First Contact Mental Health Practitioner

Job responsibilities

This is a new, exciting and innovative post to support the needs of the local population living with a range of mental health difficulties. The post holder will be an effective member of the multi-disciplinary team. They will be professionally accountable and responsible for patient care, undertaking initial assessment with signposting to appropriate services, or providing time-limited psycho-social therapeutic interventions directly, in e.g. GP surgeries, patients homes and other primary care settings. This will include providing clinical advice to GPs such as specialist opinion or prescribing support (within the parameters of the non-medical prescribing framework).

The post-holder will manage their daily clinics and act as a specialist advisor to GPs, fulfilling a pathway management function and providing short term interventions and support, in collaboration with GPs and other practice based mental health workers.

You will develop links and foster a culture of partnership between Primary Care Teams and Mental Health Services, promoting clear communication and access to specialist knowledge and advice. This will include the facilitation of joint working with PCN, Secondary Care providers, and Voluntary Care Sector to increase the range of services/interventions available to the communities served.

You will provide clinical advice, consultation, and support to other care providers within primary, secondary, voluntary and statutory services as required.

Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants can travel independently and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Qualifications

Essential

• Current professional registration with appropriate body in healthcare or social work
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
• Certificate in mentorship, teaching & assessing in clinical practice as appropriate to own profession
• If appropriate to professional registration, recognised sign-off mentor (or equivalent) for students or must be achieved within agreed timescale
• Clinical Supervisor
• Key skills in literacy, numeracy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)

Desirable

• If appropriate to professional registration, NMP (or willing to obtain)
• Leadership or management qualification
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience working with people with mental ill health in a community setting
• Working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers
• Providing clinical supervision
• Mentoring students on practice placement experience
• Working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience and involvement with quality improvement activities

Desirable

• Experience working in primary care
• Experience working in a multiagency setting
• Leadership or management experience

Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstrable knowledge to post-graduate level of evidence-based practice in caring for patients in the designated field
• Knowledge of Stepped Care model
• Understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act)
• Care Programme Approach and its Page 10 of 11 JE Ref NM279 application in practice
• Detailed understanding of Safeguarding and its application in practice
• Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice
• Clinical Governance and its application in practice
• Research and development methodology
• Understanding of psychological models of care and treatment
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of delivering psycho-social interventions and approaches
• Contemporaneous knowledge of recent health and social care policy and guidance on implications for practice

Skills

Essential

• Communicate complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers/families and all members of the multidisciplinary team
• Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake lead professional responsibilities
• Work effectively across complex organisations, pathways and services
• Provide effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice
• Write reports
• Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional settings
• Use approved breakaway techniques (within agreed timescale)

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Able to work in accordance with the Staff Compact and Trust Values and Behaviours
• Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their families and carers
• Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in distressing and challenging circumstances
• Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team
• Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently
• Committed to continual quality and service improvement
• Self-aware and committed to professional and personal development
• Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities
• Committed to promoting a positive image of the service

Other Requirements

Essential

• Ability to travel independently in accordance with Trust policies and service need
• This post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Baring Service check

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).