Mental Health Nurse/Practitioner

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

To work as part of a team within Churchmere Medical Group identifying and managing patients with Mental Health conditions using specialist nursing knowledge. Providing high quality and easily accessible service to people who are experiencing mental ill health. Contributing your specialist skills to develop this role in the GP setting.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

KEY ROLE - Manage health interventions

The Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is expected to provide direct access to people with mental ill health problems to assessment, care planning and interventions with in the primary care setting. Promoting recovery for those who use the service. They work with the primary health care team to provide holistic care to people who experience mental ill health. Working with colleagues to promote mental health interventions in primary care and appropriate referral to specialist services. Increase awareness of mental health issues and the effect on individuals/ family and friends. Work towards reducing the stigma of mental ill health.

The post is managed rather than supervised. The Mental Health Nurse Practitioner act as a provider of care, taking responsibility for ensuring all health and social care needs are met so that the patients condition stays as stable as possible and wellbeing is increased. The Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is accountable for their own professional actions and will be required to:

To be a first contact for patients with mental health problems, this includes but is not exhaustive to anxiety, depression, chronic enduring mental health diagnoses, stress related illness and dementia.

To diagnose, review and refer independently.

To provide an alternative choice for patients.

To provide an accessible service for people with mental ill health.

To provide advice and information to colleagues on issues related to mental health and mental ill health.

To use high level communication skills in communicating difficult complex information to patients, friends and families about their health and managing their health.

Use high-level assessment skills to identify individuals needs which affect their physical, mental and social well-being.

Review medication and if qualified prescribe medicines via independent and supplementary prescribing.

Provide clinical care and health promoting interventions.

To undertake annual reviews of patients on the Learning Disability Register.

Teach and educate patients and their carers how to identify subtle changes in a patients condition that may indicate acute exacerbation of an underlying condition.

Be seen by colleagues as having the key role as care co-ordinator for patients with complex mental health conditions.

Develop therapeutic relationships with patients, promoting the principles of self-care.

Develop a personal care plan when appropriate with patients, their carers, relatives and health professionals, based on a full assessment of medical, nursing and social care needs which includes preventative measures and anticipates future requirements.

Refer patients to other services as appropriate, supporting decision-making and care pathway development.

Monitor indicators of long term conditions, anticipating possible decline and proactively managing this to ensure optimum wellbeing and independence.

Assess risk which affects the health and safety of individuals.

Update patients medical records, and inform other professionals about changes in condition.

Plan, implement, monitor and review specialised programmes of health interventions for individuals.

Promote peoples equality, diversity and rights.

Enable people to manage disability, loss and change.

Contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse.

Work positively with patients and carers, taking account of their expressed wishes.

Prepare patients and their families for changes in condition.

Evaluate outcomes in collaboration with GP.

Comply with The Code from the NMC and keep registration up to date, documented and checked in the practice on an annual basis, including revalidation when required.

Work within relevant legislation for example Health and Safety,

Work within all relevant practice policies and procedural guidelines, for example Human Resource policies.

Practical and Intellectual Skills

Essential

• Able to communicate highly complex and sensitive information, including where there are barriers to understanding.
• Demonstrate an understanding of leadership and management skills.
• Demonstrate a high level of self-awareness, i.e. strengths and weaknesses, personal qualities and skills.
• Understanding of national and local guidelines, e.g NICE.
• Ability to undertake critical appraisal of research.
• Understand the principles and framework for clinical governance.
• Understanding of risk management issues.
• Ability to utilize information to inform practice and service need.
• I.T. skills in a range of applications.

Desirable

• Knowledge of EMIS IT clinical system

Qualifications

Essential

• RMN
• Degree qualification relevant to the role.
• Full clean Driving Licence and Business Insurance

Desirable

• Independent &
• supplementary nurse prescribing qualification or working towards

Experience

Essential

• Minimum five years post-registration mental health nursing experience of which three have been working at higher level of practice.
• Specialist level knowledge across broad range of patient needs.
• Knowledge and experience of the management of acute and long term mental health conditions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the role of Primary Care services.
• An awareness of current Health and Social Care policies.
• Demonstrate the application of research-based practice.
• High level of clinical skills and competency relevant to the role.
• Research / audit experience.
• Experience of project work and report writing.
• Has contributed to the training and education of others.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a Primary care setting.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

Essential

• Able to understand complex / sensitive situations / information, e.g. working with patients with multiple pathology, and use assessment skills to decide the best course of action from a range of options, e.g. when to refer to the GP, or when to alter care pathways.
• Able to understand and work across organisational boundaries.
• Responsible for assessing, planning and evaluating mental health nursing care with patients.

Planning and Organisational Skills

Essential

• Able to plan and organise own time and workload and cope with regular last minute changes.
• Able to plan and initiate activities with other agencies and professionals.
• Able to effectively prioritising workload within team resources.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).