Health Care Support Worker

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced senior support worker to work in Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust, Older Adults Community Mental Health Teams. This post is a fixed term contract until April 2025. You will be working alongside the Discharge & Assessment nurses in supporting the Integrated Care Team for older adults with delivering physical health and mental health care to our older adults service users.

The applicant will be in a dedicated role to champion the use of new digital technology (Whzan Blue Box) making best use of this innovation in remote and home physical health monitoring. The applicant will also facilitate annual physical health checks required for cardio-metabolic screening of those service users who are living with Serious Mental Illness and prescribed high-risk psychotropic medications.

The applicant will work as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team, will be responsible for assessing the physical health needs of a diverse population of service users over the age of 65, working within the persons’ home environment., The post holder will work within the Mental Health Services for Older People undertaking physical health checks and wellbeing assessments for people with severe mental illness. The post holder will promote and encourage healthy lifestyles and will assist people to access the support they need to recover from their mental health and physical health problems, promoting and maintain recovery. They will also support the locality in ensuring the Severe Mental Illness (SMI) registers are updated., * The post holder will contribute to assessment of both physical and mental health needs. With a focus on improving the physical health of people of severe mental illness, the post holder will understand the relationship between physical and mental wellbeing.

• To work with other agencies to deliver a systems approach in ensuring service users physical health and wellbeing needs are met.

• The post holder will partake in the physiological assessment of our service users who have been identified as having severe mental illness. They will take and record physical health checks including blood pressure pulse, weight and BMI. They will also carry out venipuncture for required blood tests.

• The post holder will support the implementation of new digital technology used for assessing a persons’ physical health needs.

• The post holder will have a good understanding of the clinical guidelines of physical health monitoring and recognise when action needs to be taken due to deteriorating health.

• To assess patients holistically. Assessing lifestyles, exercise, activities, mental health, nutrition, smoking, alcohol, drug use and frailty. Giving advice on healthy lifestyles following evidenced based practice and signposting our service users to other services.

• The post holder will work alongside other professionals within the community mental health teams and wider mental health and physical health services.

• The post holder will work as part of the multidisciplinary team.

• The post holder will review the SMI registers and identify service users for physical health assessments.

• The post holder will arrange physical health assessments with the service users within their preferred environment, offering an outreach model of care.

• To provide information on health promotion in a way that is meaningful for the service user.

• To work with service users, families, carers and relevant staff to develop physical health care plans.

• To ensure information is recorded accurately, in a timely manner on the electronic patient record, and shared when appropriate with health and social care professionals, service users, carers and families.

• To promote positive physical health to patients, carers, families and staff.

• To contribute to regular audit and data collection to demonstrate effectiveness of physical health clinics and interventions offered, with the support of colleagues.

• To support service users to think more about their physical health needs and identify their own physical health goals, and to support monitoring with goals identified.

• To provide regular input to quality improvement meetings, to continue to support service improvement in promoting positive physical health for people with severe mental illness.

• To form professional relationships with service users and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

• Report regularly to the clinical supervisor/team leader to discuss any concerns or issues.

• Make good use of clinical supervision to discuss casework, make plans for action, reflect on and implement best practice.

• To ensure the required contact times are adhered to and that allocated activity levels are met.

• To assist in the reporting of daily service user and non-service user contact information and is returned on time.

• To demonstrate effective communication, sharing of information and participation in developments within the service.

• To work within clinical protocols, guidelines, and the team standard operating procedure.

• To provide information to assist in the investigation of complaints, safeguarding vulnerable adults/children and serious incidents.

• To actively engage with patients, obtain their views and encourage their involvement in service delivery.

• To ensure adherence to Trust policies and procedures relating to health and safety at work.

• To be responsible for safe storage and maintenance of equipment needed to carry out duties, ensuring standards of infection control and health and safety are maintained.

• To be responsible for own use of Trust property, e.g. mobile phone, laptop and other equipment.

• To monitor stock levels for use in own service and request new equipment as appropriate.

All staff should comply with the Trust’s Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity.

• NVQ/Mental Health Certificate Level 2 or completion of the Care Certificate on appointment.

• Commitment to Continuing Personal Development

• Educated to GCE/GCSE or equivalent (Maths and English)

• Venepuncture trained

Desirable criteria

• NVQ level 3 qualification or mental health certificate level 3 or agreement to undertake such training as soon as resources permit

• Training in physical health care assessment and interventions, * Three years’ experience of providing mental health or health and social care services from within a team setting, which may be combined with personal lived experience of mental health difficulties

• Basic written communication skills

• Good verbal communication skills and the ability to listen effectively

• Understanding of the Care Act

• Empathy, compassion and patience

• Ability to create innovative solutions to help empower service users

• Ability to work unsupervised in a range of settings

• Ability to form positive therapeutic relationships with service users and carers

• A keenness to make a positive contribution to improving the quality of life for people with mental health problems

• Ability to use structured therapeutic skills, such as solution focussed therapy, motivational interviewing or a commitment to acquiring such skills

• Ability to acknowledge diversity and promote anti -discriminatory practice/equal opportunities

• An ability to act calmly in emergencies and to respond in a professional manner to stressful and challenging behaviour

• To attend mandatory training in Basic Life Support.

• To attend mandatory training in personal safety/relating to people

• Basic health and safety awareness

• Moving and handling awareness

• Awareness of local services and ability to liaise with different services/teams

• Basic Interviewing Skills

• Ability to supervise/mentor others

Desirable criteria

• Basic knowledge of benefits/employment systems

• An understanding of the mental health system, * Ability to develop trusting relationships with management staff and work effectively in partnership with them

• Ability to convey complex information in a clear and concise format

• Effective report writing skills

• Influencing skills in order to promote positive change

Desirable criteria

• Effective presentation skills

£27,857 – £30,570 per annum, pro rata (Inclusive of 5% HCAs)

Site

Various Sites Around Hertfordshire Colne House 21 Upton Road WD18 0JP

Town

21 Upton Road, http://hpft.recruitforvalues.com