Job summary
PLEASE NOTE: Salary is now£42,403 - £46,464 due to the pay award.
Part Time Applications Considered
About us
Following our new innovative in-house re-design, we are really excited to announce that we will be launching a new pioneering model for our out-of-hours services in Devon County Council. The Devon County Council out-of-hours AMHP Service provides an essential response to urgent requests for assessments under the Mental Health Act. This involves triaging and prioritising workloads to make decisions on carrying out assessments in line with Devon County Councils statutory responsibilities.
This new specialist out-of-hours AMHP service will work alongside a separate Emergency Duty Service (EDS), which responds to Children and Adult referrals in an out-of-hours joint social care team. This revised service was introduced in November 2022. It involves implementing specialist service models for our three core EDS services (Adults, Childrens and Mental Health), which will provide an improved, streamlined way of partnership working.
This initiative includes significant new investment and staffing levels to ensure improvements to the service we provide to those people living in Devon. The increase in the number of AMHPs, and the introduction of AMHP managers working out-of-hours, will provide a more supportive environment to work in, and a greater capacity to manage the increasing demand for this essential service.
Main duties of the job
The Approved Mental Health Professional - Advanced Professional will:
As an Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP), the post-holder will be expected to
undertake the full of range of statutory duties and responsibilities in relation to the
application of the Mental Health Act (1983) (MHA) and related legislation.
Provide a specialist AMHP role across the organisation, including leadership, supervision,
expert advice and support based on good evidenced based and legally robust
professional mental health practice.
Rota Pattern
Post holder will work an 8-week rolling rota, which incorporates two consecutive weeks off work each rota cycle. The shift pattern includes working weekday evenings, weekend and Bank Holiday evening, day, and night shifts.
To enable two consecutive weeks off rota each rota cycle, annual leave and the bank holiday entitlement are included in the rota. The benefit of this is that successful candidates would have an average of 13 weeks off rota per annum.
Each of the six rostered working weeks incorporates between two five days off rota and each of the six weeks includes two consecutive days off. Post holders will have contracted hours to attend team meetings, supervisions, training, and other tasks that take place during normal office hours.
About us
What we can offer you
- We are committed to your continuous professional development, doing all we can to help you to get the most from your career. You will receive excellent support and supervision, with regular opportunities to discuss and reflect on your practice, both with your line manager and peers.
- We offer 26 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays, rising incrementally to 31 days after 5 years service.
- Offer an opportunity to enter a generous Local Government Pension Scheme.
- As a place to live and work, Devon is hard to beat with top-performing schools, universities, vibrant cities, pretty villages and some of the most scenic coast and countryside in the UK. Living and working in Devon as an Approved Mental Health Practitioner (AMHP) has never been more attractive.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership and Supervision
Provide countywide professional supervision and guidance to non-AMHP qualified staff and
students in relation to the Mental Health Act and associated legal frameworks.
Provide on the job training, coaching and mentoring of all Trainee AMHPs which may
include undertaking direct observations of practice.
Co-work and coach less experienced workers on cases so they can benefit from the
greater experience and expertise of an AMHP.
Contribute to AMHP associated operational developments within the AMHP Service and
partners in line with the expectations of the National AMHP Workforce Strategy (2019),
the National AMHP Service Standards (2020) and the aims of the Review of the Mental
Health Act (2018).
Day to Day Operations
Undertake the duties of an AMHP as defined in the Mental Health Act and associated
regulations.
Provide support to Team Managers in:
o the allocation of cases and workloads
o resolution of service delivery issues within the service area
o ensuring case work is appropriately planned, critically evaluated and reviewed
o the achievement of expected performance according to standards, policies and
procedures
o audit activity across the service, with a particular emphasis on the quality of practice.
Chair meetings and deputise for Team Managers at practice-based meetings as required.
Effectively use and manage appropriate financial resources within available budgets.
2
Contribute to the induction of new starters under the direction of the Team Manager
For the full Job Description, please click on the attachment on the right.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership and Supervision
Provide countywide professional supervision and guidance to non-AMHP qualified staff and
students in relation to the Mental Health Act and associated legal frameworks.
Provide on the job training, coaching and mentoring of all Trainee AMHPs which may
include undertaking direct observations of practice.
Co-work and coach less experienced workers on cases so they can benefit from the
greater experience and expertise of an AMHP.
Contribute to AMHP associated operational developments within the AMHP Service and
partners in line with the expectations of the National AMHP Workforce Strategy (2019),
the National AMHP Service Standards (2020) and the aims of the Review of the Mental
Health Act (2018).
Day to Day Operations
Undertake the duties of an AMHP as defined in the Mental Health Act and associated
regulations.
Provide support to Team Managers in:
o the allocation of cases and workloads
o resolution of service delivery issues within the service area
o ensuring case work is appropriately planned, critically evaluated and reviewed
o the achievement of expected performance according to standards, policies and
procedures
o audit activity across the service, with a particular emphasis on the quality of practice.
Chair meetings and deputise for Team Managers at practice-based meetings as required.
Effectively use and manage appropriate financial resources within available budgets.
2
Contribute to the induction of new starters under the direction of the Team Manager
For the full Job Description, please click on the attachment on the right.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- - Hold a recognised AMHP qualification.
- - Hold a recognised qualification in: Social Work, Occupational
- Therapy, First Level Nursing (mental health or learning disability) or Psychology.
- - Registration with the appropriate professional regulatory body
- (Social Work England, The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Nursing and Midwifery Council Chartered Psychology)
Desirable
- Completion of PQ Award.
- Evidence of an up-to date continual professional development log.
- Have undertaken regulatory approval programmes - e.g. in childrens National Assessment and Accreditation Scheme
Experience
Essential
- - Substantial post-qualifying experience as a Registered
- Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, First Level Nurse (mental health or learning disability) or Chartered Psychologist.
- - Proven experience as an experienced professional in line with professional standards.
- - In depth knowledge of mental disorder and the application of
- the Mental Health Act.
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of supervising adult learners in practice.
- Working within at least two different Social Care environments.
- Knowledge of models of intervention, their effectiveness and outcomes.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- - Hold a recognised AMHP qualification.
- - Hold a recognised qualification in: Social Work, Occupational
- Therapy, First Level Nursing (mental health or learning disability) or Psychology.
- - Registration with the appropriate professional regulatory body
- (Social Work England, The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Nursing and Midwifery Council Chartered Psychology)
Desirable
- Completion of PQ Award.
- Evidence of an up-to date continual professional development log.
- Have undertaken regulatory approval programmes - e.g. in childrens National Assessment and Accreditation Scheme
Experience
Essential
- - Substantial post-qualifying experience as a Registered
- Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, First Level Nurse (mental health or learning disability) or Chartered Psychologist.
- - Proven experience as an experienced professional in line with professional standards.
- - In depth knowledge of mental disorder and the application of
- the Mental Health Act.
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of supervising adult learners in practice.
- Working within at least two different Social Care environments.
- Knowledge of models of intervention, their effectiveness and outcomes.
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).
