Community STR Support Worker

Complex Care is a service working with older adult services users with comorbidity of physical health impacting on their mental health. This could be in a range of them accessing services like A&E and GP frequently OR they will be refusing support for their health needs. The role of the support worker will be in working with the team in achieving positive recovery goals for that group of clients in the community. You will be part of wider group working with the Geriatricians leading the service and their team of nurses and junior doctors as well as the GPs. You will be involved in assessing risk and follow care plan that has been drawn by the band 7 mental health nurses in the team to maintain safety in the community.

This role is quite autonomous on its own and you will require your expertise to create engagement and follow lone working policies all along.

Working under the supervision of the band 7 you will be supported and protected in your role to develop further in improving communication skills, record keeping, creating meaningful care plan with service users and report writing.

There are lots of opportunities to develop further in this role and become a fully competent professional in the community.

1. Clinical Responsibilities

1. Knowledge, awareness and understanding of Mental Health Law, including legislation of particular relevance to the community sector such as the Community Care Act (2015), Care Programme Approach (2008), Mental Capacity Act (2005), and Community Treatment Orders (CTO).
2. Working under the indirect supervision and guidance of a Registered Mental Health Professional (RMHP) to implement care with Older adult service users.
3. Participating in the assessment of service users' mental and physical health, including risk assessment and early signs of relapse, promptly reporting observations to the Nurses in the team.
4. Participating in the planning of care, promoting independent living and working towards recovery.

2. Promoting Recovery

1. Assisting service users to access community resources that are culturally appropriate.
2. Assisting service users in maintaining their dignity, privacy and choice, treating them with respect at all times.

3. Communication and Collaboration

1. Working as part of a team, exchanging appropriate information with service users, carers, and other team members on a regular basis.
2. Understanding and working within the boundaries of the Lone Working Policy and awareness of Personal Safety in a community setting.
3. Working in a professional manner, respecting the boundaries of the relationship with service users and carers in a community setting and maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information.

As per Job Description you will have opportunity to develop in this role and progress to upper grade. You will have the opportunity to attend all the trainings provided by the trust. You will have regular supervision from the senior nurses in the team. You will be entitled to all the staff benefits that the trust has in place for staff.

Working under the direct supervision and guidance of a Registered Nurse/ Senior Health Care Support Worker/ Assistant Practitioner/Nurse Associate to support the delivery of quality nursing care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery-focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, and taking steps to address any issues that arise.

4. Undertaking activities to ensure that the fundamentals of care are met

1. Nutrition, hydration, hygiene, comfort, emotional and social support.

5. Providing hands-on care to service users including:

1. Undertaking 1-1 engagement with service users in an honest, open and non-judgmental way.
2. Recognising and valuing service users as individuals, acknowledging the importance of maintaining the service user’s respect and dignity at all times and ensure that the care provided respects equality and diversity.
3. Escalating any concerns to a Registered Nurse.
4. Monitoring and recording service user clinical observations as directed by a Senior Clinician/Registered Nurse/ B4, such as physical observations and vital signs and escalating as appropriate any signs or symptoms of deterioration or that do not fulfill the personal parameters to the relevant professional.
5. Implementing the principles of ‘recovery’: encouraging and supporting service users to engage with healthy lifestyles, participate in community meetings and other activities of their interest.

6. Additional Responsibilities

1. Escorting service users, as required, in line with Trust policies, under guidance and supervision of Senior Healthcare Support Workers, Nursing Associates, Assistant Practitioners or Registered Nurses.
2. Advocating for service users’ needs and rights within Trust policy.
3. Demonstrating the development of an understanding of mental health signs and symptoms and an understanding of how these may present in practice including recognition of impact on patient presentation and behaviour including risk factors.
4. Recognising and responding appropriately to challenging behaviour in line with Trust policies and training, actively seeking the supervision and guidance of a Senior Health Care Support Worker, Nurse Associate, Assistant Practitioner or Registered Nurse.
5. Demonstrating the development of knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty and other legislation applicable to the practice area and how they are implemented in practice.
6. Contributing to an effective communication process with appropriate and accurate information to patients, carers, family, friends and colleagues.
7. Engaging and listening carefully and actively, and responding using appropriate language and accessible communication methods and skills.
8. Developing communication skills to enable and support difficult conversations, acknowledging cultural differences and professional boundaries.
9. Demonstrating development of effective clinical communication and documentation: effective verbal and written handover of relevant and objective information, ability to determine key information, ability to recognise and describe effectively symptoms of mental illness, distress or of a deteriorating patient, and ability to escalate issues of concerns effectively and in a timely manner.
10. Maintaining timely and accurate service user written/electronic records under supervision and in line with Trust policy.
11. Reporting, without delay, any safety or security concerns to maintain the safety of service users, carers, staff and others to senior staff.
12. Reporting safeguarding concerns to a Registered Nurse.
13. Responding respectfully to concerns / complaints raised by patients, families and carers and escalate in accordance with trust polices.
14. Maintaining confidential information in accordance with Trust Policies.
15. Protecting service users, self and others by maintaining a clean and healthy environment in accordance with health and safety and infection control policies.
16. Working in ways that support shared responsibility within the team: demonstrating support, respect and courtesy towards colleagues; working in a professional manner and with Trust values always in mind, respecting the boundaries of the relationship with service users/patients, carers and staff.
17. Attending and participating in team meetings.
18. Engaging in reflective practice to ensure effective patient care is based on evidence based practice and with Trust values in mind. Attending staff training and meetings including reflective practice groups and activities including the development of reflective portfolio.
19. Participating in supervision by nominated senior staff member, including annual review of performance as part of the appraisal (or PADR) system.
20. Undertaking mandatory training as required by Trust policy plus Care Certificate, Trust Level 2 Apprenticeship if appropriate and other CPD training related to the role or area of work.
21. Ability to fulfil all the requirements of the role (including physical) and if unable to then reasonable adjustments may need to be made either to your role or place of work to ensure safety of self, staff and patients.
22. Undertake any other duties that are commensurate with the band and nature of the post Frameworks within.