Community Associate Practitioner

Job summary

An exciting, newly created opportunity for a full time substantive Community Associate Practitioner within the Harrogate & Ripon Crisis and Home Treatment Mental Health Team based at The Orchards Ripon.

The role will involve working alongside a supportive MDT consisting of Consultant Psychiatrist, Consultant Psychologist, Crisis Clinicians and Crisis Support Workers and administration support staff. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering the primary roles of both physical health monitoring for a group of service users under the support of the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team, additionally it is anticipated that the successful candidate will take on a lead role for offering assessment/ support and signposting for carers of those individuals accessing treatment from the service.

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

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will support service users with a wide range of mental health needs to monitor their physical health. This will include those who are prescribed anti-psychotic medications, clozapine and lithium and those identified as having a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) prescribed other treatments not listed.

They will be responsible for delivering physical health checks for a group of service users. This will include, but is not limited to, taking blood samples, measuring BMI, providing basic health and nutrition advice and flagging issues and concerns as they occur.

It is also anticipated alongside this element of the role they will become an integral part of the carers support the service currently offers and take on a lead role for offering carers support to those accessing the service.

It is an exciting time to join the service after it has undergone investment and improvement activities to meet the needs and improve the health outcomes for our service users.

The successful individual will need a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care and Literacy and Numeracy Level 2 or equivalent to be recruited into this position.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.