Community Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary

Plymouth Home Treatment team are seeking an experienced registered practitioner for 12 months maternity cover.

hours per week but part time hours will be considered. The postholder will work as part of a multidisciplinary team taking referrals, conducting biopsychosocial assessments and providing treatment interventions for patients 18 and over who are experiencing mental health crisis. This includes managing and administering medication and ensuring physical checks are routinely conducted. Good risk assessment and formulation are both vital. Some autonomous working may be required at times. High quality communication skills are essential. Home Treatment has been established in Plymouth for over 20 years and is a 24/7 service. The purpose is both to prevent unnecessary admissions and facilitate early or prompt discharges from Livewell's inpatient functional wards. We are now looking to recruit some exceptional mental health practitioners (from any eligible professional background) to join our growing team. We are very interested in hearing from you if you have a commitment to supporting people to remain at home during their illness along with a positive can-do attitude. We will particularly welcome applications from people with acute mental health experience, older adult experience (including dementia) or from other health sectors where transferable skills can be demonstrated.

For more information please see the full job description and person specification (attached)

Main duties of the job

Typically 3 twelve hour shifts per week with an occasional shorter shift to make up hours. However different working patterns and flexi-working arrangements are available. Please contact us and chat about it. To receive and triage referrals for those presenting in a mental health crisis To be part of a multi-disciplinary team approach responding to individuals requiring a same day response or signposting due to a mental health crisis To provide skilled telephone advice to referrers and patients and carers To provide skilled telephone-based support to help contain a crisis and avoid further escalation of an issue To offer an urgent mental health assessment in a location most convenient/appropriate for the patient; this may be in their home, GP surgery or Emergency Department. Identify the most appropriate intervention required for patient, with an emphasis on positive risk management, and refer as necessary. Following assessments provide high quality assessment reports/letters to the relevant professionals. Monitor reports by junior staff to ensure they are of the same standards. Support the Team Manager in the effective running of the team and monitoring of standards through effective clinical supervision of junior staff. The post includes flexible working patterns over a hours working week to incorporate cover for a 24/7 service. (Night working is as part of an on-call service, there is no requirement for waking nightshift.)

Rolemay not be eligible for sponsorship.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.

We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.

Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staff

Leadership & mentoring programmes

Access & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse Training

A Robust Preceptorship

A bespoke induction programme

Existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Communication and Relationship skills

a) Detailed confident verbal information sharing, within the Home Treatment Team or the wider Multi Disciplinary Team, which includes Primary Care.

b) Expert ability in receiving information, analysing and formulating professional judgments.

c) Attend and represent the Teams view in meetings Child protection, Adult Protection, Mental Health Review Tribunals, CPA Reviews.

d) Elicit information from the patient, and work with them to advocate on their behalf.

e) Ability to communicate clearly and effectively over the telephone within the boundaries of confidentiality.

f) Maintain accurate, timely paper and electronic records. Ensure they are kept safely in accordance with Livewell SW policies, including the Data Protection Act and the Livewell SW Confidentiality Policy.

g) The post holder demonstrates a positive attitude to mental health attending to patients with respect and courtesy. Having the ability to challenge staff where the standard falls below expectations.

h) The post holder will ensure that professional boundaries are always adhered to.

i) Take a lead role in the collaboration and the planning of individual care with patient, carer, other Teams and Services.

j) Must be confident in communicating with people who are experiencing mental health difficulties when English is not their first language using Livewell South west approved interpreters.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

a) The post holder will be responsible for updating their own practice, knowledge and skills within their sphere of practice including Livewell SW PCH mandatory training.

b) Knowledge of Policy and legislation.

c) Knowledge of Mental Health and Mental Health service delivery.

d) Adhere to Policy and Legislation relating to Mental Health Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Equal Opportunity Law, Disability Discrimination Act, Human Rights Act, Care Programme Approach and Clinical Governance.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

a) Map reading planning the safest most cost-effective route for community visits.

b) The post holder will provide nursing care and other interventions in the setting most appropriate to meet the patients needs.

c) Ability to match patient need with available skills and resources.

d) Emergency judgments and clinical decision-making.

Planning and Organisational Skills

a) To take a lead role in the co-ordination of shift ensuring appropriate allocation of work with the available skill mix utilising, prioritising, negotiation and delegation skills.

b) Take a clinical lead in absence of HTT managers

c) Regularly take a lead in clinical meeting ensuring all patients are reviewed and decisions and plans are put into action and represent the patients views.

d) Liaise with other services to arrange appointments that both meet patient and service demands.

1. Physical Skills

a) Confidence to travel in an urban environment

b) Administer Intra Muscular Injections

c) Competent key board skills

d) Ability to take accurate physical observations blood pressure, pulse and temperature.

e) Demonstrates safe clinical skills when providing care for patients receiving specialist treatments commencement of Clozaril in the community or supporting a patient through ECT treatment.

Responsibilities

a) Take a lead in rapid crisis assessments and the continuous assessment of patients on the caseload, monitoring effectiveness of the treatments provided.

b) Formulate care plans, implement and evaluate them along side patients and carers ensuring informed consent is obtained.

c) Plan aftercare, making appropriate agreed referrals for longer-term treatment.

d) Collaborate with other Teams and Services in the provision of patient care.

e) Take a lead role in the identification of risk and the formulation of risk management plans.

f) Take a lead role in clinical decision-making, including maintaining the safety of patients, staff and the public in challenging, potentially violent situations.

g) Adhere to the Policy for the Safe, Secure and Handling of Medicines and local Home Treatment protocols ensuring patients receive medication in a safe and timely fashion.

h) Assess and monitor the effect of medication and report observations to Medical staff.

i) Provide education to patients and carers to enhance their knowledge therefore improving longer-term concordance.

j) Promote RECOVERY

k) Provide education to patients and carers in line with current policy and good practice guidelines.

l) The post holder will be required to work over a 24 hour period. To adhere to the Home Treatment Policy and protocols for the implementation of this service.

m) Maintain high standards of clinical care to patients.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development

a) Expected to take a lead role in the development of the Home Treatment Team including the formulation of protocols.

b) Implement all appropriate National, PCH and Local Home Treatment policies and protocols.

Responsibility for Human Resources

a) Provide clinical supervision and line management supervision for junior members of staff.

b) Have the ability to challenge staff where the standard falls below expectations. Have the ability to foster capability and support staff to develop

c) Assist in education programmes provided for junior staff.

d) Provide mentorship for students both formally and informally.

e) Participate regularly in recruitment and selection of staff.

f) The post holder will behave in a manner that does not bring the Team or Livewell SW into disrepute.

Responsibility for Information Resources

a) Responsible for recording CPA and monitoring the quality of data provided by junior staff.

b) Responsible for electronic contacts and monitor the standard of work of junior staff.

c) Maintain accurate, timely paper and electronic records. Ensure they are kept safely in accordance with Livewell SW policy

Responsibility for Research and Development

a) Provide a positive role in clinical audit and evaluation of Home Treatment to ensure high levels of clinical effectiveness

Freedom to Act

a) The post holder will be individually accountable for their practice in accordance with the NMC professional Code of Conduct or Health and Care Professions Council.

b) The post holder will actively participate in line management supervision with the Team Manager of the Team.

c) Provide line management for junior staff.

d) The post holder will actively participate in clinical supervision in accordance with Livewell SW policy.

e) The post holder will actively participate in the Livewell SW appraisal system and provide appraisals for junior staff.

f) The post holder will carry out other duties commensurate with the position as required.

Please see attachments.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

Essential

Mental Health Act Mental Capacity Act CPA Clinical Risk Assessment Safeguarding Adults and Children Clinical Governance Psychological models of care and treatment Microsoft Outlook SystmOne, Care First or other electronic records system eCPA Relevant Livewell Southwest policies and proceduresAbility to prioritise workload Robust and positive approach towards risk assessment Ability to work effectively under pressure Ability to identify and refer on for unmet need Working effectively with patients who may have a variety of communication difficulties Triaging referrals based on clinical urgency Work flexibly in order to respond to service need Positive attitude to change Positive attitude to working within a complex mental health environment Committed to developing and improving mental health services

Desirable

Knowledge of common physical health issues that may affect people with a severe and enduring mental health problem Knowledge of clinical clustering tools

Qualifications

Essential

Essential criteria RMN/Dip HE/BSc Mental Health Nursing NMC Registration RGN/Dip HE/BSc Registered Nurse NMC Registration Occupational Therapy Degree HCPC Registration Social Work Degree HCPC Registration Paramedic Science Degree/BSc/Dip HE HCPC Registration Fully Competent Clinical Supervision training Evidence of completion of statutory and mandatory training Mentorship qualification

Desirable

Non-medical Prescribing Phlebotomy qualification

Experience

Essential

Significant post-registration experience of working with people with complex mental ill health within the community, including those who may abuse drugs and/or alcohol Significant experience as a care coordinator/ or Home Treatment/Crisis worker Experience of working collaboratively with patients and their families/carers Previous experience of working at a Band 6 level or 2 years post registration experience in acute mental health Completing complex mental health assessments in a variety of different settings in the community and signposting to relevant services Relapse prevention and Recovery Principles Experience of providing clinical supervision, mentoring, and teaching to students and other health professionals

Desirable

Experience of working in an acute inpatient unit Experience of working with people with an offending background Experience of conducting basic physical health screening Staff appraisal skills

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