Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Band 4 Memory Assessment Support Worker - Swindon

This job is now closed

Job summary

This is an exciting new opportunity for someone experienced in dementia care to contribute to the memory assessment and diagnostic services in Swindon and the surrounding areas of North Wilts

This role will support the function of our existing Memory Assessment and Care Home Liaison Services by proactively working across a number of clinical settings where people may need to receive a memory assessment.

This role will directly contribute to the completion of dementia assessments by working within expert multidisciplinary teams and under the supervision of registered clinicians. The role will also require working with a range of colleagues within the health and social care system to identify people needing an assessment. There will also be opportunities to work with family members and carers of people with dementia to support the diagnostic process.

The role will also help develop our wider understanding of barriers people may face in receiving a dementia diagnosis e.g. people from BAME communities, care homes residents or those who are socially isolated.

Main duties of the job

Working alongside a new DDR senior practitioner role and registered clinicians across AWP older adult teams, this post will assist in in gathering assessment information (including the use of cognitive assessment tools).

The post holder will gather essential assessment information from various sources including care home staff, primary care clinicians, relatives and friends and utilise validated cognitive screening tools to support the diagnostic process. The assessment information will be gathered, recorded and communicated in a systematic manner with support from a dedicated administrator overseeing the DDR project.

The post holder will share their assessment and formulations with MDT clinicians in order to confirm a dementia diagnosis where appropriate. This may include contributing to MDT discussions.

It is important that people receiving a dementia diagnosis and their carers are offered appropriate support. This role will discuss ongoing support needs with relatives, friends and care home staff and provide guidance and signposting to available support.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Date posted

10 February 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

342-SWN018-0225

Job locations

Victoria Centre

Great Western Hospital

Swindon

SN3 6BB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Forming compassionate, therapeutic relationships with service users and their families, to deliver interventions in support of the diagnostic pathway.
Engaging in the full range of ongoing needs assessment processes required by the team, including mental state, dynamic clinical risk, spiritual and cultural needs, and emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing.
Maintaining electronic patient records in a timely and accurate way and completing care plan letters following completed interventions.
Empowering service users to adjust to living with a diagnosis of dementia by promoting aspects of diet and lifestyle, physical health and general wellbeing.
Signposting to the voluntary sector dementia support organisations and where required direct referrals to statutory services.
Participating in post diagnostic support and co-facilitating group sessions / courses.
Engage in carers involvement work and community initiatives to deliver interventions to improve knowledge and understanding of dementia.
Support individuals in developing and maintaining their identity and personal relationships, including sometimes difficult or potentially difficult relationships.
Contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse and harm in line with local policies and procedures.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Forming compassionate, therapeutic relationships with service users and their families, to deliver interventions in support of the diagnostic pathway.
Engaging in the full range of ongoing needs assessment processes required by the team, including mental state, dynamic clinical risk, spiritual and cultural needs, and emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing.
Maintaining electronic patient records in a timely and accurate way and completing care plan letters following completed interventions.
Empowering service users to adjust to living with a diagnosis of dementia by promoting aspects of diet and lifestyle, physical health and general wellbeing.
Signposting to the voluntary sector dementia support organisations and where required direct referrals to statutory services.
Participating in post diagnostic support and co-facilitating group sessions / courses.
Engage in carers involvement work and community initiatives to deliver interventions to improve knowledge and understanding of dementia.
Support individuals in developing and maintaining their identity and personal relationships, including sometimes difficult or potentially difficult relationships.
Contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse and harm in line with local policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Minimum of 2 years working with people who have dementia.

Desirable

Memory assessment experience
experience of working across multiple dementia care settings

Skills

Essential

Can contribute to MDT discussions
Possesses good IT skills across all common office applications

Desirable

trained in use of ACEiii assessment scale

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Minimum of 2 years working with people who have dementia.

Desirable

Memory assessment experience
experience of working across multiple dementia care settings

Skills

Essential

Can contribute to MDT discussions
Possesses good IT skills across all common office applications

Desirable

trained in use of ACEiii assessment scale

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

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Victoria Centre

Great Western Hospital

Swindon

SN3 6BB

Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Victoria Centre

Great Western Hospital

Swindon

SN3 6BB

Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)