings in line with trust policy

Developing and reviewing appropriate care plans identifying and organising other resources as appropriate.

Providing defined interventions/ activities as part of the care plan.

Completing relevant paper and electronic documentation in line with the care coordinator role

Plan and undertaking defined interventions and treatments to enable the individual to meet and develop their ongoing daily living skills, to increase confidence and independence in line with agreed personal recovery plans.

This might include;

Preparing for and delivering defined self-help groups

Therapeutic activities to improve and individuals coping skills eg, anger, anxiety, stress management, assertiveness or relaxation

Therapeutic activities to improve an individuals physical health such as exercise programmes, diet or nutritional planning.

Planning and undertaking activities to enable the individual to meet and develop their daily living skills, to increase confidence and independence in line with agreed personal recovery plans. This might include helping individuals to:

access information on appropriate and safe housingmove into new accommodation or respite carecomplete forms or letter eg housing benefitscontact employment advisors or education facilities

Or it might include providing any of the following:

Emotional support to individual focusing on motivation and encouragement.

Information and advice to maintain good physical health by encouraging a good diet and exercise.Information on rights under the mental health act.

Effectively build hope inspiring relationships which acknowledge the personal journey of each person, and focus on strengths and aspirations to allow the creation of meaningful personal recovery plans.

Communicate effectively with a wide range of people in order to build and sustain effective, and positive relationships with individuals, and carers, team members and other agencies. This may include accessing translation and interpreting services.

Promote continuity of care by maintaining regular contact with service users, during episodes of inpatient treatment, working closely with other teams to facilitate early discharge.

To work collaboratively with service users and their carers to understand and manage their mental health needs in line with their personal recovery plan and relapse prevention strategies.

To undertake specific activities and interventions in the support of carers including engagement and involvement, assessment and provision of support or services.

Organise and participate in the development of risk assessments and crisis management plans, rapid access plans, within the appropriate framework, ensuring that when trigger points are reached these are reported appropriately to a registered practitioner, and that immediate or direct action is taken in line with these, or in the event of a crisis.

Respond to the needs of individual with sensitivity with regard to their age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class or disability, modifying behaviour to optimise the helping relationship.

Promote the rights of individual by recognising differences and acting in accordance with the relevant legislation, recognising and reporting discriminatory behaviour, and taking appropriate action.

Work collaboratively and sensitively with individuals, with a range of mental health needs to develop skills to manage their own health, in accordance with their personal recovery plan, by actively promoting and using approaches which are affirming, build on strengths, identify past positive experience and success, and use small steps to move towards the persons goal.

Promoting independence and increasing confidence by providing appropriate self help materials, information about available resources/services, facilitating identified group work and educational workshops.

To be responsible for maintaining own caseload on a day to day basis, ensuring that time is prioritised effectively.

Contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse and harm in line with local safeguarding policies and procedures.

Develop own knowledge and practice, making use of supervision and available learning opportunities.

Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in all work places.

Maintain accurate, confidential records of patient activity, writing reports and letters, utilising electronic record and other systems available within the organisation.

Report and record within agreed timeframes, all activity relating to information reporting and performance requirements.

To participate in local arrangements in order to ensure consistent care to service users across the local geography

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

Able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the concept of confidentiality. Relevant experience of working in any health, social care setting or any related Is able to describe how supervision supports safe working practices.

Skills

Essential

Demonstrate well-developed listening skills and effective verbal communication Demonstrate an ability to deliver a range of specific therapeutic interventions with agreed outcomes within a prescribed framework Able to articulate a clear knowledge of policy and legislative frameworks within which mental health services are delivered including a persons rights under the MHA, CPA Mental Capacity Act. Able to travel freely and flexibly across the local area in order to work effectively with service users Hold current driving license.

Knowledge

Essential

Previous experience in a mental health setting Previous experience in the community

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