An exciting opportunity for a Mental Health Nurse has arisen to join the Early Intervention in Psychosis service (STEP).

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a well-resourced team consisting of mental health nurses, social workers, psychologist, medics, carers and peer support workers. We work with people to improve their quality of life, which is hugely rewarding.

We are a specialist service for people between the age of 14-65 who are experiencing, or at high risk of developing, their first episode of Psychosis.

You will have the opportunity to work autonomously with the support of a strong team of other health care professionals. The role will involve providing assessments, care coordination, outreach and offering support to family members/carers, through education and liaison for people with first episode psychosis in the locality in order to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis.

We are delighted to have recently received additional investment to improve our services and have also been graded as performing well by the NCAP Early Intervention in Psychosis Spotlight audit, making it a great team to be a part of.

Main duties of the job

You'll provide the triage of initial referrals, assessment, outreach, education and liaison for young people and adults with first episode psychosis and work to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis.

Deliver individual therapy/support and family interventions as a member of the Family Support Service to individuals and significant others.

We are able to offer training within the role such as a 10 day course in Family Intervention in conjunction with Exeter University, as well as regular supervision and support from your manager.

About us

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, fantastic pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will to experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!

Job description

Job responsibilities

Professional

To act as an initial point of contact, triaging referrals for people with first episode psychosis in the area and to provide specialist advice in relation to the care of people with psychosis and their families/carers. This may involve the provision of information/advice regarding psychosis, its management and pathways into mental health and related services.

To provide a specialist community outreach service for people with suspected psychosis who may have difficulties engaging with primary or secondary care and their families. This will require highly developed persuasive, motivational, empathic and reassurance skills due to the lack of understanding/insight commonly associated with psychotic symptomatology in the client group.

To maintain and further develop high standards for the delivery of care through cooperative work with colleagues, through audit and supervision.

To be aware of and adhere to Trust policies and procedures.

To receive regular clinical and management supervision in an agreed and appropriate format.

To keep abreast of developments in the field of mental health, research and service development.

To develop and lead therapeutic interventions for service users with a range of mental health difficulties.

To promote and deliver effective interventions.

To participate in relevant Trust clinical governance initiatives.

To participate in and promote clinical audit within the Service.

To liaise with other disciplines and agencies, as appropriate, to ensure best practice is shared.

Responsibility for Patient / Client Care, Treatment & Therapy

To conduct specialist clinical assessments including the use of standardised assessment measures to identify young people and adults experiencing early psychosis and those at risk of making the transition to a first episode psychosis. This will require judgements involving a range of facts or situations which require analysis or comparison of range of options.

To provide Family Interventions to people with first episode psychosis.

To provide individual therapy/support to young people with first episode psychosis utilising advanced counselling skills incorporating motivational interviewing, solution focused and cognitive behavioural techniques.

Providing effective assessment using a recovery approach and strengths model.

Establishing, maintaining and ending purposeful, therapeutic relationships with people experiencing mental health difficulties. Practice will be creative and underpinned by specialist knowledge of, and skills in, evidence-based and psychosocial interventions.

Using knowledge of psychological therapies (for example CBT and CAT) in order to work with people preparing for and participating in specific therapeutic work and to work collaboratively with people during periods of consolidation.

Delivering services using a recovery and strengths approach where solution focused intervention, motivational interviewing and communicating hope are central. Using developed persuasive, negotiation and re-assurance skills to facilitate and enable engagement.

Working with people experiencing relapse using a recovery approach to promote strengths and reduce the risk of dependency on mental health and other services.

Assessing risk in collaboration with people experiencing mental health difficulties, significant others and other workers/professionals, alongside use of own professional judgement and team processes. This involves exploring individual risk of harm to themselves and/or others and may involve working with challenging, hostile and distressing behaviour.

Identifying strengths based Recovery Plans and Risk Management Plans with individuals and other relevant people.

Taking responsibility for communicating Recovery Care Plans, risk management plans and other important information to relevant people, professionals and agencies as appropriate. Encouraging individuals to take the lead in sharing information wherever possible.

Undertaking care management processes through assessment of needs, identification of appropriate placement/packages of care, presenting funding requests to the Trust panel and monitoring and reviewing agreed placements/packages.

Communicating highly complex information to a range of people and professionals with a wide range of levels of understanding. Identifying barriers to understanding and using creative methods to overcome them.

Communicating highly complex information between mental health practitioners and partner agencies including medical staff such as clinical information and investigations.

Identifying changed level of risk in relation to clinical investigations and mental state and distinguishing critical information that requires urgent action or rapid onward referral.

Providing and receiving highly complex and sensitive information in relation to Safeguarding and Child Protection work and taking appropriate action. This includes identifying and appropriately reporting concerns to Children Social Care while using communication skills in order to maintain a professional working relationship with parents and significant others in often hostile and highly emotive situations.

Communicating highly complex, sensitive and emotive information at Child Protection Conferences.

Identifying child, young person and adult protection concerns, raising alerts and participating in Safeguarding Children and Adults processes.

Providing and receiving information from carers, significant others and members of the community. Communication can be highly emotive and there can be significant barriers to acceptance of the approach and intervention of mental health services, for example when requests conflict with the rights and wishes of an individual experiencing mental health difficulties.

Using a systemic approach to working with individuals, their families and significant others. Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with carers and significant others.

Identifying and engaging with practitioners with specialist knowledge, for example by requesting specialist knowledge or clinical supervision sessions where appropriate.

Working without direct supervision and being accountable for own actions.

Skilled and constructive use of own supervision sessions, engagement in reflective practice, commitment to continuously develop self awareness and work appropriately within professional boundaries.

Attend and contribute to team meetings and other appropriate meetings.

Ensure medication and treatments are prescribed and administered by an appropriately qualified professional, as defined within relevant Trust procedures.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RMN, Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification
• Current registration with relevant professional body
• Evidence of post qualifying professional development in an acute setting.

Desirable

• Degree/Diploma level qualification in family interventions in psychosis (eg. FIRST Course)/CBT for Psychosis/Psychosocial Interventions
• Other relevant specialist CPD qualification (eg. Clinical assessment)

Experience

Essential

• Familiarity with Early Interventions principles and research.
• Significant post registration experience in multi-disciplinary community mental health services.
• Experience of managing the physical health of clients including physical observation skills, training in phlebotomy and taking ECGs or willing to undertake training as part of the role.
• Good knowledge of resources and working practices across health and social care.
• Ability to be innovative in practice.
• Experience of managing risk of clients in crisis.
• Experience of assessment, care-plan, development and evaluation in conjunction with clients and carers.
• Experience and knowledge of working with people with mental health problems

Desirable

• Experience of mental health difficulties

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Evidence of a good standard of literacy/English language skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including presentation of cases to multi-disciplinary case conferences.
• Able to carry out evidence-based interventions.
• Be a role model to Peer Support workers.
• Compassionate - Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with patients, carers and relatives about complex and sensitive issues remaining sensitive and empathetic.
• Listens to others views respecting and valuing individual patient needs.
• Professional and patient focussed approach with inspirational skills, acting as a role model to colleagues and junior staff members.
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities for staff and patients.
• Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.
• Ability to lead a team, demonstrating teaching and mentorship skills and work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to work autonomously and independently.
• Experience of carrying out supervision to junior staff, coordinating the care of clients and delegating tasks.
• Ability to record and retrieve information on charts/paper and electronic patient records
• High standards of written communication skills with the ability to use email and internet.
• Ability to work in partnership with other agencies.
• Willingness to lead groups.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working in a community setting.
• Compassionate - Open minded, treats colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.
• Intuitive and caring nature.
• To be able to demonstrate an awareness and responsibility whilst recognising the impact frequent exposure to distressing circumstances has on care and compassion.
• Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the patients.
• Sympathetic and considerate towards patients, carers and relatives.
• Ability to inspire hope, support recovery and make a difference.
• Act in a way that supports equality and diversity.
• Access to regular transport with appropriate business insurance

Desirable

• Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities for staff and patients.
• Required to spend a considerable period of a working day in front of a VDU.
• Ability to travel round Trust area to fulfil the requirements of the role.

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Foundation House

Wellsprings Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA2 7PQ

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

184-OL-GR-374