Are you a skilled mental health professional, looking for a new challenge?

The Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT) is an expanding service that provides support and intervention to patients transitioning from secure care to the community, working inline with the South West Provider Collaborative (SWPC).

We are looking to recruit a dynamic, motivated and experienced Band 6 mental health professional. This is an exciting post in an innovative developing service and we are aiming to develop a highly skilled team.

The team are responsible for overseeing the care of Somerset patients who are currently detained to a secure hospital within the South West region. We also offer specialist advice and guidance to mental health and other relevant services.

You'll care coordinate a small caseload with support from an expert MDT. You will also be able to develop your skills and expertise in providing specialist advice and consultation to other professionals.

The team office will be in Bridgwater, however there will be an expected element of reimbursed travel across the County of Somerset and the South West Provider Collaborative region. This is likely to include travel to Langdon hospital (Devon) and Fromeside hospital (Bristol) as well as Wellesley hospital in Wellington, Somerset.

We welcome informal conversations prior to application and look forward to your call!

Main duties of the job

The aim of the SCFT is to reduce the length of patient stay for patients in secure hospital and work to prevent admission to secure care by

• Providing enhanced community support, to facilitate, support and maintain discharge processes.
• Providing clear, tiered levels of intervention with the aim of admission avoidance, including risk management.
• Encouraging proactive discharge discussions for longer stay patients who may have faced barriers to the discharge process.
• Supporting community placements.

The advertised role will form part of a close working multidisciplinary team, who will provide high quality, psychologically informed, risk managed care for a cohort of patients with complex forensic mental health needs.

You'll be a qualified mental health professional and will be responsible for joint care managing a defined caseload of patients who are currently detained to a secure hospital and are ready for discharge consideration.

The expectation will be to establish close links with each patient, their inpatient care team and families / carers, to support the journey of discharge planning and transition to community living. Many of these patients will return to the community under restricted sections of the mental health act and will require intensive MDT support both pre and post discharge.

You'll oversee each patient's pathway from inpatient care to community living supporting in both settings with regular appointments.

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

For full details please see attached Job Description

Communication and Key Working Relationships:

* Jointly manage a specific, complex forensic caseload (caseload of no more than 15 service users given the intensity and complexity of the work)

* Care pathway management

* Specialist forensic assessment and case management

* Use of evidence based psychosocial interventions known to support forensic service users

* Integration of substance misuse support

* Working alongside partner organisations both statutory and non-statutory

* Working effectively and supportively with Carers

* Supporting education, employment and daily living skill.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RMN OR Diploma/Degree in Occupational Therapy OR Social Work OR other relevant health or social care professional qualification.

Desirable

• Evidence of on-going Commitment to Continuing Professional DevelopmentCPD in the field of forensic mental health -- Or willingness to pursueMentorship Training -- (willingness to obtain qualifications in this area).

Experience

Essential

• Established mental health experienceExperience of working with a forensic cohortExperience of working with clients in the community and inpatient settingsExperience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.Experience of managing risk

Desirable

• Experience of managing a caseload of clients with a range of complex mental health problems.Clinical supervision for qualified and/or support staff

Additional Criteria

Essential

• An understanding of the Mental Health Act & forensic sectionsUnderstanding of recovery principles in Mental HealthGood working knowledge of health legislation and current practice and risk assessment.

Desirable

• Awareness of community structures and social care management responsibilitiesAwareness of legal restraints impacting on the rehabilitation of mentally disordered offendersUnderstanding of formal risk management pathways including MAPPA, MoJ, probation,A working understanding of the South West Provider Collaborative

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Broadway House

Broadway Park

Bridgwater

Somerset

TA6 5LX

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

184-OL-GR-352