Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Are you an experienced senior mental health clinician looking for a career in one of the UK's most respected mental health and learning disability trusts?

Would you like to be part of a dedicated team committed to helping those with mental health & learning disability problems enjoy a better future?

Would you like to do a job that makes a difference every day?

Liaison Psychiatry is the branch of psychiatry that specialises in the interface between medicine and psychiatry.

Liaison Psychiatry Services nationwide are experiencing significant investment and we are in the privileged position in Devon of being able to further enhance and develop our already well-established Liaison Services within the Royal Devon and Exeter University Hospital.

We are seeking to recruit an experienced and motivated, dynamic Band 6 Senior Mental Health Practitioner with 2-3 years post qualifying experience to join our Liaison Psychiatry service based in Exeter.

You will have a key role in contributing to the mental health care of people in the general hospital and we welcome applications from all mental health professionals, including Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers.

There are full time posts available that cover a Core 24 service, working 7 days a week.

You will be well supported within the team and encouraged to develop your clinical skills and knowledge base within a stimulating learning environment.

Main duties of the job

You will be working within a Senior Mental Health Practitioner role helping support referrals from colleagues within the Royal Devon and Exeter University Hospital. You will be working within a busy team who complete both assessment and consultation work with people who require support for their mental health needs.

It will be your job to make specialist mental health assessments, and devise interventions that will help people to recover. You will play a key role in a dynamic multidisciplinary team, working with multiple agencies on a daily basis.

You will be confident working with supervision, with the knowledge to devise individual recovery plans for the people you see. It is important that you can communicate effectively, not only with your colleagues, but the people you care for, their families and carers. You will be at the centre of their care.

You will be an experienced mental health professional with a professional mental health qualification (RMN, CQSW / ASW, BSc/Diploma in OT, SROT)

We will help you grow in the role and can provide a range of training opportunities, including CPD modules that can help you develop the skills you need to thrive in the job.

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 Trusts 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

Please refer to the full Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will provide further information on this role.

We would encourage you to contact the team manager for any queries.

Person Specification

Experience

• Extensive post registration experience working at band 5 (2-3 years minimum) in mental health care working ideally in both inpatient and community settings.
• Experience of leading on completion of biopsychosocial assessments with people with mental health needs.
• Experience of clinically supervising junior and unqualified staff and mentoring students.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.
• Participation in user involvement in services.
• Evidence of ability to engage with teaching of colleagues both in own team and DGH setting.

Knowledge and skills

• An understanding of Local Mental Health Care Pathways / Mental Health Act / Mental Health Capacity Act & DOLS requirements.
• Willing to engage in completion of a competency framework to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Specialist knowledge and experience of acute mental health issues within working age and Older adults.
• Awareness of community structures and social care management responsibilities.
• Understanding of recovery principles in Mental Health.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health problems.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals from various settings.
• Ability to think and work independently/autonomously following induction.
• Ability to manage risk decision making as part of a persons care plan.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to manage own time and that of the teams.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Computer literacy and ability to produce reports.
• Excellent clinical assessment skills.
• Ability to manage change in a positive manner.

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.