Please see our additional info sheet for full details of our service

The Integrated Access Partnership provides both remote and face-to-face triage and assessment of urgent and emergency mental health needs. We are looking for Band 6 Specialist Practitioners to join our innovative and pioneering service as a valued member of our registered workforce.

This is a 24/7 service and you will work a range of shifts, including weekends and nights, rotating across IAP services, which comprise:

• Mental Health Specialist Desk - working in the Ambulance Service's Emergency Operations Centre to triage mental health 999 calls for the most appropriate response
• Mental Health Response Vehicle - responding in a blue-light emergency vehicle to attend directly to patients in mental health crisis
• Urgent Assessment Centre - providing face-to-face assessments, at an alternative location, for patients who would otherwise have attended ED
• Mental Health Clinical Assessment Service - responding to patients with mental health needs who have contacted NHS 111, co-located with physical health urgent care colleagues
• Emergency Services Mental Health Professional Line - providing remote support to police, fire and ambulance service colleagues who are at the scene of a mental health incident.

Main duties of the job

As a Mental Health Specialist Practitioner you will be demonstrating specialist practice and leading by example. You will also help supervise staff, supporting senior practitioners and team managers in working towards shared objectives.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues from Police, Ambulance and Fire services, and will be triaging and supporting people of all ages.

Through our collaborative approach, we aim to achieve:

• Reductions in detention for S136 MHA.
• Reductions in demand for ambulance resources in relation to mental health.
• Improved communication as a result of partnership working.
• Improved emergency service confidence in dealing with people suffering mental health issues.
• Faster responses to deal with those suffering from mental health problems.
• Reductions in numbers of people accessing A& E when this is not the most suitable service for their needs.
• Improved information sharing between agencies.
• Improved patient outcomes and experience.
• Improved working relationships between police and health services.
• Reductions in police dispatch to mental health incidents.
• Direct access to mental health services.
• Collection of relevant data that reflects the effectiveness of the team.
• Audit and review of the service provided.

Find out more about the IAP in the information document below and through watching our service video (About the Mental Health Integrated Access Partnership - YouTube).

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B& NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Result Areas

1. In a wide range of situations and locations to undertake the full range of activities required to deliver comprehensive mental health assessment, in an emergency for service users who may be distressed and in crisis.

This will include:

a. The use of standardised assessment tools i.e. SBAR, Risk Assessment.

b. Accessing available information on Ri0 and recording on Ri0.

c. History, strengths and aspirations.

d. Mental state.

e. Impact of culture and diversity.

f. Functional needs.

g. The needs of family and carer.

h. Evaluation of risk.

i. Physical health.

j. Complicating factors.

k. Identifying and ensuring specialist involvement where required.

l. The interventions and treatments required to enable positive change.

m. Social Care.

n. Safeguarding and public protection.

o. Capacity under the Mental Capacity Act

2. To participate in developing comprehensive plans for persons with mental health needs who frequently contact emergency services, including strategies to manage risk for service users with complex needs, bringing in other resources as required.

3. To provide effective liaison with healthcare and other professionals.

4. Coordinating and undertaking protective interventions which maybe required in the protection of others, as outline in the protection plan, taking individual action where indicated.

5. Undertake active clinical leadership and supervision within the team, covering for the manager and colleagues as required.

6. To maintain the single health and social care record, ensuring both paper and electronic records are kept up to date in accordance with professional and organisational standards.

7. To provide mentoring/ training for others in relevant practice areas, according to professional requirements, taking a collaborative approach to practice development and evidence-based care. Specifically this means providing a safe and effective learning environment for the mentoring and supervising of students, participating in their learning objectives and assessments.

8. Demonstrate responsibility for developing own practice in line with professional qualifications and for contributing to the development of others, by making use of and providing, effective feedback, supervision, coaching and appraisal.

9. To adhere to professional codes of conduct ensuring required skills and competencies required are maintained.

10. Monitor and maintain health, safety and security of self and others, undertaking assessments and taking appropriate action where required. Develop own knowledge and practice, and contribute to the development of others, making use of available feedback, supervision and appraisal to identify appropriate areas of development for this work role, taking responsibility for accessing identified learning and training opportunities.

11. Lead, maintain and participate in practices, which enable effective team working.

12. To participate in local arrangements where required to manage unexpected staff absences.

This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with AWP trust policy all newly qualified social workers (NQSW) will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances in which case it may be extended for a further 2 years.

If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role this will be an automatic progression, following confirmation of your successful ASYE completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 post you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy upon successful ASYE completion.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registration relevant for the role
• Diploma level/degree in relevant health/social care profession

Desirable

• Relevant post-registration qualifications

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-registration experience in frontline mental health services
• Developed understanding of the recovery principles and role of secondary mental health services
• Experience of assessing and managing risk and developing risk strategies
• Ability to articulate detailed understanding of relevant legal frameworks/legislation

Desirable

• Experience gained in a wide variety of settings
• Experience of mentoring/assessing students and learners
• Evidence of additional training/ development

Skills

Essential

• Able to deliver from a range of key therapeutic interventions
• Highly developed verbal communications skills, ability to engage with a wide range of professionals, agencies and services
• Highly developed active listening skills
• Highly developed written communications skills, experience of completing extensive documentation and reports
• IT skills including competent use of Microsoft Office and use of electronic record keeping systems
• Mobile with the facility to move quickly across a geographically dispersed area

Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Bristol - Based at either Bradley Stoke or Whitchurch with rotational working

Bristol

BS32 4QJ

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

342-BR268-1124