Job summary
Are you passionate about advancing mental health within pre-hospital setting? Join the award winning LAS Mental Health Team as a Mental Health Practice Lead. As a key member of the Mental Health Team in our clinical directorate, you'll take on a pivotal role in shaping and implementing our mental health offering, ensuring the highest standards of care and clinical practice.
As well as being the clinical supervision lead for a team of patient facing staff within the mental health team, the post holder will also work with the Consultant Nurse for Mental Health, Mental Health Paramedic Lead and wider service in the development and delivery of service improvements for patients and staff.
Main duties of the job
- The post holder will provide day-to-day clinical leadership for the mental health joint response car and mental health pioneer service
- The post holder will support the Clinical Directorate in leading, directing and developing the Trusts mental health strategy, policies, practice and programmes of delivery within the Trust.
- The post holder will have significant experience post registration (RMN, OT or Paramedic with advanced MH qualification etc) and work closely with the mental health team, providing professional leadership and oversight to promote a high level of professionalism as a visible role model.
- The post holder will support with investigations, clinical review and learning from incidents to improve patient care.
- The post holder will support with the creation of new training, education and development packages for the MH team and wider LAS.
- The post holder will hold a portfolio of work for either the Mental Health Joint Response Car or Mental Health within the EOC / CHUB, to support operational delivery, clinical and quality improvement work, audit, and strategic initiatives led by the Mental Health Team.
The post holder will be expected to participate in clinical shifts to maintain their professional competence, authority and credibility.
About us
The London Ambulance Service Mental Health Team is a multi-disciplinary team comprising of Paramedics, Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers. The team provide telephone assessment and crew support remotely in our Emergency Operations Centre and we have six Mental Health Joint Response Cars across London responding to mental health calls. The team engage in Quality Improvement work to improve mental health care delivered across the Trust.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide day-to-day clinical leadership for the mental health joint response car and mental health pioneer service
- Provide expert advice and liaison for any mental health audits.
- Support the Consultant Nurse in Mental Health , the Mental Health Paramedic Lead and the Strategy Team to review and develop appropriate care pathways pertaining to mental health and influence change.
- Develop methodologies for educating patients and their families/carers as to the appropriate use of the ambulance service and develop communication strategies with service users.
- Review mental health related complaints and enquiries providing clinical opinions as required. Also to review any potential/actual claims related to mental health issues.
- Review current training programmes for staff with regards to mental health and psychiatric emergencies, leading on any potential clinical guideline development.
- Liaise with mental health providers and commissioners to highlight gaps within service provision.
- Provide expertise and support in implementing recommendations related to mental health care, and reflecting the Trusts own objectives and strategy.
- Take an integral role in the continuing management of change by driving the mental health action plan across the organisation and identifying new opportunities to make further improvements.
- To maintain a high degree of clinical credibility as required of a Registered Professional to maintain registration (e.g. HCPC or NMC), both within the Trust and in dealings with external agencies. This clinical knowledge will not be solely focused on the current Standards of Proficiency published by the Health Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and by JRCALC, but will allow discussion of clinical matters with a degree of confidence with doctors and other senior healthcare professionals when discussing / negotiating what the Trust can offer clients/patients in terms of mental health care and emergency psychiatric care.
- Provide expert advice, support and guidance to key decision makers within the Trust, in particular the clinical directors, deputy medical directors, clinical advisors and the Integrated Patient Care colleagues, in the delivery of its strategy around Mental Health. Identify changes to mental health practice and ensure they are implemented within the service to provide high quality pre-hospital mental health care and safe and effective management of mental health emergencies.
- In consultation with the Trusts education leads; develop lead and, when necessary, deliver the educational plan for raising the knowledge and competence in mental health crisis care and intervention from a paramedic perspective.
- Develop a culture that improves quality.
- Initiates, implements, supports and monitors quality and governance structures and processes.
- Enables others to understand, identify and deal with risks to quality.
- To act as professional lead to patient facing staff working within the Mental Health Pioneer service.
- Facilitate regular clinical supervision of the mental health team working within the Trust and highlight areas for service development and training needs.
- To support and aid the work of the Mental Health Team Managers (MHTM) from a clinical perspective.
- Supporting with operational delivery tasks such as times of high pressure or in the absence of the MHTM's etc.
Priority will be given to staff at risk candidates.
We reserve the right to close the application window early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide day-to-day clinical leadership for the mental health joint response car and mental health pioneer service
- Provide expert advice and liaison for any mental health audits.
- Support the Consultant Nurse in Mental Health , the Mental Health Paramedic Lead and the Strategy Team to review and develop appropriate care pathways pertaining to mental health and influence change.
- Develop methodologies for educating patients and their families/carers as to the appropriate use of the ambulance service and develop communication strategies with service users.
- Review mental health related complaints and enquiries providing clinical opinions as required. Also to review any potential/actual claims related to mental health issues.
- Review current training programmes for staff with regards to mental health and psychiatric emergencies, leading on any potential clinical guideline development.
- Liaise with mental health providers and commissioners to highlight gaps within service provision.
- Provide expertise and support in implementing recommendations related to mental health care, and reflecting the Trusts own objectives and strategy.
- Take an integral role in the continuing management of change by driving the mental health action plan across the organisation and identifying new opportunities to make further improvements.
- To maintain a high degree of clinical credibility as required of a Registered Professional to maintain registration (e.g. HCPC or NMC), both within the Trust and in dealings with external agencies. This clinical knowledge will not be solely focused on the current Standards of Proficiency published by the Health Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, and by JRCALC, but will allow discussion of clinical matters with a degree of confidence with doctors and other senior healthcare professionals when discussing / negotiating what the Trust can offer clients/patients in terms of mental health care and emergency psychiatric care.
- Provide expert advice, support and guidance to key decision makers within the Trust, in particular the clinical directors, deputy medical directors, clinical advisors and the Integrated Patient Care colleagues, in the delivery of its strategy around Mental Health. Identify changes to mental health practice and ensure they are implemented within the service to provide high quality pre-hospital mental health care and safe and effective management of mental health emergencies.
- In consultation with the Trusts education leads; develop lead and, when necessary, deliver the educational plan for raising the knowledge and competence in mental health crisis care and intervention from a paramedic perspective.
- Develop a culture that improves quality.
- Initiates, implements, supports and monitors quality and governance structures and processes.
- Enables others to understand, identify and deal with risks to quality.
- To act as professional lead to patient facing staff working within the Mental Health Pioneer service.
- Facilitate regular clinical supervision of the mental health team working within the Trust and highlight areas for service development and training needs.
- To support and aid the work of the Mental Health Team Managers (MHTM) from a clinical perspective.
- Supporting with operational delivery tasks such as times of high pressure or in the absence of the MHTM's etc.
Priority will be given to staff at risk candidates.
We reserve the right to close the application window early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Person Specification
Qualifications, Accreditations, Education
Essential
- Professional clinical qualification including registered with a relevant body e.g. HCPC or NMC
- Master's degree or equivalent experience
- Mental Health Qualification (including mental health nursing degree, advanced practice in mental health or equivalent levels etc.)
Desirable
- Evidence of the development of innovative approaches to clinical practice
- Teaching qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of staff management. Leadership and Change management experience
- Previous experience of staff supervision
- Influencing Change
- Verifiable experience of developing and implementing organisational development practices
- Working knowledge of current NHS Policy
Desirable
- Large multi-site health care environment
- Evidence of successful involvement in major change projects
- Networking skills
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- In depth knowledge of relevant clinical specialty
- Significant experience in analysing information relating to patient care (such as audits, staff appraisals etc)
- Ability to operate at a strategic level and motivate others to deliver a high quality programme
- Well developed IT and facilitations skills. Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
- Awareness and understanding of the key national documents relating to mental health
- Current knowledge of local and national policies informing mental health
- Ability to deliver training in own subject area
Desirable
- Detailed knowledge of the workings of the mental health networks within the LAS area
Personal Abilities
Essential
- Continuous and committed with a high level of personal motivation.
- Well-developed interpersonal/communication and organisational skills
- Tenacity, positive in outlook, caring and innovative.
Person Specification
Qualifications, Accreditations, Education
Essential
- Professional clinical qualification including registered with a relevant body e.g. HCPC or NMC
- Master's degree or equivalent experience
- Mental Health Qualification (including mental health nursing degree, advanced practice in mental health or equivalent levels etc.)
Desirable
- Evidence of the development of innovative approaches to clinical practice
- Teaching qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of staff management. Leadership and Change management experience
- Previous experience of staff supervision
- Influencing Change
- Verifiable experience of developing and implementing organisational development practices
- Working knowledge of current NHS Policy
Desirable
- Large multi-site health care environment
- Evidence of successful involvement in major change projects
- Networking skills
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- In depth knowledge of relevant clinical specialty
- Significant experience in analysing information relating to patient care (such as audits, staff appraisals etc)
- Ability to operate at a strategic level and motivate others to deliver a high quality programme
- Well developed IT and facilitations skills. Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills
- Awareness and understanding of the key national documents relating to mental health
- Current knowledge of local and national policies informing mental health
- Ability to deliver training in own subject area
Desirable
- Detailed knowledge of the workings of the mental health networks within the LAS area
Personal Abilities
Essential
- Continuous and committed with a high level of personal motivation.
- Well-developed interpersonal/communication and organisational skills
- Tenacity, positive in outlook, caring and innovative.
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).
Additional information
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).
