Crisis Care Nurse in England

The post holder will be responsible for the assessment, co-ordination and the delivery of a high quality mental health service for patients under the care of CAHTT who require assessment by secondary mental health services for pathway planning, brief interventions, crisis intervention in the community, or gate keeping for inpatient wards and community recovery housing, with emphasis on potential home treatment. The post holder will be involved in the ongoing development of services to ensure that the most relevant care pathway and care plan are devised to provide access to urgent and crisis care. They will promote and use evidence-based practice through clinical advice and support; act as a role model; and provide education and training where appropriate. They will liaise with carers, statutory and non-statutory services, emergency services, and third sector services. They will liaise with local services Single Point of Access to provide rapid response to mental health crisis situations where necessary and appropriate to decrease unnecessary presentations to A&E. The post holder will also deliver supervision for junior colleagues. The role requires working within a 24/7 rota system to ensure a comprehensive service is provided and robust gatekeeping is maintained.

Main duties of the job:

• Contribute to the assessment of physiological and/or psychological functioning.
• Contribute to planning, delivery and monitoring of interventions and/or treatments.
• Discuss the assessment to be undertaken with the work team and understand their own role in the overall assessment and activities to be undertaken.
• Respect individuals' dignity, wishes and beliefs and obtain consent for the assessment.
• Identify appropriate methods, techniques and equipment for different activities, considering risks.
• Undertake and record assessment activities as agreed with the care team, following established protocols and applicable legislation, policies and procedures.
• Report assessment findings in the appropriate format to the people who need them.
• Offer insights into the health and well-being needs and wishes of service users and suggest potential treatment options.
• Maintain awareness of Trust medicine management policy and protocols and ensure adherence to practice guidance as updated, responding to national and local guidance.

Person Specification:

Essential

• Qualifications: Registered Professional (Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or OT).
• Relevant post-registration experience.
• Evidence of post-registration further development.

Desirable

• Qualification in psychosocial interventions in mental health.
• KUF training.

Essential Experience:

• Post-qualification experience in acute mental health care and/or significant experience in community, crisis care, or liaison psychiatry; experience of working with other professions within a multidisciplinary team; understanding and experience of risk management; experience of receiving supervision.

Desirable Experience:

• Advanced Assessment Skills training; experience with telephone triage within a Single Point of Access Service; experience of supervising staff.

Essential Knowledge/skills:

• High level of written and spoken English; knowledge of adult and children safeguarding requirements; IT literate (MS Office); ability to be empathetic; ability to manage potentially distressing situations and events.

Desirable Knowledge/skills:

• Excellent communication skills including courtesy and listening skills.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a DBS disclosure may be required. Applicants should have current UK professional registration where applicable.