Practice Lead (Specialist Mental Health Practitioner)

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

The role works across multi-disciplinary teams who proactively provide a range of evidence based interventions, including therapies and recovery orientated support for those with a diagnosis of a complex psychosis with the community .The role has been developed as part of the evolving provision of the Community Mental Health Framework.

This role links directly into three services: Specialist Outreach Recovery Team, Insight (first presentation psychosis) and Community Mental Health Services.

The three services are made of up various mental health professionals who work with people to support recovery. Offering various therapeutic interventions to support individuals.

This role exists to make sure people receive the right support at the right time by coordinating care, strengthening communication between teams, and keeping a clear focus on safety and continuity. The postholder will work closely with partner agencies, families, and other professionals to ensure plans are joined up and responsive to changing needs.

Dimensions and Context of Role

The role works across multi-disciplinary teams who proactively provide a range of evidence based interventions, including therapies and recovery orientated support for those with a diagnosis of a complex psychosis with the community. The role has been developed as part of the evolving provision of the Community Mental Health Framework.

The role is designed to complement the clinical teams and contributes to decision making forums across the service to enhance the quality of assertive outreach provision. The role has a particular focus on team/staff development in relation to outcomes for patients.

The post holder is responsible for:

Supporting the teams to meet CQC standards, using the KLOE guidance to collate evidence and lead on the development and implementation of action plans to both maintain and improve standards of care.

Supporting the pathway to achieve their performance targets. The post holder will be able to analyse and interpret data to ensure early identification of any potential performance issues and develop action plans to address these.

Contributing to the senior leadership meetings promoting positive inter-disciplinary relationships and supporting the culture of psychological safety and positive continuous learning/development opportunities across Livewell.

Ensuring that clinicians work within Livewell Southwest policies, and ensure that practice standards are high and the team adhere to professional registration requirements.

Providing clinical leadership and advice to staff ensuring the flow of service users through the system and promoting implementation of evidence based practice in line with NICE guidelines. This will involve both direct and indirect clinical work with staff and service users, including consultation, coaching, live supervision and caseload supervision.

The post holder will manage a complex clinical caseload and support other staff to manage their own caseload.

The implementation of new assertive outreach initiatives across the service, leading the change management process, with consideration to the effective management and allocation of resources. This will include workforce planning, development of workforce competencies and training packages to support this as required.

Implementing the service audit plan: leading on audits and the development of action plans to ensure adherence to targets, to maintain effective safe practice and high quality care across the service.

Leading on investigations including complaints, SIRIS after action learning reviews and HR investigations.

Representing the teams and organisation in multi agency forums and meetings as required.

Deputising for the Senior Clinical Lead & Operational Manager when required

There may be a requirement in the future to act as part of the out of hours on-call rota for mental health

SCOPE AND RANGE

The services are dedicated to enhancing the quality of mental health care and improving outcomes for adults with mental health needs in Plymouth. They work collaboratively with colleagues across relevant departments and wards, developing tailored plans and delivering holistic biopsychosocial assessments and support to identify each patients mental health needs and any risks they may pose to themselves or others.

The teams work in close collaboration with other services including the Home Treatment Team, hospital placements, crisis services and Adult Social Care

The role includes a high level of autonomous working, with the post holder carrying out high-quality skilled mental health assessments and providing risk formulation and onward care

plans for patients using the service. This will be in close collaboration with family, friends and carers.

Care is generally provided in peoples homes and in other community settings. The post holder will work across various Livewell and community sites.

The post holder will provide support and supervision to junior staff such as preceptor nurses, community support workers and peer support workers within the team. This will include a band 6 Mental Health Practitioner who you will work closely with as part of the multi team approach, you will also provide line manage and supervision for them.

The post will include flexible working patterns over the 7-day week to incorporate cover for a 24/7 service, including nights on-call.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibility for People Management

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

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.

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 across the pathway and other stakeholders.

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

The post-holder will ensure that the team access Practice supervision and 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

Role model clinical leadership

The post-holder is expected to that staffing rotas are adequately covered ensuring allocation of work with the available skill mix. Prioritising and delegation skills will be required.

Ensure that relevant team members take a lead in clinical meetings ensuring all patients are reviewed and decisions and plans are put into action and represent the patients views.

Responsible for the support of staff who may need to attend high profile meetings for example Coroners court.

Jointly responsible for being involved in the planning and implementing of all service developments within the Community Mental Health Service, formulating policies and protocols

Support with the Responsibility for the organisation, development, provision and monitoring of clinical supervision within SORT across the pathway (MDT) in accordance with the Organisation Policy.

Responsibility for the organisation, provision and monitoring of Line Management within the pathway staff SORT (MDT) in accordance with the Organisation Line Management Policy.

Responsibility for the organisation, provision and monitoring of appraisals within the pathway in accordance with the Organisation Appraisal Policy.

Responsibility for ensuring that team members are up to date with mandatory training

Have the ability to challenge staff where the standard falls below expectations.

Responsible for the management of individual and team conflict.

Assist in education programmes provided for junior staff.

Ensure that there is allocation of work to staff on a shift by shift basis ensuring the skill mix is appropriate to the needs of the patient.

Provide mentorship for students and other staff both formally and informally.

Responsible for the recruitment and selection of staff for the team.

Responsible for conducting performance monitoring, sickness monitoring, when required for the staff within the team.

Responsible for conducting complaint investigations, disciplinary, grievance investigations where appropriate and allocated to post holder.

The post-holder must behave in a professional and appropriate manner at all times.

For full details of the role, please refer to the attached document entitled job description with Spec

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist with significant relevant experience in secondary mental Health)
• Post graduate diploma / degree level study related to health/social care or equivalent worked experience relevant to the role
• Teaching/Assessing course such as mentorship module or equivalent.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in a senior clinical role with experience of managing a team of staff
• 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
• Knowledge of recovery principles
• Knowledge and experience of trauma informed practice.
• Leadership experience
• Experience of managing a high level of risk
• Experience of performance management
• Experience of implementing competencies and essential training for a team

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

Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive professional knowledge acquired through clinical practice in a community mental health or other relevant mental health team. This needs to be underpinned by training at degree level/diploma level specialist training or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of the impact of crisis on mental health difficulties
• Knowledge of the personalised models of care
• 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.
• Understanding of CQC requirements for a community mental health service.
• To be fully aware of and cascade current changes relating to
• Government Legislation (i.e. Transforming Community Services).
• The ability to deliver coaching and supervision for staff to an excellent level.

Skills

Essential

• 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
• Excellent IT skills and knowledge of databases
• Evidence of ability to manage complex clinical situations within a defined caseload
• Accomplished chair person for meetings
• Delivery of training sessions such as Turbo-teach

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).