Practice Lead

Job responsibilities

Service Design and Improvement

To support the implementation of Service developments including the implementation and monitoring of the assigned care pathway quality and improvement plans. The post-holder, in conjunction with relevant others, will ensure that clinical effectiveness systems are embedded and sustainable (based on audit and evidence-based care)

Fully participate in quality assurance initiatives and advances.

Demonstrate the ability to engage with different stakeholders including medical staffing in developing the service

Service Delivery and Resource Management

Ensure that governance and assurance systems are in place for care pathways/clinical teams

The post holder will provide expert professional advice about issues that may adversely affect clinical care including staffing and resource issues.

The post holder will offer advice regarding team performance in relation to incidents and complaints

Ensure that services are delivered by practitioners with the appropriate knowledge, skills and competencies, identifying training needs and providing opportunities for development.

In conjunction with the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager, ensure that care is provided within the service resource.

As an operational manager the post holder will be required to participate in the operational managers on-call rota if requested to do so by the Chief Operating Officer.

Practice Quality and Workforce Development

Take the lead, in consultation with the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager, in being responsible for the coordination of multi-disciplinary team working and engagement in service delivery in line with practice standards

Ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the service through the implementation of effective risk management, governance and assurance systems

Support the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Management Team in the development of the workforce.

The post-holder will act as a role model in providing a service for people with mental health problems for all staff within the Community Mental Health Service and other stakeholders.

The post-holder will help monitor and improve quality through the following:

- Team compliance to national guidelines including NICE guidelines through audit and other means

- Developing care pathways which improve clinical care

Line Management/Clinical Supervision Responsibility

The post-holder will work with the Team Manager to deliver effective practice and line management supervision to the team

The post-holder will ensure that the team access Continuous Professional Development

The post-holder will provide appropriate cross-cover as required for other Band 7 Practice Leads within the service and for the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager

Additional Responsibilities

All practice leads will hold a portfolio of responsibilities these will include but will not be limited to: responsibility for ensuring team adherence to organisational requirements and standards, representing the CMHS at organisational and multi-agency meetings and forums.

They will also take responsibility for key practice development projects across the local liaison services as assigned by the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager, or Operational Management team.

Practice Leads will hold a service portfolio based on individual job planning e.g. safeguarding, complaints.

Personal Professional Duties

Role model clinical leadership

Practice in a way that actively minimises dependency and promotes recovery.

Communicate information in a way that makes it relevant and understandable for staff, service users and carers, working to the principles of the functions policy implementation guidelines and practice in line with the standards and values set out in them.

Ensure a duty of care to service users who are entitled to receive safe and competent care. The service users wishes, feelings, values and beliefs should be taken into consideration as well as the views of the people close to them.

Take personal accountability for your own practice. This means that you are answerable for your actions and omissions, regardless of advice or directions from another professional.

Ensure that you remain professionally competent by participating in your own and others clinical supervision.

Demonstrate specialist knowledge and skills, not only relating to the care of mental health patients, but also in-depth knowledge of the roles and functions of other professionals across the services. This may be enhanced by a relevant qualification at an appropriate level.

Communication and Relationship Skills

The Practice Leads along with the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager will provide high quality mental health services to eligible patients through a multi-disciplinary team of registered professionals and medical staffing in conjunction with the VCSE. The post holder will ensure that services are provided within National, Local and practice guidelines so that:

Quality of life for the people most in need is maintained and improved.

All services are provided effectively and efficiently within current national direction and relevant legislation, to include the protection of vulnerable Adults and Children.

Detailed confident verbal information sharing, within the Team or the wider multi-disciplinary Team, which includes Primary Care.

Detailed confident verbal information sharing on behalf of the Organisation to and from Police and other agencies where appropriate regarding matters of risk, mental ill health, risk, and as when appropriate.

Ability to appropriately communicate information whilst negotiating positive changes or new service developments.

Confident in managing conflict between individuals when required.

Ability to negotiate a positive outcome from complaint investigations.

The ability to receive information, analyse and formulating professional judgements.

Attend and represent the teams view in professional meetings, e.g. Child Protection, Adult Protection, CPA reviews.

Attend and participate in various forums/steering groups within Adult Mental Health and the wider health community

Elicit information from the patient and work with them to advocate on their behalf.

Ability to communicate clearly and effectively over the telephone within the boundaries of confidentiality.

Maintain accurate, timely paper and electronic records. Ensure they are kept safely in accordance with Organisation policies, including the Data Protection Act and the Organisation Confidentiality Policy.

The post holder must demonstrate a positive attitude to mental health attending to patients with respect and courtesy.

The post holder will ensure that professional boundaries are always adhered to

Directly responsible for the collaboration and the planning of individual care with patient, carer, negotiation with other teams and services to provide a seamless service to users and carers.

Must be confident in communicating with people who are experiencing mental health difficulties when English is not their first language using Organisation approved interpreters/services.

To attend and participate in the monthly Locality business and performance meetings.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

The post holder will be responsible for updating their own practice, knowledge and skills within their sphere of practice including Organisation mandatory training.

Expert knowledge of working within a Mental Health team, and/or other relevant experience that is directly transferable to a Community Mental Health Service model.

Knowledge of Policy and Legislation.

Knowledge of Mental Health and Mental Health Service delivery.

Knowledge of the current drivers in the Community Mental Health Service

Adhere to Policy and Legislation relating to Mental Health, e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act, Equal Opportunity Law, Disability Discrimination Act, Human Rights Act, Care Programme Approach and Clinical Governance.

Analytical and Judgement Skills

The post holder will provide mental health care and other interventions in the setting most appropriate to meet the patients needs.

Ability to match patient need with available skills and resources.

Emergency judgements and clinical decision making as team lead.

Supervision, advice, guidance to others about complex individuals/situations.

To receive information and balance risk to patient and organisation, formulating plans accordingly and communication to the wider health community.

Investigating complaints and reviewing untoward incidents and serious incidents, producing chronology of events, timelines, gaining witness statements, producing report, recommendations and action plans for improvements.

Support the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager in the organisation of the rotas, ensuring that appropriate skill mix is available and is the most cost-effective use of the resources available.

To have the vision to develop the workforce plan for the next five years.

Please see attached full Job Description & Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive professional knowledge acquired through clinical practice in a Community Mental Health setting, underpinned by training at degree level/diploma level specialist training or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of the impact of crisis on mental health difficulties
• Evidence based practice
• Mental Health Act 1983
• Good knowledge of current NHS and Social Care Policy
• Evidence of CPD
• Understanding of the Community Mental Health Framework
• Understand the Principles of Governance, particularly in relation to their Service area

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist (with a minimum of 3 years post qualifying experience in Secondary Mental Health, 18 months of which in a community setting)
• Post graduate diploma / degree level study related to health/social care or equivalent worked experience relevant to the role

Skills

Essential

• Evidence of transferable Leadership and Operational Management skills
• Skills in Managing Teams including management of HR processes
• Teaching, Coaching and supervision skills
• Assessment, Risk Assessment & Care Planning of acutely Psychiatrically ill patients
• Crisis management skills
• Change management skills
• Motivation skills
• Complex clinical decision making skills
• Facilitation and influencing skills
• Good time management
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must have self-confidence to challenge traditional practice and the persistence to address difficult enduring issues
• Excellent organisational skills
• Competent IT skills and knowledge of databases
• Evidence of ability to manage complex clinical situations within a defined caseload

Experience

Essential

• At least 3 years-experience in a senior clinical role with experience of managing others
• Multi-disciplinary team working
• Evidence of transferable clinical, risk management and managerial skills at a senior level
• Extensive Clinical experience in Mental Health care, crisis management and positive risk taking

Desirable

• To have experience at senior level of both acute and inpatient and community teams
• To have worked within an acute inpatient setting
• Previous deputy team manager experience
• Budget management experience

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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