Band 7 Access Senior Practitioner

Job summary

BaNES are transforming Older Adult Mental Health services, and are seeking a highly motivated individual with excellent clinical and leadership skills for their Access Senior Practitioner Band 7 Role. This role will sit within Primary Care Liaison Service (PCLS), with very close links with BaNES Complex Intervention team and Primary Care/Third Sector agencies. This position will also develop into a role that acts within the requirements of the Community Service Framework - please see supporting information for more details.

The Primary Care Liaison Service (PCLS) provides a first point of contact to access mental health services in Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES). We are looking for an individual who can lead and shape the front door to Mental health services for Older Adults and support the delivery of front line assessment and signposting to the right agency at the right time. The post holder will lead and inspire Primary Care Liaison Service (PCLS) and older adult clinicians to deliver a high quality output for service users and carers. We are looking for someone with excellent clinical skills who believes in the ethos of the Community Mental Health Framework, who has the ability to lead a team to drive and influence the changes needed for a transformed Mental Health Service.

Main duties of the job

BaNES are aspiring to transform Older Adult Services, to create seamless pathways within Older Adult services, with excellent clinical leadership and an increased offer of therapeutic the service transforms; alongside the advertised position and job description, the Access Senior practitioner for Older Adults role in BaNES will also fulfil a more Primary Care facing role inline with the vision of the Community Service Framework (CSF).

The team offers assessment, brief interventions, support, advice and signposting for Adults over 65 years with both functional and organic mental health conditions. They will support seamless and thoughtful care pathway transitions in AWP services and primary care. This role offers an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated leader to support a team in delivering a high quality service whilst exploring new and emerging ways of working with other partners and teams.

Within the role the post holder will provide clinical leadership, supervision, support and consultation to nursing staff and MDT staff in the team, in line with the relevant clinical pathway as outlined within the operational procedures. The post holder will lead on quality improvement projects and patient safety reviews.

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

See Supporting information for more details

1. To lead and inspire the team to deliver a high quality and effective recovery service for service users and carers.

2. To provide clinical leadership to ensure where appropriate the service will work effectively alongside other services, to manage risk and prevent hospital admission for service users with the most complex and acute needs.

3. To undertake and support the specialist ongoing assessment of functioning for service users with the most complex and needs. This may include:

a) The use of standardised assessment tools, the ACE-III

b) Mental state

c) Impact of culture and diversity

d) Functional needs

e) The needs of family and carer

f) Evaluation of risk

g) Physical health

h) Complicating factors

i) The interventions and treatments required to enable positive change

j) Social care needs

k) Safeguarding and public protection

l) Capacity under the Mental Capacity Act

4. To be responsible for, both individually and within the team, the development, delivery and review of comprehensive and complex treatment programmes using appropriate frameworks in

line with evidencebased practice, including strategies to manage risk for service users with complex needs and carers, bringing in other resources as required.

5. Within sphere of expertise, and advanced practice, to be responsible for coordinating care for a small number of service users, also providing defined interventions to individuals on other workers caseloads.

6. To plan, deliver, and evaluate defined advanced specialist interventions within sphere of expertise, including to service users who maybe on other caseloads.

7. To oversee and deliver a range of defined activities/interventions to improve the carers ability to support the service user and to enable them in their relationship with the service user.

8. To lead, in partnership with the team manager, ensuring the service develops and maintains excellent clinical standards, and effective caseload supervision, underpinned by robust and effective individual and team supervision processes.

9. To oversee and ensure, across the team, there are effective risk management plans and strategies, for service users and carers, taking account of risks to service users, carers, the organisation, staff and the public.

10. In collaboration with service users and carers, to be responsible, across the service for facilitating and ensuring, the development of complex comprehensive crisis plans, involving other agencies such as primary care etc where appropriate.

11. To develop and maintain, good partnership working with other services throughout all treatment episodes, including regular liaison within Primary Health Care Team, inpatient services, voluntary sector and with nominated carers/advocates.

12. Develop and maintain communication with a wide range of people/services/ agencies about complex matters or in complex situations with the purpose of sharing developing or resolving difficult or complex issues for the benefit of service users/carer and the service.

13. To represent the organisation in a range of settings, presenting, facilitating or explaining as appropriate and dealing with any questions or difficulties as they arise

14. To support the team manager in developing systems and processes for the effective management and monitoring of the team caseload, on a day to day basis, ensuring that time is prioritised effectively, and service users and carer receive the appropriate level of service.

15. To be responsible for regularly monitoring and evaluating treatment programmes for service users and carers, making appropriate clinical/practice decision in regard to ongoing needs, and offering supervision to others.

16. To be responsible for the protection of individuals from abuse and harm in line with local safeguarding policies and procedures, by developing and reviewing with others protection plans and management strategies, ensuring the appropriate sharing of information.

17. To provide a leadership role within the team and provide cover for the manager and colleagues as required.

18. To work with the Team Manager to ensure the continuing improvements to the service in line with organisational goals.

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

20. To participate in, and deliver as required, management, caseload and clinical supervision in accordance with trust policy.

21. Demonstrate responsibility for developing own practice in line with professional qualifications and for the development of others, both practitioners, and those in training by making use of and providing, effective feedback, specialist therapeutic clinical supervision, coaching and appraisal.

22. To adhere to professional codes of conduct ensuring required skills and competencies required are maintained.

23. Promote monitor and maintain best practice in health, safety and security of self and others, undertaking assessments and taking appropriate action where required.

24. Work with the Team Manager to develop a culture that promotes equality and values diversity.

25. Lead, practices which enable effective team working.

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

Most challenging part of this role

Being an inspirational leader, practicing and sharing excellent clinical practice while also motivating others to deliver a high quality service. Balancing competing demands across the range of key result areas, keeping the needs of service user and carers at the heart of service delivery. Able to challenge clinical practice effectively to ensure that service users receive the most appropriate treatment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Registered Mental Nurse (RMN), Social Work qualification (CSS, CQSW or DipSW), Occupational Therapy qualification or Psychology qualification.

Desirable

Further relevant post-registration qualifications

Experience

Essential

Substantial post-registration experience gained working in front-line services, undertaking assessments and delivering therapeutic interventions including in the most complex clinical cases Significant experince of line management/supporting junior colleagues and being adaptable to individual needs

Skills

Essential

Significant experience of complex assessment, risk management and care planning in complex need

Experience

Essential

Previous leadership experience managing teams, or leading through times of change

Skills

Desirable

Experience providing teaching / education to teams

Experience

Desirable

Experience leading on Quality Improvement projects Awareness and experience conducting Patient Safety Reviews, and/or Root Cause Analysis

Knowledge

Essential

Comprehensive knowledge of Functional and Organic conditions - particaully in relation to Older Adults

Desirable

NMP or relevant additional education and training

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