Job overview
Are you a qualified Nurse, Occupational Therapist, or Social Worker looking to broaden your experience in a supportive and innovative team?
We are offering a 6-month fixed-term opportunity for a Care Coordinator to join the Lewisham Early Intervention Service (LEIS). This role is ideal for an experienced Band 5 clinician seeking a secondment or step-up opportunity into a Band 6 post.
You will be part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary team supporting individuals experiencing their first episode of psychosis. This is a chance to develop your skills in care coordination, psychosocial interventions, and recovery-focused practice, with access to ongoing supervision, training, and professional development.
If you are enthusiastic, compassionate, and ready to take the next step in your career, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will conduct assessments of newly referred adults to the Early Intervention Service who are experiencing First Episode Psychosis (FEP). They will undertake the responsibilities of a care coordinator within the Care Programme Approach for a defined caseload of service users and their carers. They will provide evidence-based psychosocial interventions and will focus on engagement, recovery and social inclusion as well as addressing physical health care needs.
The successful candidate will be an experienced registered professional who is able to demonstrate a specific interest in working with people with first episode psychosis.
Working for our organisation
LEIS is a borough wide community service working in Lewisham with people experiencing first episode psychosis. We are a cohesive and supportive multidisciplinary team that enjoy working with each other, and we are looking for equally enthusiastic and passionate colleagues.
The team is part of the research based Early Intervention Model and works intensively with service users and carers for up to three years, promoting social inclusion and recovery. The team consists of professionals skilled in supporting people experiencing psychosis and includes care coordinators (occupational therapists, nurses and social workers), psychiatrists, psychologists, vocational and employment specialists, and an admin team.
We are passionate about supporting people with psychosis and use a holistic approach and psycho-social interventions to do so. We pride ourselves on being an innovative service and use creative approaches to try and meet the needs of the diverse community that we serve.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1) Assessment: To be responsible for the assessment of newly referred adults with First Episode Psychosis and the subsequent presentation of findings to the wider team. To work with diagnostic uncertainty, providing ongoing comprehensive assessments and outcome monitoring for all service users within caseload. To undertake risk assessments regularly, involving all other health professionals/agencies involved. To ensure that risk assessments are regularly updated, are meaningful and are reflected in care plans.
2) Engagement: Assertively outreach difficult to engage clients. To meet service users regularly, as far as possible at a venue of their choice, be this at home, CMHT centre, education, work or recreational establishments to assist with engagement and encourage participation in treatment delivery as well as facilitating independence in all aspects of daily living.
3) Support: To provide ongoing care coordination of a designated caseload of service users who will be experiencing their first episode of psychosis. To provide support and advice in relation to service users regarding the issues concerning them. To work collaboratively with service users focussing on a recovery approach. Provide information to help clients make an informed choice about opportunities and services available to them and to then assist clients to obtain the required services, support and entitlement.
4) Interventions: To provide interventions relevant to a first episode client group. To ensure all interventions are age appropriate and that care is sensitive to the needs of black and minority ethnic service users. To provide low intensity CBT and Mindfulness interventions under supervision. To provide psycho-education to services users. To have a client centred approach with a focus on resocialisation and social inclusion
5) Families and Carers: To involve families and carers in treatment plans where appropriate. This may require direct family interventions. Ensuring services are provided within guidance of the Children and Carers Acts. To ensure that the needs of Carers are assessed and the care services are provided as necessary. To provide families and carers with psycho-education.
6) MDT Working: To work in co-operation with members of the multi-disciplinary team and all other relevant health professionals to assess, develop, implement and evaluate high quality packages of client centred care. To form effective relationships with inpatient services to facilitate early effective discharge. To participate in Mental Health Act Assessments of service users that you are responsible for as appropriate. To take part in all clinical meetings.
7) Communication: To maintain accurate clinical documentation on designated caseload ensuring case notes are up to date as per guidance and in line with electronic patient journey system. To ensure effective verbal and written communication with all involved with delivery of care. The post holder will liaise with other disciplines and organisations to ensure that all issues affecting service user care are managed and communicated to a high standard.
8) Personal Development: To remain up to date with current/emerging good practice relating to community mental health services, in general and Early Intervention services in particular. To abide by the policies of SLAM NHS foundation Trust and Local Authority. To keep abreast of all developments pertaining to the provision of Community Mental Health Care. To contribute to effective MDT working. To meet regularly with Team Manager/Supervisor. To remain up to date with all mandatory training requirements. To undertake CPD as agreed with Team Leader. To provide supervision to other junior members of staff.
9) Miscellaneous: To participate in the team duty system. To provide cover for colleagues in their absence. To participate in research as requested. To undertake audit/clinical governance as required. To undertake other duties as requested by Clinical Service Lead and the LEIS Team Leader and to be willing to work from any location in the borough.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Relevant professional qualification. e.g. RMN with NMC registration or Occupational Therapist or Social Worker with HCPC registration
2. Up to date registration
3. Evidence of continuing professional development e.g. relevant training
Experience
Essential criteria
4. Significant experience of working with service users with psychosis when acutely unwell
5. Significant experience and skills in risk assessment and management
6. Significant experience and clinical assessment skills
7. Experience of working with service users with psychosis and their carers
8. Working within a multi-disciplinary setting
9. Experience of working in a multi-cultural setting
10. Experience of partnership working with statutory and voluntary services
Desirable criteria
11. Experience of the use of evidence based interventions relating to the care of service users with first episode psychosis
12. Experience of working with service users experiencing psychosis within a community setting
13. Experience of carrying out Family Interventions or CBT
14. Experience in working with Dual Diagnosis, LD or ASD
Knowledge
Essential criteria
15. Knowledge of the Recovery Approach and its application in practice
16. Knowledge of a range of interventions appropriate to the needs of service users with first episode of psychosis
17. Knowledge of Early Intervention in Psychosis Approach
18. Knowledge of the issues around social inclusion for mental health services users.
19. Knowledge of CPA, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation as application to practice
Desirable criteria
20. Knowledge of current Government Policy and Guidelines concerning provision of community mental health care and of EI in psychosis in particular
Skills
Essential criteria
21. Skills and experience in crisis management
22. Excellent verbal and written communication skills
23. IT/data input skills
24. Ability to provide psychoeducation to service users and their carers about psychosis
25. Ability to provide care that is sensitive to the needs of minority groups
26. Ability to involve service users in their care