Mental Health Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. To have high level clinical expertise in the mental and emotional health needs of children, young people, and their families, (covering 0-25 years of age) and be able to complete the triage of non-emergency referrals into mental health services via telephone or video call which enable high level and timely clinical decisions to be made.2. To be a key clinical point of contact for other members of the skill mix team working within JON, offering excellent teaching and clinical supervision to develop needs-led, evidence-based care that supports local and national priorities and policies as well as relevant clinical guidelines.3. To have a robust understanding of local emotional and Mental health provision and be able to give children, young people and their families and referrers appropriate advice and guidance and as needed make appropriate referrals and support colleagues to make referrals to the appropriate service.4. To have excellent clinical skills and knowledge of child and young peoples mental health needs and local services. This will involve the triage (including risk assessment) on-ward care planning and liaison with appropriate pathways providing mental health interventions, with children, young people, parents, teachers and being an active link for other stakeholders such as schools, GPs, mental health and voluntary sector organisations.5. To have the clinical skills and confidence to support colleagues within Just One Number, especially in assessment of current need, risk and care planning.6. Contribute to production and maintenance of digital resources and promotion of these within JON and with other stakeholders allowing the identification of appropriate use of self-help material and understanding when further clinical assessment is indicated.7. Use of measures to monitor effectiveness and establish outcomes and share these within JON, CCS and NSFT.8. Uphold the professional code of conduct for the Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor, including maintaining confidentiality and maintaining registration in line with the NMC or appropriate governing body.9. Take accountability for clinical decisions and demonstrate a high level of clinical judgement, working autonomously.10. Follow the robust clinical risk management processes that are in place and contribute to ensuring they are adhered to within JON.11. Support staff to attain best clinical practice by acting as a source of expertise and knowledge around child mental health and wellbeing by embedding a culture of staff clinical development through a variety of methods including sharing clinical experience and clinical education and training.12. Demonstrate that evidence is translated into sound clinical practice.13. To maintain a high clinical profile being highly visible, accessible and approachable to staff, stakeholders and the public. To ensure that open and honest communication channels are sustained.14. Support staff within Just One Number and wider services to fully understand and use the clinical pathways to ensure the most appropriate and safest outcome for the CYP.15. Ensure the voice of the child is pivotal in all aspects of clinical practice and development.16. Act as a mentor to students in line with NMC requirements for Registered Nurses or appropriate governing body including attending annual mentor updates and evidence for Triennial Review.17. Participate in recruitment, selection, and induction of junior staff.

Communication

1. Reports and is accountable directly to the Clinical Lead in Mental Health in JON2. To establish positive and effective internal working relationships.3. To establish and develop effective external relationships with partner agencies and external pathway leads4. The post holder is required to utilise a wide range of communication skills and will be required to sensitively communicate on complex issues to a wide range of audiences, including children, young people, parents and schools and other organisations, in order to inform and influence clinical decisions.5. Use sophisticated communication skills to impart difficult or unwelcome news to patients and staff for example complaints, patients experience, and to contribute to disciplinaries and grievances.6. The post holder will use well developed change management communication and resilience skills to effect change within the service, understanding the complexities of change whilst also being able to deliver change. 7. To maintain necessary communications and liaison with all members of the medical, nursing and allied health professionals disciplines.8. To maintain regular contact with the Line Manager and participate in clinical and other relevant meetings9. Participate in the development and delivery of in-house training

People Management

1. Direct line management of junior clinical staff2. On occasions and acting up in absence of Senior Mental Health Practitioner be responsible for day-to-day co-ordination of staff and clinical tasks within a section or department.3. Development and mentoring of junior staff4. Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process

Research & Development Activity

1. Identify personal learning and training needs through appraisal and personal development plans linked to service needs.2. Take responsibility for ensuring that personal professional practice is informed by relevant local and national developments and is evidenced based.3. Under the direction of the Clinical Leadership participate in clinical audit and clinical governance activities.4. Promote a culture of incident reporting, leading Serious Incidents when appropriate and ensuring learning take place to effect appropriate change. Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.5. The post holder must adhere to the trust risk assessment and risk management processes.6. The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures.7. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.8. Provide patients and their families/carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.9. Participate in their own clinical supervision on a regular basis, and support junior staff to undertake their own supervision10. The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team

Clinical and Practice Governance

1. Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.2. Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, including text messages and email or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies. 3. The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes4. The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures5. It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with an appropriate professional body and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.6. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.7. The post holder must participate in clinical and other audits as required, and promote the use of routine outcome measures (ROMS)8. Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.9. Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis individual and group supervision10. The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.11. The post holder to hold the principles of communications in accordance with Caldicott Principles

General

The post holder must at all times carry out their duties with regard to Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

To be aware of the responsibilities of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment for patients, visitors and staff.

All post holders must adhere to the code of conduct on confidentiality and be aware of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.

This job description is intended only as a guide to the range of duties involved. The post holder will need to be flexible and adaptable in order to respond to other duties that may be required from time to time and the changes and developments within the Trust.

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975 the following must be included in the job description.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure of Barring Service to be made to check for any previous criminal convictions. Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users in line with its equal opportunities policy and policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders.

SustainabilityIt is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the Trusts environmental impact wherever possible. This will include recycling, switching off lights, computers, monitors and equipment when not in use. Helping to reduce paper waste by minimising printing/copying and reducing water usage, reporting faults and heating/cooling concerns promptly and minimising travel. Where the role includes the ordering and use of supplies or equipment the post holder will consider the environmental impact of purchases.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Degree in mental health nursing or equivalent, Diploma Occupational Therapist
• Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

• Management qualification
• Clinical Masters or equivalent experience in mental health

Experience

Essential

• 12 (or 18month) post qualification experience
• Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of CYP mental health practice from previous experience.
• Demonstrate effective risk assessment and risk management experience.
• Experience in the delivery of clinical interventions.
• Undertaking a clinical role including multi-disciplinary working, safeguarding, undertaking complex assessments, planning and evaluating care packages, and responsibility for the management of a caseload.
• Experience in developing clinical documents to guide practice
• Partnership working
• Child protection
• Improving patient experience
• Experience of patient involvement
• Demonstrate management of clinical governance
• Undertaking audit/research and implementing change to clinical practice
• Evidence of promoting a clinical culture of enquiry and learning
• Knowledge of confidentiality issues within healthcare
• Knowledge of the structure and functioning of the NHS
• Knowledge of relevant legislation

Desirable

• Experience in supporting service development.
• Experience of managing projects with an IT component
• Clinical leadership experience

Skills

Essential

• Competent assessment skills.
• Risk assessment knowledge and skills
• Demonstrate excellent specialist clinical skills as a mental health nurse
• Clinical/Safeguarding risk assessment skills
• Service development skills and experience
• Understands clinical governance requirements
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate complex concepts to diverse groups
• Well-developed report writing skills
• Able to be a positive example and motivate teams
• Ability to analyse and interpret data and information in order to provide reports, make recommendations and changes.
• Advanced keyboard skills and ability to communicate through IT using packages such as Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
• Data inputting into patient records

Desirable

• Clinical leadership skills

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Address

Just One Number, Cringleford Business Centre

Intwood Road

Cringleford

NR4 6AU

Employer's website

https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)