Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Duties to include:

COMMUNICATION & RELATIONSHIPS

Provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information e.g. personal, familial, medical or attachment issues. This would include the ability to foster engagement and overcome barriers where there may be an emotive, hostile or antagonistic atmosphere.

Ability to communicate condition related information to service users/clients, families and carers or with other agencies.

Ability to liaise with and provide consultation to professionals working in universal, targeted or specialist services.

Ability to develop and foster good working relationships and effective communication with:

• Members of SCS team including
• Head of Services
• Services Manager
• Clinical Lead

• Members of the PCN teams including:

• Practice Managers
• General Practitioners Leads
• PCN Staff
• Individuals who use the service
• Other professional teams within the PCN
• Other agencies involved in client care e.g. voluntary agencies.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

A recorded/registered qualification from a PWP Training Course (Post Graduate Certificate or Level 3 undergraduate course) or waiting for ratification/accreditation after completing the PWP Training Course.

An understanding of NICE guidance relevant to depression and anxiety disorders and how these may present in primary care.

An awareness of the competencies and meta competencies required to deliver cognitive behavioural therapies.

Demonstrates an understanding of low intensity CBT and how this may be used in clinical practice.

An understanding of and ability to effectively use clinical measures within therapy.

Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services.

Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures and the impact locally, including completion of safeguarding training.

Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.

Demonstrates a knowledge and understanding of the impact of long-term conditions and their impact on mental and emotional wellbeing.

Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding employment and the impact it can have on mental health.

Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems.

Demonstrates a clear of understanding of risk and risk formulation.

ANALYTICAL AND JUDGEMENTAL SKILLS

Ability to complete a detailed assessment based upon the appropriate use, understanding and combination of clinical information available, including self-reporting information, self-rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations as well as interviews with patients, their family members and other agencies involved in their care.

Ability to undertake a thorough risk assessment based on the information available for individual patients, develop a risk contingency plan and manage or refer to the appropriate treatment stream/service as appropriate.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PATIENT/CLIENT CARE

Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.

Assess clients for suitability for an appropriate talking therapy, such as CBT, EMDR, PCE-CfD, IPT, etc.

Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the service referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.

Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.

Carry out risk and safeguarding assessments/formulations in clinical practice and follow the agreed service protocols to manage risk effectively.

Educate and involve family members and others in treatment where appropriate, conveying formulations where appropriate with sensitivity and in easily understood language.

Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.

Attend meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.

Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service. e.g. ensure full MDS collected for sessions, record provisional working diagnosis and utilise ADSMs in line with service requirements and best clinical practice.

Maintain accurate clinical records in line with service and SCS policies and procedures.

Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step-up arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.

Assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into the overall therapy process.

Carry out clinical audits of service performance, including service user surveys and evaluations, and help to collate and disseminate the results for feedback.

Work into a number of locations as required by the service. This will be flexible and may change as and when required by the service, assist clients, patients and carers in accessing the most appropriate pathways through the mental health system.

Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with GP Practices and the PCN.

Be an active member of the team, joining groups and attending meetings as required.

Provide consultancy to primary care colleagues and colleagues within the service as required.

Work collaboratively with PCN colleagues and partnership agencies where appropriate to provide a seamless service for clients.

POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice in accordance with employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g. BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Clinical Excellence).

Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.

Be aware of and keep up to date with advances in talking therapies.

Ensure that clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with clinical supervisors and team managers on a regular basis as part of the probationary and ongoing line management processes.

Attend clinical and managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with clinical supervisor and team leader.

Actively participate in individual appraisal process and work on agreed objectives and development plans.

Keep up to date records in relation to Continuing Professional Development and ensure personal development plans reflect up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.

Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.

Provide written reports as required.

Contribute to the service research projects as appropriate.

FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES

Safe use of shared equipment.

Ensure the preservation of SCS and any relevant NHS property and resources.

MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION

Engage in effective line management with an SCS Services Manager.

Be accountable to the SCS Clinical Management team for clinical practice and clinical supervision.

Actively participate in clinical supervision arrangements to meet the required standards of ongoing registration / accreditation status.

FREEDOM TO ACT

Work independently whilst being guided by the appropriate evidence base, seeking supervision and support whenever required.

PHYSICAL EFFORT

Combination of sitting, standing and walking.

MENTAL EFFORT

Provide intense concentration for interaction with service users/clients and families as required.

Undertake intensive personal analysis.

EMOTIONAL EFFORT

Frequently support clients with mild to moderate mental health presentations, underlying physical health concerns, developmental issues, family breakdown, enduring and serious mental illness, sexual abuse, self-harming, suicidal ideation.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of the duties and responsibilities of the post, and the post holder may be requested to carry out any other duties appropriate to the grade or post.

The post may change over time to meet organisational requirements, and the job description may be changed after consultation with the post holder at any time.

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualification from a PWP Training Course (Post Graduate Certificate or Level 3 undergraduate course) or waiting for ratification/accreditation after completing the PWP Training Course.
• Registered with the BABCP or BPS.

Desirable

• Training in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling or within a psychological therapy.
• Psychology or other health related undergraduate degree.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of working in adult mental health services.

Desirable

• Experience of working in Primary Care Services.
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes.
• Evidence of working in the local community.
• Knowledge of long-term conditions and their impact on mental health and emotional wellbeing.
• Trained in the provision of supervision for a talking therapies compliant modality.
• Experience of working in an adult Talking Therapies service.
• Experience of supporting clients with long-term conditions.
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes.
• Completed clinical audits within a service.
• Experience of working in a primary care setting.

Other

Essential

• Ability to work from home.
• Ability to meet the mobility requirements of the post.

Desirable

• Ability to attend away days/CPD as and when required.
• Fluent in languages other than English.
• Experience of working with diverse communities and within a multicultural setting.

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Ability to assess and formulate using a basic CBT model where appropriate.
• Ability to utilise basic CBT knowledge and skills in clinical practice.
• Ability to complete risk assessments within the scope of practice.
• Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training and supervision.
• Ability to develop excellent therapeutic relationships with clients.
• Demonstrates an understanding of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care.
• Knowledge of long-term conditions and how they impact a persons emotional and mental wellbeing.
• Computer literate.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including telephone skills.
• Ability to write clear reports and letters.
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
• Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in personal and professional development and in supervision.
• Effective interpersonal skills to engage and develop working alliances with colleagues and patients.
• Ability to work effectively with partner agencies for the best outcomes for clients.

Desirable

• Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health
• Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other common mental health problems
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post

Attributes

Essential

• Ability to be self-reflective whilst working with service users and within personal and professional development and in supervision.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to work within a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to meet agreed / specified targets.
• High level of enthusiasm and motivation.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Excellent time management skills.
• High level of enthusiasm and motivation.

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).