Community Mental Health Practitioner

The post-holder is responsible to the Practice Leads of the Community Mental Health Service (CMHS) for the assessment of needs, development, implementation and evaluation of care for patients from a specified group of General Practitioner practices. The practitioner is responsible for assessment of needs, development, implementation and evaluation of care, within agreed Personalised Care Framework procedures. The post holder may be required to supervise junior staff within the CMHS. Accountability: The post holder is accountable to the Community Services Manager through the Line Management system within the CMHS. Completion of Training as a first level to gain entry onto professional registration e.g. Nursing, Social Work or Occupational Therapy. The services are dedicated to enhancing the quality of mental health care and improving outcomes for adults with mental health needs in Plymouth. They work collaboratively with colleagues across relevant departments and wards, developing tailored plans and delivering holistic biopsychosocial assessments and support to identify each patients mental health needs and any risks they may pose to themselves or others. The teams work in close collaboration with other services including the Home Treatment Team, hospital placements, crisis services and Adult Social Care. The role includes a high level of autonomous working, with the post holder carrying out high-quality skilled mental health assessments and providing risk formulation and care plans for patients using the service. This will be in close collaboration with family, friends and carers. Care is generally provided in peoples homes and in other community settings. The post holder will work across various Livewell and community sites. The post holder will provide support and supervision to junior staff such as community support workers and peer support workers within the team. The post will include flexible working patterns over the 7-day week to incorporate cover for a 24/7 service, including nights on-call if required. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES 4.1 Responsibility for People Management • The post holder may be responsible for supervising some junior staff within the CMHS 4.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources • You will be responsible for physical health equipment when visiting patients within the community. • You will be responsible for stock control of medication following Livewell Policies. 4.3 Responsibility for administration The post holder should maintain close links with in-patient services at Glenbourne, Home Treatment Team, Social Care, Dual Diagnosis Services, Primary Care, Counselling Services. 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 Act. The post holder will be aware of NMC/HPC and Livewell Southwest guidelines on record keeping, confidentiality, Mental Health Act and Data Protection Act. 4.4 Responsibility for people who use our services The post holder will assess all new referrals as appropriate, in the patients practice, 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 parts of Adult 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 Key Worker for a defined group of practice patients and organise care in accordance with the Personalised Care Framework. 4.5 Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments 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 clinical 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. 4.6 Other Responsibilities The post-holder will take part in the clinical audit of the CMHS. This will include annual Personalised Care Framework and Health Records 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 or HPC professional code of conduct. Please see attached full job description and person specification for full details Job description Job responsibilities The post-holder is responsible to the Practice Leads of the Community Mental Health Service (CMHS) for the assessment of needs, development, implementation and evaluation of care for patients from a specified group of General Practitioner practices. The practitioner is responsible for assessment of needs, development, implementation and evaluation of care, within agreed Personalised Care Framework procedures. The post holder may be required to supervise junior staff within the CMHS. Accountability: The post holder is accountable to the Community Services Manager through the Line Management system within the CMHS. Completion of Training as a first level to gain entry onto professional registration e.g. Nursing, Social Work or Occupational Therapy. The services are dedicated to enhancing the quality of mental health care and improving outcomes for adults with mental health needs in Plymouth. They work collaboratively with colleagues across relevant departments and wards, developing tailored plans and delivering holistic biopsychosocial assessments and support to identify each patients mental health needs and any risks they may pose to themselves or others. The teams work in close collaboration with other services including the Home Treatment Team, hospital placements, crisis services and Adult Social Care. The role includes a high level of autonomous working, with the post holder carrying out high-quality skilled mental health assessments and providing risk formulation and care plans for patients using the service. This will be in close collaboration with family, friends and carers. Care is generally provided in peoples homes and in other community settings. The post holder will work across various Livewell and community sites. The post holder will provide support and supervision to junior staff such as community support workers and peer support workers within the team. The post will include flexible working patterns over the 7-day week to incorporate cover for a 24/7 service, including nights on-call if required. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES 4.1 Responsibility for People Management • The post holder may be responsible for supervising some junior staff within the CMHS 4.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources • You will be responsible for physical health equipment when visiting patients within the community. • You will be responsible for stock control of medication following Livewell Policies. 4.3 Responsibility for administration The post holder should maintain close links with in-patient services at Glenbourne, Home Treatment Team, Social Care, Dual Diagnosis Services, Primary Care, Counselling Services. 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 Act. The post holder will be aware of NMC/HPC and Livewell Southwest guidelines on record keeping, confidentiality, Mental Health Act and Data Protection Act. 4.4 Responsibility for people who use our services The post holder will assess all new referrals as appropriate, in the patients practice, 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 parts of Adult 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 Key Worker for a defined group of practice patients and organise care in accordance with the Personalised Care Framework. 4.5 Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments 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 clinical 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. 4.6 Other Responsibilities The post-holder will take part in the clinical audit of the CMHS. This will include annual Personalised Care Framework and Health Records 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 or HPC professional code of conduct. Please see attached full job description and person specification for full details