Job overview
We are looking for an experienced Clinician to join our team on a permanent role. The role is ideal for experts in specialist services, or candidates looking for a post that requires them to work on their own initiative and contribute to new approaches to commissioning, service development and quality assurance.
To work as part of the dynamic team within the borough based Forensic Community Team, delivering a service to ensure effective, safe and compassionate care pathways, which support recovery and are in place for all service users from the SLP in specialised mental health settings, within the NHS and independent sectors. The long-term aim is to reduce the length of stay in hospital facilities and ensure a timely discharge and ensure value for money for patients.
The post holder must be adept at prioritising the activities that will provide the most efficient, effective and step down, or discharge pathway, and escalate any conditions that will prevent this from happening. The post holder will be responsible for the development and monitoring of the assigned care pathway and improvement plans.
The post holder, in conjunction with the management team, will ensure all clinical effectiveness systems are embedded and sustainable. This will include audit and evidence-based care.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will manage a caseload of clients out of borough and will aim to provide a flexible, responsive, and pro-active programme of care and support for service users, carers and their families.
The post holder will be required to establish, develop and maintain links across a wide variety of organisational boundaries.
The position will involve specialist mental health assessments, and the application of evidence-based psychosocial interventions.
Care co-ordinate primarily forensic clients in High Secure Units, Medium Secure Units, Low Secure Units and Prisons.
To support the discharge of out of area forensic patients back into the community, in suitable placements, under the care of the Care Team.
The completion of necessary forms, such as Facility reports, Panel applications as well as Referral forms.
Have, or develop with support and supervision, specialist rehabilitation and violence risk assessment knowledge, to complete assessments with clients.
Our Forensic Offender Health pathway provides care and treatment for individuals experiencing mental health issues who also pose a risk to the public. We aim to ensure that providing on-going assessment, treatment, support and risk management assessment, results in diversion at the earliest opportunity from the Criminal Justice System.
Working for our organisation
At South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, we believe in providing excellent care which is delivered with pride and compassion. Everything we do is to improve the lives of the people and communities we serve and to promote mental health and wellbeing for all.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels. In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
1) Ensuring that patients’ care pathways are monitored and those patients at heightened risk of delay, transition through the service appropriately. This includes attending and participating liaison and referral meetings and Section 117 meetings with the nominated consultant as appropriate.
2) Ensuring that service users ready for discharge are discharged, or stepped down a level of security, within the appropriate timeframe.
3) Provide summary reports to senior managers as required (these include patient pathway reports, bed occupancy data, or caseload information).
4) Develop and promote positive relationships with housing providers, tenancy support teams, placements and local authorities.
5) Deliver a service with the agreed budget ensuring maximum value in terms of clinical cost effectiveness.
6) To assess needs, plan, implement and monitor care in collaboration with the service user, carers, and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
7) To oversee and coordinate discharge planning and provide training to the wider team or external services regarding individual with complex care needs
8) To implement care that meets the mental, physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of the service user, and that is sensitive to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexuality and disability.
9) To work as part of the Forensic Community Team and undertake advanced clinical work, which will be subject to an agreed work plan. Managing complex cases and analysing and interpreting data in order that patients sit in the correct specialism.
10) Maintain a clear understanding of the services users placed out of Borough, by acting as a point of contact to attend CPA’s, assertively manage discharge pathways, map transfers and reduce risk of delayed discharge. Providing senior clinical advice and support and reviewing potential discharges at heightened risk of delays.
11) To work within policy, professional and legal frameworks at all times. This requires knowledge of NMC Code of Professional Conduct, risk assessment and child protection protocols, Mental Health Act and CPA, and Trust clinical policies.
12) The post holder must be adept at prioritising the activities that will provide the most efficient, effective and safe step down, or discharge pathway and escalate any conditions that will prevent this from happening.
13) Working with community Team Managers across the Trust to ensure all patients being discharged have an allocated RC and CC/Social Supervisor.
14) The post holder will need to be an advanced clinician in order to plan the patients’ care appropriately and engage in MDT discussions. Promoting and developing and role modelling high standards of clinical care.
15) The post holder will embed Quality and Safety Governance Standards within the teams.
16) Undertaking programmes of audit, quality improvement and research within the service and implement the findings, where agreed with senior managers.
17) Assisting in the development and implementation of care pathway clinical tools, so that at any one time it is possible to know where each patient is on their pathway and what the next steps will be.
18) Assisting teams and individuals to negotiate changes in practice required to meet ongoing service developments and identify and implement best practice in the delivery of Mental Health Services.
19) Developing knowledge and skill in Quality Improvement methodologies, which is role modelled and used to develop and improve clinical services.
20) Supporting clear lines of communication and positive working relationships across professional and organisation boundaries, to ensure timely and well-coordinated transitions of care and that the treatment received is in line with best practice.
21) Working to improve the culture of integration across community and inpatient practice, through the promotion of a Recovery Model, which priorities social inclusion by means of collaborative care planning and psycho-social interventions, using the principles of positive risk management and new ways of working.
22) Working collaboratively with the Governance Team, Safeguarding Leads, the SLP Pathways Coordinators, Community Teams, Home Treatment Teams, Housing agencies, Social Services and other teams and agencies, to facilitate all people who use our services, moving appropriately through the care pathways.
Person specification
Relevant Forensic Community Experience
Essential criteria
1. Significant post registration community experiences
2. Experience of working with forensic community caseloads
3. Experience of discharge planning and supporting patients and families during crisis
Desirable criteria
4. Management Course Degree of equivalent experience
5. Experience of working with other client groups and of using a variety of models and approaches to care
6. Knowledge of performance management procedures
7. Proven ability to maintain a balance between strategic and operational management.