Overview
Join to apply for the Mental Health Practitioner role at Louder Than Words.
The post is a 22.5 hours per week, part-time role within the Complex Needs Team. The team supports people with co-occurring mental health and substance use issues, providing assessment of needs, development, implementation and evaluation of care for a specified group of patients with severe and enduring mental health conditions and co-occurring substance use issues. The service covers Plymouth city wide, with duties across homeless provisions, community settings and partnerships with VCSE colleagues. Staff may be required to work in other parts of the organisation/complex lives system on request and as part of personal development.
The aim of the Complex Needs Team is to promote recovery from dependent substance use and improve health and wellbeing outcomes, linking clients with community activities and wider support networks.
All staff are expected to work across a 7 day service.
Responsibilities
* Carry a caseload of clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use issues.
* Provide line management and caseload supervision to Band 5 and below.
* Contribute to professional development, appraisal, performance review and recruitment.
* Act as a Care-Coordinator for a defined group of patients and organise care in accordance with the Personalised Care Framework.
* Ensure clinical practice is based on evidence and good practice and in accordance with NICE guidance.
* Be individually accountable for practice in line with NMC, HPC, or Social Work England codes of conduct.
* Promote positive risk management to support client independence and autonomy of choice.
* Liaise with community resources and facilitate use of mainstream resources.
* Maintain a caseload of clients with significant mental health complexity.
* Participate in shift lead duties and provide appropriate supervision.
* Practice within the legal and ethical framework set out by mental health legislation to protect service users' interests and well-being.
* Develop and maintain relationships with service users, carers, families and professionals involved in service delivery.
* Engage in support and care plans for those with complex needs and high-risk behaviours, including dynamic risk assessments and risk management.
* Collaborate with Adult Social Care to identify and implement eligible Care Act needs.
* Contribute to professional development and dissemination of knowledge within the team.
* Respond to referrals from secondary mental health services and other statutory bodies with triage, assessment and care program development for individuals, groups and families who are difficult to engage.
* Plan with teaching establishments for student learning experiences and ensure program quality.
* Participate in and support training programs for all staff groups.
* Monitor standards of practice within the team and address deficits via audit.
* Coordinate evidence collection to support standards for better health and quality improvement.
* Prioritise and re-assign team workload and develop a caseload management system.
* Assist the Team Manager in investigation of complaints and support the team through organisational change.
* Attend and lead community drop-in clinics in homeless provisions across the city.
Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications
Essential
* Skilled and experienced clinician in assessment, risk management and crisis intervention.
* Good verbal and written communication skills.
* Empathic approach to care that respects clients’ dignity and human rights.
* Strong interpersonal skills with a range of stakeholders.
* Supervisory skills and ability to work autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
* Calm, adaptable and able to work flexibly; able to manage stress and change.
* Ability to commute around the locality.
* Willingness to participate in service development and drive improvements.
* Commitment to maintaining a healthy team culture and supporting staff through change.
Desirable
* Specialist clinical skills (e.g., CBT, Psycho-social Interventions, DBT, etc.).
* Staff appraisal skills and knowledge of medication management relevant to the post.
Qualifications
Essential
* GCSE English and Maths at grade A-C.
* Relevant undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Nursing, Social Work, or Occupational Therapy with professional registration (NMC, HCPC or Social Work England).
Desirable
* Further professional development in Recovery CBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing.
Experience
Essential
* Relevant and substantial post-registration mental health experience.
* Experience working with adults who use substances in problematic or harmful ways.
* Experience in a Community Mental Health setting or demonstrated ability to fulfil the functions of a Community Mental Health Practitioner.
Desirable
* Care co-ordination experience.
* Caseload management and handling complex mental health and substance use risk.
* Experience at a senior level including managerial experience, staff supervision and operational issues.
Other information
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check may be required. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a DBS disclosure check.
Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker sponsorship will be considered. For more information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.
Employer: Livewell Southwest. Address: Harbour Centre (plymouth) Ltd, Mutley Plain, Plymouth, PL4 6LF. Website: https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/.
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