NHS Practitioner Health (PH) is a specialist primary care level service for the treatment of NHS and care staff who have mental health or addiction issues who cant access local support due to the nature of their role. The First Contact Team (FCT) is the front door to all the pathways at NHS Practitioner Health. This role is key in the delivery of a high quality, effective service to our patients, and ensuring they are seen rapidly and by the most appropriate person within the team. As a key member of NHS PH, you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team which includes doctors, specialist nurses, psychiatrists and therapists, with access to a network of specialist advisors as part of the PH central team.
The post holder will be required to: Review new registrations, identifying eligibility and an appropriate pathway. Assess patients identified as suitable for an early contact assessment and carry out risk assessments on patients where a high level of risk is identified at registration. Offer triage appointments to assess suitability for those presenting as high risk. Provide evidence based mental health and addiction interventions for sick health and care professionals Case manages a group of patients who may or may not be in active treatment elsewhere.
Effectively manage risk and share concerns with the wider team, and report back to the First Contact Lead or Lead clinician as necessary. Work with patients in active addiction and support them towards abstinence. Have the skills to support people with mental health issues and those with addictions. Work with the medical and clinical directors in developing and delivering health promotion and teaching projects, including psychoeducation.
Contribute towards wider Practitioner Health and Hurley Group activities and projects. You will need to be a confident decision maker and be skilled in undertaking risk assessments of health and care staff that have mental health and addiction issues, taking into account the complexity their role brings to their health issue. You will need to be able to confidently discuss medication initiation, dose changes, and make suitable recommendations to practitioner patients. This role is unique as the patients you assess and treat, will also be your peers, so you need to be assertive, confident and highly skilled and be able to justify your decision making, and plans.