Primary Care Mental Health Nurse

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

This Post is a 6 month fixed term contact to cover Maternity leave in the Primary Care Mental Health service in Braintree Maldon Essex. The post will be based in General Practice, working with existing Primary Care teams to triage, assess, manage and follow up patients and provide Brief intervention to those registered with GPs in the area. You must be highly skilled and motivated, work autonomously and be confident in your ability to provide evidence based Psychological and non-Psychological treatments for common mental health disorders following your Assessments.

Excellent skills of assessment and knowledge of local services is essential to this role, as the practitioner will be the gate keeper and guardian for referral to secondary services. Working in collaboration with Primary Care colleagues, the practitioner will provide support and specialist advice, consultation, education and problem solving skills to Primary Care colleagues with regards to the assessment and management of service users with common Mental Health disorders. You will act as a 'sign poster' for other internal and external services appropriate to service users' needs, where required and be at the forefront of developing integrated care pathways.

Main duties of the job

• Experience of working within a Primary Care Mental Health setting as a qualified Mental Health Nurse
• Ability to work under pressure and ability to contain and manage the stress of others and oneself
• Robust clinical judgement
• Ability to work autonomously and take an appropriate level of responsibility
• Participate in Patient Safety investigations, complaints and any relevant investigations in line with Trust policies.
• Mentorship and supervision of students
• Develop innovative practice to deal creatively with service demands for referrals, allocations, monitoring of KPI's and clinical caseload management
• To hold a UK driving licence, essential to drive to Primary care network bases in Braintree/Maldon and trust sites. As some areas are remote and have no public transport.
• Work in conjunction with the GP, Primary Care team and Consultant Psychiatrists to ensure that patients are supported in the most appropriate clinical practice environment from a Multi-disciplinary perspective.
• Triage and Assess patients and facilitate them receiving the most appropriate support for their needs ensuring people are not passed around the system.
• Manage and deliver effective and safe services which support the key elements of Clinical/Practice governance.
• Provide and undertake detailed Physical Health investigations such as ECGs and offer basic interpretation of the results.
• Non medical prescriber is preferred
• To have knowledge of Systmone patient Documentation system.

About us

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment.

Job responsibilities

• Create a single path within the sphere of their responsibility and work closely with other Community Mental Health teams and Inpatient Services to provide a seamless service in order to aid the Patients recovery and Well-being plans in the community.
• Work in conjunction with the GP, Primary Care team and Consultant Psychiatrists to ensure that patients are supported in the most appropriate clinical practice environment from a Multi-disciplinary perspective.
• Ensure safe Clinical Practice takes place, maintaining Care Quality Commission standards at all times and in line with the NHS Constitution.
• Triage patients and facilitate them receiving the most appropriate support for their needs ensuring people are not passed around the system.
• Manage and deliver effective and safe services which support the key elements of Clinical/Practice governance.
• As the Primary Care model develops, the post holder will focus on leading the teams to introduce ways of continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding and high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence will flourish.
• Provide and undertake detailed Physical Health investigations such as ECGs and offer basic interpretation of the results.
• Trained Advance Nurse Practitioners (Independent Non-medical prescribers) who have diagnostic skills will provide consultation diagnosis and prescribe for a specific group of service users.
• Responsibility for the day-to-day supervision and management of lower banded staff within their professional group and team locality when appropriate. As required by your Manager this may include the management of these staff in line with agreed Trust HR processes.
• Establish strong working relationships within the Primary care setting.
• Provide the enhanced Primary Care team with educational support and training to enhance their knowledge of Mental Health and Wellbeing.
• Provide professional clinical leadership at multi-disciplinary meetings i.e. referral/review, professional or safeguarding meetings.
• Adhere to Trust Policies and Procedures in the delivery of care and also contribute to the ongoing review and implementation of new policies, practices and procedures by keeping professionally updated.
• Ensure that professional accountability is maintained by liaising with the Trust Physical Health Lead ensuring that Clinical and Professional supervision is undertaken and opportunities to discuss and disseminate best practice are utilised.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of Trust and Government directives within the locality.
• Ensure the delivery of high quality care and treatment within the clinical setting to service users and their carers.
• Work in close co-operation with other mental health professionals, statutory and voluntary organisations and community networks.
• Identify, assess and manage clinical and non-clinical risks/hazards in your area through the completion of the relevant Risk Assessments and the implementation of risk treatment plans for inclusion in the local and Trusts Risk Registers.
• In delivering your duties you are expected to display behaviours that are aligned with the Trust values and as required in accordance with the NHS Constitution at all times.
• Report and document incidents as required and act upon findings as appropriate.
• Assess and review care and support and supervise lower banded staff in this process as required.
• Be responsible for the administration of medications (nurse applicants), assessment of side effects, review concordance and clinical effectiveness of medication regime in line with Trust policy including:
• Providing education around the medication prescribed, side effects, actions and aids to compliance.
• Providing education and support to develop service users understanding of Physical Healthcare and training packages for staff.
• Providing practical support, guidance and education for service users, carers and other professionals as required.
• Provide specialist assessment and intervention commensurate with skills and training with colleagues where required.
• Lead and participate in formulation, delivery and review of individualised evidence based care/care packages according to NICE guidance including non-medication strategies.
• Create and maintain working relationships with statutory and non-statutory agencies involved in the provision of Physical Healthcare and Mental Health Care.
• Work closely with and assist the Team Manager with development and implementation of operational/clinical policies contributing to the formulation and review of appropriate policies as required.
• Deliver training where appropriate for other professionals.
• Complete and return timely and accurate statistics to the Information Department.
• Ensure compliance in meeting agreed Outcomes/KPIs.
• Identify aspects of the service which need to be improved and implement appropriate changes in conjunction with the MDT, EPUT management and primary care team.
• Complete highly complex nursing needs assessments.
• Ensure that the service, through the implementation of performance management, meets all key performance indicators and targets identified by the Trust and adhere to local and government initiatives.
• Be able to use computer systems including Word and E-mail for effective communication of information and Systemone.
• Provide patients and relatives with information and education thus ensuring they have meaningful choices that promote dignity, independence and quality of life.

The above is not an exhaustive list of expected clinical or managerial duties to be undertaken.

Person Specification

Education Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)
• Non Medical Prescriber
• Venepuncture trained/ECG trained interpretation of results
• Physical health screening

Knowledge

• Risk management/suicide prevention training
• Good written and spoken English
• Use of System one
• Experience of working in the primary care setting
• Good communication skills fluent with English Language
• Skills using Systmone

Personal Qualities

• Ability to work under pressure and contain and manage stress of oneself and others
• Self motivated work effectively within a team
• Ability to manage priorities of workload

Corporate

• To hold a full UK driving licence
• Ability to travel across trust sites as required

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.

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

£46,148 to £52,809 a year