Job overview
Rough Sleepers Mental Health Practitioner (RMN/ OT/ SW)
We have an opportunity for a Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist to join the ELFT Rough Sleepers Mental Health Project (RAMHP), a London trust wide service covering City of London, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham.
RAMHP is an assessment and liaison service that works with street outreach services to support people who sleep rough and help them get the right mental health care. This role requires an understanding of the health needs of rough sleepers and the challenges homeless people face in health settings.
The team uses an assertive outreach approach which means they will go out to see people where they are. We are looking for people who are trauma informed and creative in how they engage and support people with multiple needs.
The post holder will be an active member of the multidisciplinary team and will support rough sleepers and people experiencing multiple exclusion homelessness with multiple needs by providing bio-psychosocial assessment.
The core hours of the RAMHP team is Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm. However there are periodic outreach shifts. Early shifts start at 5:30am and later shifts end at midnight.
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, or to arrange a visit please call Hilary Neal, Operational Lead, on 07970 650805
Main duties of the job
1. To work with people who are rough sleepers who are experiencing a mental health problems. Provide assessment and link in with other advocacy and support services in the non-profit sector as well as helping existing services work together more effectively so that homeless people are identified, assessed, supported and directed so that their recovery is sustained.
2. The team operates 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. The team mainly operates 9am - 5pm shift patterns. In addition, there are regular early and late outreach shifts with street outreach teams.
3. Work with the Clinical and Operational Leads in supporting the continuous development of the service ensuring safe and effective practice upholding the Trust values with the homeless person at the centre of all care delivered.
4. To undertake comprehensive assessments of mental health and social needs including risk assessments effectively and efficiently.
5. To have an understanding of trauma informed principles and the challenges homeless people face in health settings.
6. To promote a service user focussed service and maintain a recovery focussed ethos. To formulate and agree care plans and safety care plans.
7. Be flexible, working according to the needs of the service.
Working for our organisation
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
8. Develop and maintain a high standard of practice based on assessment through the use of psychoeducation, the Recovery Model and supportive clinical management.
9. To liaise and establish good working relationships with partner agencies, colleagues in non-profit sector services, Primary Care services, Social Services, Community Mental Health Teams, In-Patient services, Criminal Justice, and other agencies as appropriate.
10. To have knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions available to reduce distress for individuals experiencing mental illness/ distress.
11. Ability to work autonomously and within MDT setting.
12. To work with the multi-disciplinary team in developing plans that offer supportive care in the least restrictive way.
13. Act as a role model in the practice area, encouraging staff in teaching and supervision to sustain a supportive learning environment.
14. Be responsible for the maintenance and accurate recording of patient information in the documentation systems and to ensure the effective dissemination of patient information throughout the multidisciplinary team.
15. Ensure compliance with the requirements of Safeguarding Adults and Children’s policies. To ensure that staff have the required knowledge and skills to work within these procedures to support the safety of vulnerable adults and children.
16. Recognize the role of advocacy, promote concept of autonomy and self-empowerment and ensure members of the team comply with this.
17. Have an understanding of the KPI’s for the Rough Sleeper Mental Health Project and ensure compliance with Trust CQUINs
18. Participate in audits and survey relevant to the team
19. Identify own educational needs ensuring professional updating and development as appropriate.
20. Ensure full potential through supervision, appraisals and performance management.
21. Ensure that you are suitably skilled in addressing the physical health needs of service users.
22. To participate in development of new policies and procedures as required
23. Ensure that clients receive a culturally competent service
24. To co-ordinate the day-to-day activity and manage the workload of the Team
25. To ensure the legal requirements of the Mental Health Act (1983) and subsequent amendments and the Mental Capacity Act (2005) are adhered to
26. To establish and maintain good relationships with service users, carers and voluntary sector colleagues
27. To provide best evidence practice to service users which complies with legislation, policies and procedures and relevant quality, governance and local and national guidelines.
28. Ensuring that the local demographics are taken into consideration for service provision and improvement
29. To represent the team positively both internally and externally to the Trust.
Person specification
Education, qualification, training
Essential criteria
30. •Relevant clinical qualification (RMN, SW, OT)
31. •Active registration with relevant clinical body
32. •Evidence of post qualification clinical training
33. •Evidence of continual professional development
34. •Higher Education qualification in Community Mental Health
Experience
Essential criteria
35. •Experience in hospital or community caseload management
36. •Experience in working with diverse agencies in a complex environment
37. •Experience of working as part of a multi-Professional team
38. •Experience of making full psycho-social assessments and writing reports
39. •Experience of partnership working with other agencies
Knowledge and skills
Essential criteria
40. •Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
41. •Ability to prioritise workload
42. •Excellent time management skills
43. •Ability to work autonomously and independently
44. •Ability to be innovative in daily practice
45. •Ability to work effectively as part of a team
46. •Ability to work effectively with other agencies including the voluntary sector
47. •Word processing and computer skills or willingness to attend training
48. •Ability to engage with people with serious mental health problems in a holistic manner
49. •Understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Care Act 2014
50. •Knowledge and understanding of the presentation of mental health problems
51. •Able to demonstrate high level of care expertise
52. •Ability to manage severely challenging behaviour/ crisis intervention
53. •Ability to manage unpredictable workloads and frequent demands on concentration and attention
54. •Understanding of the key themes of clinical governance and evidence based practice
55. •Knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities, confidentiality and consent issues
56. •Health and safety issues