Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Community Access Support Practitioner (CASP)

This job is now closed

Job summary

Are you interested in working with older adults? As part of the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme we are looking to recruit 2 enthusiastic, caring and proactive practitioners to support older adults with a moderate mental health problems (anxiety/depression/OCD/psychosis).

Working in collaboration with the wider Community Mental Health Team successful candidates would work within our multi disciplinary teams to hold a caseload of service users for a time limited piece of work.

Main duties of the job

Reducing social isolation/loneliness by supporting the person with social re-engagement
Introducing the person to community resources
Signposting and supporting people to groups within the community and accompanying them to groups initially to build confidence
Supporting the person to attend appointments as part of care plan eg housing, GP, benefits advice
Supporting the person to address challenges within their current environment as part of care plan ie reduce clutter etc
Supporting person to leave the house to increase confidence as part of graduated programme
Supporting person to carry out community-based activities of daily living eg shopping
To carry out mindfulness/anxiety management on individual/group basis as appropriate
To identify and develop resources of appropriate community resources available within the area
To introduce person to new hobbies /interests/ activities and link them with Life rooms / other appropriate local VCSE provision
To support the person to develop social networks
To support the person to structure time/ planning for week to increase engagement
To consider establishing /facilitating peer support groups

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Date posted

05 January 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£22,816 to £24,336 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-MHC5825646-A

Job locations

South Sefton Neighbourhood Centre

Park Road

Waterloo

L22 3XR

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To carry out assigned duties, involving direct care and observation of service users under the guidance and indirect supervision of qualified staff.

2. To report to the qualified staff any observations made whilst providing care to service users activities and leisure, providing details of mental state and risk factors.

3. To work with service users on an individual and group basis as outlined in the care plan and as directed by the appropriate named lead professional.

Clinical:1. To coordinate the assessment and delivery of a planned programme of care with guidance and indirect supervision from a qualified practitioner and to contribute to formal assessment and delivery of an individuals plan of care.

2. To assist with activities of daily living, social, recreational and occupational activities as agreed in the service user care plan.

3. To report general observations and provide feedback to a qualified practitioner both verbally and in written formats, if required. This should include any concerns arising from the service user physical or mental health.

4. To contribute to effective running of the service by providing and receiving information to/from other departments or services. Ensure this information is provided in the most effective way i.e. telephone, fax or in writing.

5. To assist service users with self-administration of oral medication and ensure any concerns / issues about medication are reported back to a qualified practitioner.

6. To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome communication barriers presented by service users due to their mental health needs.

7. To contribute to maintaining a safe environment for service user in the community.

8. To carry out specific duties that contributes to the assessment of service users as requested by a qualified practitioner.

9. To develop and maintain links with other agencies and services, both statutory and voluntary.

10. To use skills and techniques, to de-escalate situations where service users become physically or verbally aggressive.

11. To carry out observations and inform the Registered Nurse of any concerns. e.g. temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, diet and fluid intake, weight as requested by a qualified practitioner.

12. To contribute to the development of risk management plans for service users by reporting, to the qualified practitioner any issues or concerns regarding service users behaviour / action towards themselves or others.

13. Respond to the changing needs of service users.

14. Control the assessments of implemented individual service users care plans.

15. To undertake and understand the support of observations as per policy tbc (Levels 1- 4)

16. To carry out escorts with service users on and off the hospital site.

17. To support qualified nurses in the administration of medicines by acting as a witness.

18. Provide advice and guidance related health promotion to the service user.

19. Plan social and therapeutic work with service user using a range off therapeutic approaches.

20. Participate in presenting multi disciplinary reviews, daily reviews and handovers.

21. Undertake surveys and audits.

22. Assist in the collection of data from a variety of resource.

Professional:1. To participate in the services performance management supervision framework and work towards meeting identified goals and objectives as agreed in a personal development plan.

2. To act, at all times, in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

3. To undertake mandatory training as stipulated by the Trust and ensure that all interactions with service users are in line with this e.g./manual handling.

4. Under the guidance and supervision of a qualified practitioner, make accurate, timely and appropriate entries into health records in accordance with professional and Trust standards.

5. To participate as appropriate in clinical and professional meetings held within service to assist effective two-way communication.

6. To seek advice and further training, if appropriate.

7. To make the qualified practitioner aware of any incidents arising during a span of duty and carry out any actions arising from this as directed.

8. Take direction from the qualified practitioner as to any duties or tasks assigned to you for own span of duty and carry them out as requested.

9. To participate, as directed in the induction of new staff including supporting junior staff.

Organisational:1. To adhere to the Trusts human rights based approach taking into account service user choice.

2. To take responsibility for ensuring your own personal safety and that of the service user when using equipment.

3. To take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and any others that may be affected by own acts and omissions at work.

4. To ensure that you are familiar with the terms and conditions of your post.

5. To participate in service development activities, as required.

Other:1. To maintain the dignity of service users at all times whilst dealing with aspects of personal care.

2. To seek appropriate advice and support from the qualified practitioner during occasions when service users or their carers become agitated or distressed.

3. To maintain service user confidentiality at all times both on and off duty.

4. To maintain appropriate professional boundaries with service users at all times both on and off duty.

5. To ensure that work is conducted in accordance with the Trusts Human Rights and Equality and Diversity Strategies.

6. In exceptional circumstances to co-operate with reasonable requests from more senior staff to vary your area of work to meet unplanned clinical need.