Assistant Practitioner in Grimsby

The Community Mental Health and Assistant Practitioner, predominately working within the Functional Team, will manage a caseload and act in a care coordination role, completing assessments, care plans and risk management plans. You will work alongside your colleagues to ensure service users\’ needs are met effectively to prevent relapse and admission onto acute mental health units, and will also work closely with the crisis team.

Main duties of the job

The Community Mental Healthand Assistant Practitioner, predominately working within the Functional Team,which will include managing a caseload and acting in a care coordination roleof completing assessments, care plans, risk management plans. You will workalongside your colleagues in ensuring the service users needs are meteffectively to prevent relapse and admission onto the acute mental health unitso you will also work closely with the crisis team. The functional teampredominantly work with individuals with a functional diagnosis of Anxiety,Depression, Psychosis, Bipolar, Schizophrenia to name a few.

Job responsibilities

Main duties / Responsibilities:

The post-holder will work with all members of staff within the PCN team.

They will work in close liaison with health and social care professionals in statutory and non‑statutory agencies to facilitate and deliver a range of services to ensure that continuing care needs of service users are met.

Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, case conferences and any other meetings as necessary.

Effectively communicate complex and/or sensitive information where there are barriers to understanding. This includes communication concerning adult protection, abuse, cognitive impairment and other risks surrounding a service user\’s mental health. Barriers to understanding include working with service users who could be hostile or highly emotional, who have complex needs and may be vulnerable.

Maintain accurate clinical records according to professional standards.

To participate in Practice and Management supervision.

Promote and implement creative ways of working with service users.

Instigate, develop and maintain a relationship with the service user and/or carer to facilitate the accurate delivery of care.

Manage highly confidential information in respect of members of the public in accordance with local and national policy.

Act as named worker responsible for specific interventions.

Attend appropriate training as identified with supervisor through supervision, e.g. reflective practice, handover, appraisal and provide feedback to the Team on training.

Maintain and update skills/knowledge relevant to the post and ensure practice is evidence based.

Attend and participate in Team and clinical meetings as required.

Participate in clinical supervision process, in appraisal and individual performance review process.

Participate in the training, education and induction of new Team members, seconded workers and other agencies as identified by Team Leader. To demonstrate and promote to them high standard of care and working at all times.

Have specialist knowledge and training, gained through formal training and experience, relating to older people and mental health and apply this knowledge when delivering care to service users.

Provide advice and support to other agencies around issues relating to Mental Health.

Contribute to discussions in relation to decisions about the range of options for treatment and care plans based on judgement of service user\’s need.

Participate in the assessments and reviews of both service users and carers in line with team operational policies.

Under supervision to prioritise, plan and coordinate own workload and activities in line with the changing needs of the team and service. This includes monitoring service user medication, making appointments for service users, conducting assessments, managing emergencies and enquiries, responding to crisis work within individual caseload, ensuring patient records are up to date and supporting colleagues on a daily basis.

Have the ability to work independently and to be able to seek assistance.

Crisis response to other staff\’s service users in the event of staff absence, and delegation from senior staff member.

Participate in caseload management and ensure relevant information is available for this to take place.

Be trained in control and restraint and breakaway techniques; undertake regular updates (RESPECT).

Participate in programmes of care for service users and act as associate worker for service users on CPA and non-CPA, ensuring links with Care Management and Primary Care.

Review service users clinical risk on each visit, reporting back any areas of concern/change in presentation.

Provide advice to service users, their carers, relatives and other professionals on needs relating their difficulties and mental health. This includes a range of health education and advice.

Initiate individual carer support where required. Set objectives, monitor and audit effectiveness.

Participate in clinical governance activities.

Adhere to all trust policies and legislation relating to the role.

Contribute to the evaluation and development of the service.

Comment on policies, procedures and developments where required.

Propose improvements and changes to own work area.

Use equipment and resources in a careful and responsible manner.

Respect the resources within the restraints of the team budget.

Participate in Navigo clinical supervision strategy.

Support students within the workplace, allowing them to shadow your work.

Assist in induction of new staff.

Participate in PDR, identify own developmental needs and maintain portfolio.

Accurately document episodes and information relating to service user care in patient notes, using agreed methods of documentation. This will be done in accordance with Navigo policies, professional guidelines and data protection legislation.

Record personally generated information as required by the team or service, as directed by the Team Manager/Leader.

Ensure that the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 are met.

Participate in surveys or audits or research in relation to own work, as required by the team or service.

Be aware of up-to-date relevant published research, benchmarking and innovative practice in other areas.

Deliver care for service users and carers, working within professional codes of practice, organisational policies, local protocols and national legislation.

Have the ability to work independently, with peer support and supervision where required, to deliver care for service users/carers.

Work in an office based environment and in the community.

Regularly drive to visit service users in their own homes or in a community setting.

Concentration is frequently required in order to carry out interventions and assessments and type patient episodes on electronic notes system on a daily basis.

Work is carried out in an unpredictable environment. This includes, for example, working with service users who display unpredictable behaviour, responding to emergency telephone calls, responding to immediate risks to service users and others, and to deal changes and queries from service users carers and other professionals and agencies.

Work directly with difficult family situations and circumstances. For example, communication with service users, families and other agencies around receiving a mental health diagnosis, adult protection, suicide and overdose, and other mental health issues.

Work with service users who display challenging and potentially verbally and/or physically aggressive behaviour.

Some exposure to unpleasant working conditions, much of the work is carried out in the community.

Actively promote users and carers involvement in all aspects of care planning/delivery, in line with local guidance, whilst respecting the rights, capabilities and wishes of the person concerned.

Facilitate empowerment and choice and promote equality for service users.

Report actual or potential problems that may put health, safety and security at risk. Report all adverse incidents as per Navigo incident reporting policy.

Report all incidents of bullying or harassment, as per Navigo personal harassment policy.

To undertake any other tasks or duties associated with the post, appropriate to the level of responsibility, and as directed by line manager.

Person Specification

Skills & Attributes

• Full driving licence and daily use of car
• Able to organise and prioritise own workload
• Skills in Information Technology
• Able to work independently and use own initiative
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to co‑ordinate and run group sessions
• Ability to negotiate work priorities
• Ability to involve Service Users and carers actively in planning and evaluating their Therapy plan

Experience

• Work experience in Social/Health care (including housing support, welfare rights or equivalent)
• Experience of working with all age functioning
• Experience in providing support to people in the community
• Experience in working with people with Mental Health needs.

Additional Requirements

• Able to organise own workload according to customers and service need
• Able to work independently and use own initiative
• Full driving licence and daily use of car
• Ability to negotiate work priorities
• Skills in basic Information Technology
• Ability to involve service users actively in planning and evaluating their care plan/package that promotes their independence.

Qualifications

• Foundation degree in Health and Social care or equivalent
• Training in Mental Health Awareness, Health & Safety, and any other relevant training for this post.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.