Outreach Practitioner

Overview

The post holder will be a member of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) participating in the delivery and development of health provision to Marginalised and Vulnerable Adults in Suffolk. Health Outreach engages with hard to reach clients, connecting those who have fallen out of mainstream services back to the services that should provide them with health and social care interventions. The post holder will also require experience of working within a Community Service setting.

Please note this vacancy requires a face to face interview with the Recruiting Manager. Applicants that are unable to attend a face to face interview need not apply.

Responsibilities

• Be accountable for managing client cases, assessing need and risk and delivering outreach services to hard to reach groups. The team aims to provide a flexible, accessible and non-stigmatising service to marginalised and vulnerable adults who find it challenging to engage with mainstream health and social care services.
• Care will be delivered within the framework of NICE guidelines, evidence based best practice. The post holder will also be responsible for carrying out a range of profession specific or general tasks as part of an identified treatment process or as identified in the service users individual care plan.
• The role will involve liaison and joint working with partners especially services working with clients from the following groups: Asylum seekers and refugees; Black and Minority Ethnic groups; Ex-offenders; Gypsies and Travellers; Homeless; Migrant workers.
• The post holder will work within an allocated MDT delegated by the Clinical Team Manager or designated supervisor. They may also take on a delivery of care for a specific group of service users.
• The post holder will be expected to carry out clinical duties assigned by the Clinical Team Manager, which are appropriate to the grade.
• To provide a locality based outreach service to an assigned number of venues and coordinate the referral and management and move on of clients who are eligible for the service. To assertively initiate contact with clients in the assessment of need and risk and provide a holistic service to vulnerable clients.
• To be accountable and responsible for the assessment of care needs: the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care, setting standards and liaison with other agencies (statutory and non-statutory) relevant to need, particularly in relation to engagement, assessment and early intervention in the treatment of marginalised and vulnerable adults.
• Reporting to the Clinical Team Leader or designated supervisor the clinician will undertake a range of necessary tasks identified within the individual care plan. This will involve delivering care and interventions appropriate to the post holder\’s level of experience and competences without direct supervision.
• To contribute to multi-disciplinary comprehensive, culturally appropriate assessments to establish eligibility for health and social care services.
• To undertake continuous risk assessment and to contribute to effective risk management.
• Recognising and valuing service users as individuals the post holder will ensure that the care provided respects equality and diversity that is supportive of service users and their carers. This will include encouraging service users to accept an optimum level of responsibility for their individual programme of care and with their consent, where appropriate; seek the cooperation of friends, relatives and/or carers.
• Utilising agreed frameworks and guidance such as NICE or evidence based best practice and or local policy and procedure, as well as a range of profession specific tools, the post holder will actively assess, plan and determine the care needs of service users. They will undertake and contribute to profession specific and/ or multi-disciplinary team reviews of such care.
• To demonstrate and explain clinical reasoning in relation to professional input to a service users’ care plan when required.
• To undertake the mental/physical health care assessment and/or ongoing mental/physical health monitoring / review of designated service users, recording any changes in the service users’ physical health, reporting these to appropriate members of the team and acting appropriately on the advice given.
• To identify and provide information to service users that promotes their health and wellbeing. Directing them as appropriate to others / other services in order to address any identified needs.
• The post holder will lead in the support and help for service users in becoming aware of their own physical health and wellbeing and engage service users in addressing these (e.g. smoking cessation and obesity). This role will also involve providing appropriate information and support for other staff.
• To contribute to the ongoing quality of service and care, identifying and promptly reporting any risk issues or other significant factors in relation to the service users’ health and social care.
• The post holder will participate in and contribute to a range of service led, commissioner driven or nationally directed monitoring or performance management, related to care, care delivery or service provision.
• Recognise and respond appropriately to any challenging behaviour presented by service users or others.
• To undertake and assist in the organisation of the day to day smooth running of the service, reporting any issues relating to the fabric or condition of the work environment.
• At all times to act in accordance with trust policies in relation to risk assessment.
• To identify safeguarding issues for both children and vulnerable adults and to implement trust procedures as required.
• To have knowledge, understanding and experience of applying Mental Health legislation.
• To be aware of personal accountability and responsibility in respect of ensuring that quality of care standards are adhered to and that these are compliant with the Care Quality Commission and other regulatory and professional requirements.
• Registered Nurses where required and subject to satisfactory completion of competency assessments will, following trust policy, administer medications. Other professionally registered staff where required and subject to satisfactory competency assessment will, following trust policy, take responsibility for the management of medication for service users. The post holder will participate in the ongoing monitoring of service users\’ medication efficacy and possible side effects, reporting concerns promptly to identified members of the nursing staff or medical staff within the team.
• To follow trust policy in promptly reporting all accidents and incidents and to contribute to undertaking complaints or investigations if required.
• To deputise as and when called upon to do so for senior clinical colleagues.
• To ensure that professional registration requirements are met and that registration is maintained, taking responsibility for revalidation.
• To be directly accountable and responsible for own practice and to adhere at all times to the relevant Code of Professional Conduct.
• To be managed by and receive supervision from a nominated line manager, including annual review of performance as part of the trust’s appraisal system. To be in receipt of and engage with professional supervision and to use this to reflect on clinical and professional practice.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
• Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
• Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
• Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed