Reconnect Practitioner

Job summary

We are looking for 1 innovative and motivated Reconnect Practitioner to work in the Reconnect Service across HMP Ranby, HMP Nottingham and into the community.

The Reconnect Service aims to improve the continuity of care of vulnerable people leaving prison by working with them before they leave and support their transition to community-based services, thereby safeguarding health gains made whilst in prison.

Whilst not a service which provides clinical interventions, the Reconnect Service offers liaison, advocacy, signposting and support to those leaving prison to support engagement in community- based health and support services. This approach aims to support the wellbeing of people leaving prison, reduce inequalities and address health-related drivers of offending behaviours.

The Reconnect Service aims to increase access to and uptake up of healthcare or relevant support services for individuals who have health vulnerabilities upon release from prison or immigration removal centres who would otherwise struggle to engage. Key to this service success is close partnership working with justice agencies, health and social care and third sector voluntary agencies.

If you would like a challenge and the opportunity to be an inclusive, creative practitioner, this job may be for you.

Main duties of the job

This is relatively new development within Notts Healthcare and is a great opportunity to work on developing and establishing a vital service for service users leaving prison, creating the best opportunity for supporting their engagement within the community and helping to break the cycle of offending.

The Reconnect Practitioner role is an integral part of the Reconnect Service and will enhance the work of the Reconnect Team in supporting people whilst in custody in preparation for release into the community and once in the community. The community support offered will aim to support service users to engage with services such as physical health, mental health, housing etc. and will include support to attend appointments with agencies referred to supporting an effective transition into the community and health equalities. All work will be carried out under the supervision of the Team Manager.

The service works with individuals who are ordinarily resident in Nottinghamshire. The service has a base in HMP Ranby and HMP Nottingham, however, the staff member will be expected to support individuals who are residing in Nottingham/Nottinghamshire and potentially in range of HMPs across the country (who will be returning to Nottingham or Nottinghamshire).

About us

Nottinghamshire Healthcare employs over 10,000 colleagues who help #MakeADifference every day. We provide intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. Care is delivered from over 120 sites within the community from acute settings and across low, medium and high secure environments including prisons.

As one of the largest mental health and community trusts in the East Midlands and one of the biggest employers in Nottinghamshire. We are also home to national and regional services such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We are committed to flexible and agile working, including the opportunity to join our bank.

Your health and wellbeing is our priority and as such we invest significantly in this via our in-house Occupational Health Service, Staff Counselling Service and Health and Wellbeing Team.

We offer a number of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) groups, our Green Champions Network, Freedom to Speak Up Network. Health and Wellbeing Champions Network and Menopause Champions. We provide care to a diverse range of communities and are passionate about supporting diversity and inclusion in the Trust.

If you believe in our values of Trust, Honesty, Respect, Compassion and Teamwork, then we would love to hear from you

#TeamNottsHC

Job description

Job responsibilities

This service has 3 Reconnect Practitioners, and you will be one of these working in the team in supporting assessments and holding a caseload of service users both in the prison and in the community. The role will also include the delivery of pre-release work with service users in preparation for their release. The role will involve outreach to service users in the community, local Nottingham/Nottinghamshire and supporting those in prison establishments across the country who, at the end of their sentence, are returning to the Nottingham area.

Screening/team held caseload - To support the teams screening process for all referrals into the service. To support the teams assessment of individuals and develop a plan of support in conjunction with the service user and the wider Reconnect Team.

Active engagement - Be actively involved in the pre-release interventions for those preparing for release and the assertive follow up of individuals with a range of vulnerabilities. Working with CSWs and criminal agency staff, social care, health and voluntary, charitable agencies.

Caseload - To work with team-held caseload of service users with a range of complex vulnerabilities and to ensure support plans are formulated acted upon and reviewed. To support service user engagement, the post holder will be expected to be involved in the development of collaborative support packages/support plans. They will be expected to implement, promote and evaluate safe, creative and effective support plans in collaboration with the patients diverse needs, their carers and other professionals.

Develop good working relationships - To effectively liaise and develop links with services within the prison setting and, in the community, to establish effective through care and after care pathways.

Appointed applicants will have access to robust clinical and managerial supervision and career development opportunities. The service is committed to ensuring the staff in the team are well equipped to work with the complex service users accessing the service and so training is well supported and there is a range of access to robust supervision.

Person Specification

Knowledge / Training

Essential

qualifications in NVQ Level 1 or equivalent GCSE grades or equivalent in Maths and English. Demonstrates an awareness of wide range of vulnerabilities inclusive of mental health/LD needs

Desirable

have a basic understanding of the purpose and role of the Reconnect service

Experience

Essential

significant experience of working with individuals with health and social needs of all ages experience and understanding of working in team setting, liaising with colleagues, other agencies and services experience of communicating with range of other agencies within healthcare/social care settings

Desirable

experience of working in/alongside the Criminal Justice System

Skills

Essential

Experience of working with complex service users with multiple vulnerabilities work in an enabling and creative way and skill/ability to motivate others Understanding, and experience of, the importance of maintaining boundaries in the workplace

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