Job summary
Interviews will be held on 11 February 2025.
Reading Community Mental Health Team are looking for a Band 7 Ward Liaison worker to support patients through their inpatient journey at Prospect Park Hospital in Reading, the successful candidate will provide a key link between community and inpatient services working alongside our partners in Reading Borough Council to support the safe discharge of individuals back to the community in a timely manner
This post offers the opportunity for a Band 6 looking to progress their career or a Band 7 looking to enhance their experience to build relationships, knowledge and expertise and support people through the admission process and their return to the community.
Reading Community Mental Health Team is a busy service and the role is key to the ongoing commitment to support our client group receive the best possible care on their recovery journey. The successful candidate will join an experienced and supportive leadership team and be encouraged to focus on their own career development alongside supporting others
The working pattern for the post holder are as per service operating hours, Monday - Friday 9-5.The main base is the Prospect House within Prospect Park Hospital site, with some flexible working arrangements.
Main duties of the job
- To be responsible for the assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation of specialist care to support discharge from the ward, including evaluating the work of junior staff and be responsible for developing care packages and programmes of care, including the involvement of multi-agency input around the service users needs.
- To maintain and develop relationships with professionals external to the area of service, service users and their significant others (where appropriate) within the area of service/specialism. This would include our inpatient teams, Urgent Care services, partner organisations and care agencies, recognising that these relationships are key to the development of effective support for the individual
- To ensure services are delivered in a manner that is appropriate, relevant, and respectful to all community members, recognising the diversity of ethnicity, culture, belief, privilege and capacity of service users and carers.
- To ensure services are delivered in area of specialism, that meets the quality and clinical effectiveness standards; to proactively participate in measuring service user and staff satisfaction in service area.
- To provide leadership to the multidisciplinary team, actively developing junior staff and imparting knowledge and experience
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust site
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
- Professional qualification - RMN, OT, DipSW/CQSW, registered for practice with professional body.
- Experience of working in community mental health services as a part of the multidisciplinary team, promoting good team working and excellent communication; as well as good knowledge and understanding of in-patient care setting.
- Thorough working knowledge of mental health problems and their management, Mental Health Act and its application in hospital and community settings, current mental health policies and application of client-led principles to form non-discriminatory therapeutic relationships with clients and carers.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to analyse situations and be able to make the right decisions under pressure and in emotionally demanding situations.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Joanna Jelonek on 01189605612 or email: joanna.jelonek@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
- Professional qualification - RMN, OT, DipSW/CQSW, registered for practice with professional body.
- Experience of working in community mental health services as a part of the multidisciplinary team, promoting good team working and excellent communication; as well as good knowledge and understanding of in-patient care setting.
- Thorough working knowledge of mental health problems and their management, Mental Health Act and its application in hospital and community settings, current mental health policies and application of client-led principles to form non-discriminatory therapeutic relationships with clients and carers.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to analyse situations and be able to make the right decisions under pressure and in emotionally demanding situations.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Joanna Jelonek on 01189605612 or email: joanna.jelonek@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications /Training
Essential
- Diploma or degree level professional qualification
- Professional qualification - RMN, OT, DipSW/CQSW
Desirable
- Registered for practice through NMC.
- To have a Sign Off Mentor (SOM) qualification as in accordance with the NMC and be able to sign off students as proficient for registration.
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuous professional development to high standard
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in community mental health services
- Minimum two years post-qualification experience of working with adults with mental health problems
- Experience of supervising staff and students
- Experience of multidisciplinary team working
- Experience of report writing
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Thorough working knowledge of mental health problems and their management
- Knowledge of current mental health policy
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to analyse situations and be able to make the right decisions
- Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities
- Ability to apply client-led principles and form non discriminatory therapeutic relationships with clients and carers
- Ability to maintain good quality records
- Ability to take responsibility appropriate to senior clinician role
- Ability to deal with emotionally demanding situations, to remain control under pressure, and to be adaptable to demands of the role
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
- Show good interpersonal and communication skills through a variety of mediums being sufficiently IT literate to us a number of IT systems available to the team to promote good team working and communication
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Effective leadership and management skills
- Proven interpersonal, communication and supervision skills
- Confident in their ability to make rapid and effective decisions
- Ability to be creative in changing service delivery to meet the needs of the service user and the ongoing development of the service
- Flexible working with an ability to use own initiative as well as to be a team player
- Demonstrates evidence of Trust's values
- Hold a clean driving licence and have use of a car for work
- Occupational Health clearance satisfactory to the Trust
- Disclosure and Barring Service check satisfactory to the Trust
Desirable
- Ability to travel to multiple sites
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications /Training
Essential
- Diploma or degree level professional qualification
- Professional qualification - RMN, OT, DipSW/CQSW
Desirable
- Registered for practice through NMC.
- To have a Sign Off Mentor (SOM) qualification as in accordance with the NMC and be able to sign off students as proficient for registration.
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuous professional development to high standard
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in community mental health services
- Minimum two years post-qualification experience of working with adults with mental health problems
- Experience of supervising staff and students
- Experience of multidisciplinary team working
- Experience of report writing
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Thorough working knowledge of mental health problems and their management
- Knowledge of current mental health policy
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to analyse situations and be able to make the right decisions
- Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities
- Ability to apply client-led principles and form non discriminatory therapeutic relationships with clients and carers
- Ability to maintain good quality records
- Ability to take responsibility appropriate to senior clinician role
- Ability to deal with emotionally demanding situations, to remain control under pressure, and to be adaptable to demands of the role
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
- Show good interpersonal and communication skills through a variety of mediums being sufficiently IT literate to us a number of IT systems available to the team to promote good team working and communication
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Effective leadership and management skills
- Proven interpersonal, communication and supervision skills
- Confident in their ability to make rapid and effective decisions
- Ability to be creative in changing service delivery to meet the needs of the service user and the ongoing development of the service
- Flexible working with an ability to use own initiative as well as to be a team player
- Demonstrates evidence of Trust's values
- Hold a clean driving licence and have use of a car for work
- Occupational Health clearance satisfactory to the Trust
- Disclosure and Barring Service check satisfactory to the Trust
Desirable
- Ability to travel to multiple sites
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).
