37.5 hours per week.

Applications are invited for a community mental health practitioner (Band 5) in the Older Peoples Mental Health (OPMH) Functional Team based at the Beauchamp Centre in Mount Gould Hospital, Plymouth to replacing the current post holder who is relocating. The role will be full-time (37.5 hours pw) although this is open to some negotiation and the working pattern is currently Monday-Friday excluding Bank Holidays. There is some home working or working from bookable rooms.

The team is a citywide community mental health team for people over the age of 65 in Plymouth with functional mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression and is the sister service to the Plymouth dementia pathway.

The team includes psychiatrists, mental health nurses, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and support workers.

Please note that the postholder must have the ability to travel across Plymouth.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will act as a keyworker under the Personalised Care Framework and with a multidisciplinary approach hold a caseload of patients and help cover other workers in the team as required as well as patients awaiting allocation.

The role encompasses the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patients needs.

As well as your own caseload you will be expected to cover other patients in the absence of their usual workers as well as patients pending allocation.

Attendance at daily team MDTs is expected as well as when appropriate attendance at ward rounds, professionals only meetings, risk management meetings and best interest meetings.

As well as managing patients with functional mental health conditions, where memory problems are suspected you may initiate memory assessments pending diagnosis and eventual transfer of the patient to the local dementia pathway.

You will be expected to liaise with other professionals such as social services or the police as necessary, as well as, nursing and residential homes, GPs and general hospitals, care agencies, the voluntary sector and patient's families or significant others.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.

We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.

Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staff

Leadership & mentoring programmes

Access & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse Training

A Robust Preceptorship

A bespoke induction programme

Existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Tasks and Responsibilities of the Post:

The post holder will assess all new referrals as appropriate, at home or in a clinic setting, in accordance with the agreed Operational Policy.

The post holder will provide nursing care and other interventions as appropriate in the right setting, in accordance with the agreed Operational Policy.

The post holder will arrange for a defined group of practice patients to access other Mental Health Services and work closely with all other clinical professionals e.g. Consultant Psychiatrist, Clinical Psychologist, Social Worker etc.

The post holder will act as a keyworker for an allocated group of patients and organise care in accordance with the Personalised Care Framework.

The post-holder will take part in the clinical audit of the team. This will include annual Peer Reviews and Infection Control audits.

The post holder will ensure that their clinical practice is based on evidence and good practice and in accordance with any NICE guidance.

The post holder will be individually accountable for their practice in accordance with the NMC code of conduct.

Staff Management:

The post holder may be responsible for supervising some junior staff within the team.

Liaison and Administration:

The post holder should maintain close links with in-patient services at Glenbourne, Home Treatment Team, First Response Service, Social Care, Plymouth Dementia Pathway, Dual Diagnosis Services, Primary Care, Counselling Services, Liaison Services at Derriford and Mount Gould hospital. Other services might also be applicable from time to time e.g. the Forensic and Asylum Seekers teams.

The post holder will keep up to date electronic/paper records of all patient and staff activity, ensuring these are kept in a safe place, in accordance with NMC or HPC guidelines, and Livewell Southwest policies including Data Protection Act and the Mental Health & Mental Capacity Acts. The post holder will be aware of NMC/HPC and Livewell Southwest guidelines on record keeping, confidentiality, Mental Health Act and Data Protection Act.

Professional Development and Education:

The post holder will be required to keep up-to-date. This will include mandatory training and developments in mental health nursing or sphere of practice.

The post holder will participate in the provision of relevant community placements and training programmes for nurses.

The post holder will be required to ensure that they receive appropriate regular line management and practice supervision in line with current policies of Livewell Southwest.

The post holder will participate in an annual appraisal this Job Description will be reviewed at this time.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A registered mental health or learning disabilities nurse or a final year student mental health nurse with previous experience in working in a mental health team.

Knowledge

Essential

• Mental Health Act.
• Confidentiality.
• Applies knowledge of the Personalised Care Framework.
• Psychiatric illnesses especially those on the schizophrenic and bi-polar spectrum plus evidence of giving relevant nursing care.
• Knowledge of NICE guidelines in relation to mental health and the ability to apply evidence-based practice.
• Administration of depot injections.

Desirable

• Breakaway.
• Networking with other agencies.
• Ethical issues in relation to Mental Health.
• System one/computer patient records.
• Interest and awareness of national and local services developments.
• Good working knowledge of the Care Quality Commission.

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working in a community mental health team.
• Multi-disciplinary working.
• Relevant experience of working with adults with a history of severe and enduring mental illness.

Desirable

• Life experience in wide range of settings.
• Experience within a community mental health setting.

Skills

Essential

• Ability to travel across Plymouth.
• Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner within a team including:
• Assessment skills.
• Communication and liaison skills.
• Leadership skills/ Supervisory skills.
• Team working skills.
• Self-management ability.
• Prioritising workload/resources
• Administration skills.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Computer skills.
• Risk assessment management.
• Crisis management.
• Lone working.
• Ability to plan/implement a package of care in the community for patients with mental health problems.
• Ability to manage a caseload ensuring record keeping meets the standards of Livewell Southwest.
• Responsible and self-motivated.
• Able to manage own stress.
• Flexible and reliable.
• Empathic.

Desirable

• Ability to recognise and support stress in others.
• Mentorship or equivalent.
• Group Interaction Skills.
• Specific Therapeutic interventions.
• Positive risk management.
• Full driving license for at least 12- months.

Employer details

Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

Livewell South West

Mount Gould Road

Plymouth

PL47QD

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

B9832-2024-NM-9494