Mental Health Hospital Link Service Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

The role -

The Mental Health Hospital Link Service Manager will manage and supervise a team of two link workers and a team of up to ten volunteers to provide short term, practical and emotional support to individuals.

The link workers are based at Colchester General Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and Emergency Department (ED) and the role is to link the patients to the team of Link Service Volunteers to offer and support following non- admittance from hospital.

The Manager will ensure service oversight, safe practice, collaborative partnership working, and continuous quality improvement. They will line manage the team completing monthly one to ones and monitor performance related outcomes.

The Manager will be responsible for assessing and mitigating risk for the service including service delivery and for those people accessing the service, this will include supporting the team to identify and manage safeguarding concerns.

The Service Manager will work closely with the North East Essex Sanctuary in relation to making relevant referrals and patient support.

Key Responsibilities -

Service Delivery

Support the team to support individuals in emotional and mental health distress and to reduce re-presentations to UTC.

Ensure delivery aligns with NICE guidelines and evidence-based practices.

Develop tools, resources, and support offers to build and maintain peoples well-being, so that the Sanctuary, in partnership with others, are a community resource that support wellness.

Ensure service and individual risk is identified and managed safely and effectively.

Collaborate with system partners, including NHS UTC, ED and Crisis Response Team (CRT) to ensure seamless care transitions, link worker and community support.

Coordinate and lead group programs within the sanctuaries, ensuring alignment with community mental health priorities and the needs of the individuals served.

Work in collaboration with our Therapeutic Lead and Head of Operations to guide our team of link workers and volunteers to move towards organisational values, to reach their objectives, and support people to reach theirs.

Team Supervision and Development

Provide line management supervision and case study reviews with a focus on process, risk, and safeguarding aspects.

Manage a team of up to ten volunteers and support them with day-to-day tasks.

Create a volunteer rota to ensure service users accessing the Hospital Link Service are being supported in a timely and effectively manner.

Ensure a pool of volunteers are available to best support the service by following on boarding processes, checks and training.

Deliver or source training on best practices for the team, tailored to organisational and service needs including risk management and safeguarding.

Foster a culture of reflective practice and continuous professional development among team members.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners, commissioners, and local stakeholders to enhance collaborative working.

Participate in system-wide mental health initiatives, contributing to strategies that reduce health inequalities and improve access to care.

Represent the organisation in external meetings and forums, advocating for the needs of service users and promoting service capabilities.

Quality Assurance and Data Analysis

Analyse service data and feedback to identify trends, improve service delivery, and inform strategic planning.

Ensure the service adheres to standards outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan and local mental health strategies.

Lead audits and contribute to annual quality reports to demonstrate service impact and identify areas for improvement.

Use service data to identify trends and themes leading to risk evaluation and mitigation.

Operations

Participate in a management on-call rota, ensuring service coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Ensure compliance with mandatory training and organisational policies, including safeguarding and risk management.

Support HR in recruitment and workforce planning, ensuring staffing aligns with service demand and operational requirements.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent experience.

Desirable

• Degree or equivalent in relevant field (e.g., counselling, psychology, mental health, social work).
• Mental Health First Aid, ASIST or PABBS training.
• Management qualification or leadership training.
• Membership of a professional body (e.g., BACP, UKCP, HCPC).

Personal Characteristics

Essential

• Empathic
• Reliable and flexible
• Emotional resilience
• Understanding the need for confidentiality and where to set the boundaries for confidentiality
• Be a role model of best practice and promote professional boundaries
• Car driver or access to vehicle with ability to travel independently around Mid Essex locality

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office and programmes
• Problem solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work flexibly
• Knowledge of data, analysis and monitoring systems
• Ability to deal with conflict and work with a solution focused approach

Desirable

• Knowledge of local mental health pathways in Mid and North East Essex
• Knowledge of services within the community which can provide support to clients.
• Report writing

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working within Mental Health and Adult services
• Experience of the supervision and development of a team
• Experience of implementing Change Management
• Experience of Risk Management processes
• Experience of report writing and data collection, analysis, and presentation
• Experience of partnership working and multi-agency liaison
• Experience of working with Safeguarding adults and children.

Desirable

• Experience in a hospital, A&E or emergency care setting.
• Experience managing a volunteer programme.
• Experience of working within a charity.
• Understanding and knowledge of working with volunteers
• Experience managing rotas and working patterns
• Demonstrable experience of leading on performance/absence cases etc
• Experience of handling timesheets, expenses and/or budgets

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Mid and North East Essex Mind

Address

1-2 The Coach House

High Street

Colchester

Essex

CO1 1UG

Employer's website

https://mnessexmind.org/ (Opens in a new tab)