Senior Community Mental Health Practitioner

Senior Community Mental Health Practitioner

Location: Dawlish, EX7 0NR
Salary: £35392.00 to £42618.00
Date posted: 6th August 2024
Closing date: 8th September 2024

Our professional responsibility is to reduce the risk of infection to others as far as possible. Getting vaccinated against diseases that can be passed person-to-person in healthcare settings is part of this responsibility. The Trust will provide advice, guidance and support on vaccinations and access to vaccinations where requested.

Job Description:

We are looking for Senior Mental Health Practitioners (SMHP) to join the Community Forensic Team based in Dawlish, Devon. This is an exciting opportunity to join our Team at one of the Country's most respected providers of Secure Mental Health Services.

The Community Forensic Team is managed within the Secure Services Directorate by Devon Partnership NHS Trust. Within the Directorate there are 2 separate Local Delivery units (LDUs): Inpatient Services and Community Forensic Services (CFS).

The CFS is comprised of 3 teams including the Community Forensic team (CFT), Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental disorder team (FIND) and the Forensic Personality Disorder service (FPDs). Since 2021 the CFS has been working to integrate the management of the SCFT, FIND and FPD teams to ensure a single point of entry to the service, centralising triage and gatekeeping functions. Whilst the teams have retained their individual identities and remits they have effectively become one integrated CFS.

The Specialist CFS Team supports social integration prior to and post-discharge from an inpatient setting, with a focus on occupational routine, prosocial identity development, relational security and vocational opportunities.

The overarching aim of the CFS is to deliver a model of integrated care and support across all elements of a service user's pathway, with a specific focus on prevention through admission avoidance and early intervention through collaboration with other services.

Main Duties of the Job

You will be a core member of a multi-disciplinary CFT and be responsible for taking an active role in carrying out the functions of the team; including carrying a caseload of varying complexity, with a principle focus on service users who would benefit most from a specialist forensic intervention.

You will provide expert assessment and treatment for people with complex mental health difficulties and their carers. This will include recovery co-ordination (design and co-ordination of treatment packages that are personalised and evaluated). You will work with another Care Coordinator to provide holistic client-centred care co-ordination.

For those in inpatient care, there is an aim to support flow through the Secure Directorate and reduce readmission following discharge into the Community.

The liaison with a wide range of statutory and non-statutory agencies is central. You will contribute to the clinical leadership of the team, providing supervision for other members and participating in team and service development, and evaluation.

You will often work under pressure without direct supervision, so we are looking for someone confident and capable. You will prioritise tasks and manage your own workload, providing support for your colleagues where required.

You may be required to support the induction of new staff members and students.

*We would consider applications from both part-time and full-time candidates for this role.

About Us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our Values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trust's core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part-time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job Responsibilities

For further information regarding this role, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A professional mental health qualification e.g. RMN, Social Work Degree or equivalent, BSc/Diploma in OT.
• Post graduate qualification relevant to forensic mental health.
• Student supervisor/assessor or Practice Educator accreditation or equivalent.
• Evidence of Post Graduate Courses, ongoing training and development in theory and practice in chosen profession.

Knowledge and Skills

• An understanding of the Mental Health Act and Mental Health Capacity Act requirements.
• Awareness of community structures and social care management responsibilities.
• Understanding of recovery principles in Mental Health.
• Awareness of legal restraints impacting on the rehabilitation of mentally disordered offenders.
• Good working knowledge of health legislation and current practice including CPA and risk assessment and management.
• Computer Literacy.
• Training and presentation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to produce well-written reports.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals from various settings.
• Ability to assess and develop plans to manage risk.
• Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance and ethical issues.
• Skilled in assessing, planning and evaluating profession-specific interventions.
• A problem-solving approach to professional practice.
• Previously participated in audit and quality assurance programmes.
• Familiarity with basic research methodology.
• Demonstrate an ability and awareness to maintain personal and professional boundaries.
• Able to plan creatively to maximise effectiveness of care plans, including complex multi-agency care plans.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to organize and respond efficiently to complex information.
• Ability to plan services according to needs.
• Excellent self-management skills and ability to set own priorities.
• Ability to take initiative and develop new ideas.
• Able to plan, prioritise, manage and oversee a clinical caseload.

Additional Criteria

• Ability to be mobile across a geographical area.
• To be able to respond promptly to physical and mental health emergencies, to think quickly and to deal with situations in a calm and sensible manner.

Experience

• Experience of managing an extensive and complex caseload of clients with a range of complex forensic mental health needs.
• Working within a community mental health setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector.
• Experience of clinical supervision for qualified and/or support staff.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.
• Understanding of current issues within secure mental health services, clinical governance issues, practice education and implications for your chosen profession.
• Application of health and safety and risk management policies.
• Awareness of the implications of long-term institutional care.
• Understanding of team dynamics.

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.