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Advanced Mental Health Practitioner

Employer
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Location
Reading
Salary
£46,148 to £52,809 per annum
Closing date
14 Nov 2024
View more categoriesView less categories
Profession
Mental health, Mental health practitioner
Grade
Band 7
Contract Type
Permanent
Hours
Full Time
This is a role within the Psychological Medicine Service older adults team at Royal Berkshire Hospital. The role would suit an experienced practitioner from a mental health nursing background or other similar profession who is looking to further their experience in an acute clinical setting.

The post holder will be joining a well-established and supportive team working with older adults admitted to Royal Berkshire Hospital. The team supports patients on all medical wards across the hospital as well as the emergency department, and is patient centred. Patients present with mental health or cognitive difficulties in the context of declining physical health and/or neurological or neurodegenerative conditions. The work is dynamic and there are many opportunities to develop close working relationships with specialist departments within Royal Berkshire Hospital as well as with other mental health services.

Main duties of the job

  • The role will be to provide specialist mental health care to patients who are in Royal Berkshire Hospital
  • You will undertake initial assessments of older adults who have been referred by Royal Berkshire Hospital and will focus on their mental health needs but adopting a holistic approach
  • You will offer continued mental health support of patients when necessary while on their journey within Royal Berkshire Hospital
  • You will use your skills to formulate a working diagnosis and relevant risk and management plan
  • The cases will be complex at times, and you will participate in and lead professionals meetings
  • A collaborative approach will be used included the view of the patients, family, and carers.


About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
  • Caring for and about you is our top priority
  • Committed to providing good quality, safe services
  • Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
  • Flexible working options to support work-life balance
  • 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
  • Generous NHS pension scheme
  • Excellent learning and career development opportunities
  • 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
  • Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
  • Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
  • Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
  • Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
  • Free parking across Trust site


Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:
  • RMN or equivalent Professional Qualification
  • Broad experience gained over a minimum of two years , acquired by caring for older people with mental health needs in a range of community/inpatient settings
  • Minimum 2 years as Band 6 grade in older peoples mental health services
  • Evidence of on-going professional development

The post is within a supportive multidisciplinary team of mental health practitioners, including mental health nurses, psychologists, and a full-time consultant psychiatrist. The older adult service (65+) is a small team and works alongside the adult team within the Psychological Medicine Service at Royal Berkshire Hospital. The overall service is an established Core24 provision, and is PLAN accredited with the Royal College of Psychiatrists. We are looking for someone who is passionate about providing mental health care for older people and has an approach that displays compassion. A strong interest in mental health in the context of physical health in old age is essential for this role.

An informal visit to the service is encouraged.

The working hours are Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Sue Barclay on 07890 606956, or email: suzanne.barclay@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • RMN, social work or equivalent Professional Qualification


Desirable

  • RGN (ie dual qualified)


Continuous Professional Development

Essential

  • Evidence of on-going professional development
  • Student mentorship


Desirable

  • Completion of a range of post-graduate courses related to specialism eg Advance Dementia Care, Nurse Prescribing, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Communicating and caregiving in Dementia, or Masters Degree
  • Specialist training in liaison psychiatry


Previous Experience

Essential

  • Broad experience gained over a minimum of two years , acquired by caring for older people with mental health needs in a range of community/inpatient settings
  • Minimum 2 years as Band 6 grade in older peoples mental health services
  • Support and empowerment of carers
  • Supervision of others


Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Advanced assessment and clinical reasoning skills
  • Skilled in identifying and differentiating between a wide range of diagnoses
  • Confident to recommend to non mental health staff treatment approaches and/or medication for a patient's psychological needs
  • Thorough knowledge of the network of support services for patients and carers, and the means of accessing them oAdvanced


Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Time management and identifying priorities
  • Comprehensive knowledge of Mental Health Legislation
  • Experience of conducting staff supervision/appraisals
  • Risk assessment and management skills
  • Good IT skills
  • Ability to manage stress
  • Able to work unsocial hours


Desirable

  • Teaching and facilitating group work
  • Experience of conducting audit/research
  • Car driver with use of a vehicle for work purposes


Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Craven Road

Reading

RG1 5AN

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

371-MHS565-A

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