We are recruiting Primary Care Network Mental Health Practitioners for the Havering area.

As a mental health practitioner working for a primary care network, you will be expected to provide timely and effective assessment and intervention for patients with common mental health problems.

You will be the first point of contact for many patients who seek help for their mental health needs, and you will use your clinical skills and knowledge to determine the most appropriate course of action.

You will also be responsible for referring patients to other services or agencies if they require more specialised or intensive support. You will work collaboratively with other health professionals, such as GPs, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers, to ensure patients receive holistic and person-centred care.

As part of the MDT, the post holder will work closely with the PCN nominated MH Lead to review workload and develop a work plan to ensure sustainability and will report to the PCN Clinical Directors.

Main duties of the job

Working for our Primary Care Network (PCN)

Havering Crest PCN has a list size of under 40,000 and is the smallest PCN in Havering. It is made up of 7 Practices located in Romford, Chadwell Health, Rush Green and Hornchurch.

Our MHP would be based on the practices, on a rota basis, and spending more time visiting the large Practices and less in the smaller ones as well as in our Hub.

Our Clinical Directors, Lead GP on mental healthand PCN Manager will ensure our MHP is embedded as part of both the PCN team and practice teams.

Our PCN team will be based at Raphael House, Romford, Pettits Lane RM1 4HP.

NELFT will employ each Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner and will be clinically attached to a local NELFT Mental Health & Wellness Team for supervision and support. The MHP will be jointly managed by NELFT and the PCN Manager / Clinical Director. They will be firmly embedded into an allocated Primary Care Network (group of GP surgeries) and become part of the GP staff group, along with other Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) staff.

About us

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of �4,108 to a maximum of �5,177).

Job description

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description can be found in the attached job description.

The Key Responsibilities are listed in the JD, and in the SLA, we detail Roles and Responsibilities for NELFT, PCN and MHP, which can be explained at the interview.

Aim of the role

This innovative new role is an essential part of a wider initiative to develop and deliver integrated mental health services across Primary Care and Secondary Mental Health Services.

This role is vastly different to working in secondary care mental health, with a higher throughput of patients referring to the surgery and a faster turnaround time for assessment, advice and guidance. Each Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner will be employed by NELFT and will be clinically attached to a local NELFT Mental Health & Wellness Team for supervision and support. The MHP will be jointly managed by NELFT and the PCN Manager / Clinical Director. They will be firmly embedded into an allocated Primary Care Network (group of GP surgeries) and become part of the GP staff group, along with other Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) staff.

The Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner will act as a first clinical point of contact for patients referred to the surgery for triage, support and onward referral as appropriate. This role will be based in and work across an allocated Primary Care Network, providing support for patients with complex mental health needs who are not suitable for IAPT these will include adults and older adults with mental illness and or dementia. The role has been codesigned with the Primary Care Networks, NELFT and service user representatives to meet the needs of the local population within national guidelines. The role will include:

Providing mental health advice, support, and consultation

Facilitating onward access to physical & mental health services

Providing brief mental health interventions

Working with PCN staff to address the biopsychosocial needs of people

Liaising across the local health systems.

Supporting people stepping down from secondary care mental health services

A key objective is to focus on local services and assist GP practices to build and connect to a network across the area they serve, to enable their patients to access appropriate local support. This will include voluntary sector services, self-help, and digital options.

Bespoke workplan Each PCN will need to prioritise tasks in line with banding / experience and agreement with the Mental Health Practitioner. There may be capacity for the MHP to do a variety of other tasks e.g. if they have free appts or a patient has not shown up. These tasks will be discussed with NELFT and the Mental Health Professional and may require the Practice / PCN to train and support the Mental Health Professional e.g. reviewing frequent attenders to the Emergency Department (Working within the scope of professional practice, as per Nursing and Midwifery Counsel guidelines).

Key qualities :This role requires a Mental Health Practitioner with experience of caring for Adults and Older Adults, covering triage, assessment, brief interventions, care planning, management and sign posting.

A knowledge or understanding of primary care, the wider health system and other support services is essential.

The role requires a professional who is confident in working autonomously, can take the initiative to make safe clinical decisions and deliver expert care to patients.

There will be c ollaborative working in multi-disciplinary teams within the PCN and NELFT. There will also be a need to collaborate, actively support and liaise with other health and social care professionals and agencies, and possibly more widely with other organisations. This will require strong team-working, leadership and communication skills.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new role and model of care to deliver new ways of working. It would suit an enthusiastic clinician looking for a new challenge.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
• NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy
• Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Non-Medical Prescriber OR willingness to gain qualification

Knowledge

Essential

• Awareness of NHS Long Term Plan and Primary Care Networks
• Have an understanding of the ARRS Job description
• Understanding of the challenges of providing mental health services to residents of a multi demographic borough
• Understanding of NSF and clinical governance priorities
• Understanding and application of NMC Code of Professional Conduct

Desirable

• Understanding of current governmental policy in relation the provision of mental health and community care
• Knowledge of psycho-social / psycho-educational techniques
• Understanding of Integrated Care Services

Skills

Essential

• Basic awareness of IT and skills in use of technology
• Ability to work with service users and carers as partners in care
• Ability to provide evidence-based care that is responsive to service user need
• Ability to use own initiative and judgement to make decisions
• Ability to cope with change and changing priorities

Desirable

• Competence in use of clinical systems

Other

Essential

• Willingness to work with Primary Care Network, NELFT team and peers to establish the joint role and establish best practice
• Ability to travel efficiently within the PCN area, to different GP practices and NELFT workplace (if applicable)
• Effective leader and role model
• Excellent communicator, both verbally and written
• To be aware and demonstrate the Trust Values
• Ability to motivate others, Confident, self motivated and determined

Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Raphael House

Pettits Lane

Romford

RM1 4HP

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

395-HV502-23