Job overview
Are you a nurse, social worker or occupational therapist interested in supporting children, young people and their families who are experiencing mental health difficulties or neurodivergence? Would you like to further your career within CAMHS?
If so, we have an opportunity for you!
The Single Point of Access serves as the "front door" to Buckinghamshire CAMHS. We are a team of nurturing, experienced clinicians and support staff who are passionate about providing equitable access to mental health care, early intervention and staff development.
The team works to screen and triage new referrals into Buckinghamshire CAMH, and make decisions on care for these children. We also provide advice, guidance and consultation to young people and their families, healthcare professionals and schools, as well as deliver training on mental health care.
Main duties of the job
As a Mental Health Practitioner in SPA, you will screen and triage referrals and other contacts into SPA, and provide expert advice and guidance, onward referrals and signposting.
You will also act as shift lead, coordinating SPA staff on a shift to ensure that risk is managed, and cases are triaged effectively. You will gain valuable skills in clinical leadership. You will provide clinical support from our base at the Sue Nichols' Centre in Aylesbury, with the opportunity to work from home at times.
You will also have the chance to be involved in the delivery of accredited training to external professionals in schools and from the local authority, by attending a 3-day train-the-trainer programme delivered by the University of Reading.
You will receive individualised support as a clinician and professional to enable you to grow as a valued member of our team. All staff receive management, clinical (where appropriate) and safeguarding supervision as standard.
Within SPA, we have regular reflective practice and opportunities to share learning. We also have a Bucks CAMHS Nurse's forum, and SPA Peer Supervision, for you to share knowledge and discuss current topics.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
1. Excellent opportunities for career progression
2. Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
3. 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
4. NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
5. Competitive pension scheme
6. Lease car scheme
7. Cycle to work scheme
8. Employee Assistance Programme
9. Mental Health First Aiders
10. Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
11. Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
What we need from you!
12. A qualified professional with core clinical qualification with passion and drive for developing your clinical skills in a changeable environment.
13. A keen interest in new and upcoming technologies within CAMHS
14. Be self-motivated and able to work autonomously as well as showing initiative and promoting new ideas on how to improve the service.
15. Be compassionate, caring and creative with excellent communication skills.
16. A flexible and positive attitude with a willingness to accommodate our 24/7 service.
Please see the job description and person specification attached to this advert for more information on the job role.
Person specification
Education and Training
Essential criteria
17. Registered Nurse (Mental Health Nurse, Learning Disability Nurse)
18. Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio
Desirable criteria
19. Approved Mental Health Professional
Knowledge
Essential criteria
20. Ability to work as part of an MDT and liaise with other agencies
Desirable criteria
21. Understanding of principles and methods of clinical audit, research and service evaluation
Experience
Essential criteria
22. Significant post qualification experience in a mental health setting, working with people with mental illness.
Desirable criteria
23. Previous experience in a CAMHS community service.
24. All new starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process, aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale
25. Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
26. Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
27. Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
28. We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.
29. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an Equal Opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential. All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values – safe, caring and excellent.
30. Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
31. Oxford is a world-renowned centre of excellence for research. Oxford Health works closely with the University of Oxford department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary care, has a Biomedical Research Centre dedicated to improving mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site. The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) which carries out applied research that directly impacts patient health and wellbeing