Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary
Up to 37.5 hours per week. We are looking for suitably qualified practitioners with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills with the ability to work under pressure. Experience of working with adults of working age and older people is desirable but not essential. Liaison Psychiatry in Derriford provides a 24hr, 7 days a week provision and successful applicants will be expected to work various shift patterns on a rotational basis.

Main duties of the job
The specialist function of the team is to provide bio-psychosocial assessments for individuals aged 18 years and above within the Derriford Hospital footprint, either attending via the Emergency Department or being an in-patient within the hospital. Patients seen may present with mental health difficulties eg. psychiatric crisis or an organic presentation such as a dementia /delirium. Following assessment, patients may be signposted to services in their local area (be that Plymouth, Cornwall, Devon or further afield). The Team work with hospital staff to develop plans of care for those who may be staying in hospital for a little longer. Its a challenging and rewarding service to work in, and we need the best quality of candidates to help us grow our service further. We welcome applications from Registered Nurses (RMN and RGN), Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers who have relevant experience (NMC/HCPC registrations required). Please demonstrate in your application how you meet the essential criteria in order to be considered. 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. Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline. All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs. As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve. We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives. We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation. Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Job responsibilities
Based within Derriford Hospital the Liaison Psychiatry service provides a mental health service to all wards and departments within the hospital where a person who has mental health need is receiving care. As a member of the Liaison Psychiatry Team you will be expected to assess patients who are referred from the Emergency Department and ward areas within the acute general hospital. The specialist function of the team is to provide bio-psychosocial assessments for individuals aged 18 yrs. and above within the Derriford Hospital footprint, either attending via the Emergency Department or being an in-patient within the hospital. Patients seen may present with mental health difficulties eg. psychiatric crisis or an organic presentation such as a dementia /delirium You will be expected to be able to make clear clinical decisions based on the analysis of, often complex, presenting problems. This can include being the decision maker in terms of discharge of patients experiencing mental health needs. You will be required at times to make clear autonomous decisions, based on analysis of complex presenting problems and clinical judgement. You will be able to demonstrate a high level of communication skills in terms of use of verbal, electronic and written formats. You will be required to engage with patients who can be challenging and /or acutely distressed. You will have Freedom to Act as a lone worker. Some autonomous working is expected. The Liaison Psychiatry Service sustains Core 24 compliance The operational hours of this service, is currently 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, with different shift patterns to cover the service delivery. Post holders will be expected to participate in the shift patterns over a 7 day period including weekends and bank holidays. In conjunction with other team members screen all referrals received by the team. Undertake holistic and comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessments incorporating assessment of mental state of patients referred to the service. Utilise a range of highly specialised clinical skills appropriate to the needs of individual patients and the clinical setting in which they are seen. Conduct risk assessments on all patients presenting to the service in line with policy. The post holder will have highly developed risk assessment skills to manage complex presentations and challenging behaviours .Advise ward nursing, medical and other professional staff on the management of patients and contribute to care planning to meet identified needs.Evaluate effectiveness of care interventions with all disciplines of staff, adjusting care plans where necessary.Provide a consultation-liaison service to clinicians and clinical teams within the general hospital. This will include giving specialist advice on care, treatment and patients management issues. Work in collaboration with colleagues in the promotion of care delivery and strategic objectives and taking responsibility/lead for specific areas of working e.g. liaison with police, drugs and alcohol, Safeguarding.Refer and signpost people to appropriate mental health services as required both within and outside of the organisations area. Work collaboratively with social care teams, discharge planning teams, onward care teams, community liaison teams and community mental health teams in devising appropriate discharge plans. Deliver care that is evidenced based and reflecting current best practice. Be accountable for own practice in accordance with NMC Code of Professional practice or HCPC relevant codes of practice. Demonstrate sound understanding of the ethical and legal issues in caring for all older adults attending the hospital. This will include Mental Health Act (1983), Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (2005) issues as required. Raise awareness of mental health needs of older people in acute general hospital setting through discussion and collaborative working with staff of all levels and disciplines. Raise awareness of the mental health needs of the general population within the acute general hospital. Provide support and advice for carers and families of people with mental health needs within the general hospital setting whenever possible. The Liaison Service is committed to the implementation of the Triangle of Care as fully as possible. Work collaboratively with colleagues in the development of the Liaison Psychiatry Service. Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, families and carers.

Work positively and sensitively with challenging and hostile behaviours to enable therapeutic and productive outcome.

Have highly developed interpersonal skills, self awareness and empathy to engage with others and provide an effective outcome.

Demonstrate the ability to negotiate and problem solve in complex situations where agreement is required, or communicate clear decision making and rationale when agreement cannot be reached.

Provide comprehensive information based on assessment to inform the care, treatment or discharge planning process of patients within the acute general hospital.

Demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues within the Liaison Psychiatry Team and across other statutory and non-statutory organisations.

Maintain confidentiality of the patients as per policy whilst sharing information when appropriate to do so

Keep accurate and contemporaneous electronic/written patient records and comply with professional and Trust record keeping policies including CPA.

Comply with Local and National policies in relation to confidentiality and information sharing protocols.

Liaise with existing community MH teams regarding the status and progress of patients who are under their care in the acute general hospital setting. Demonstrate the ability to adapt communication to take account of others needs. Maintain high standards of integrity when communicating with patients and others. Demonstrate ability to use IT systems effectively including email, clinical systems used by the team. Represent the team by attendance at meetings as delegated by Team Manager. Act as a role model in providing a service for people with mental health problems for all staff within the acute general hospital.

Person Specification
Disposition
Essential

• Autonomous practitioner with ability to work unsupervised. Facilitative and Influencing skills. Flexible and adaptable. Tact, diplomacy and self-confident. Ability to meet deadlines. Ability to prioritise and reprioritise work to meet clinical demand.

Experience
Essential

• Relevant and Recent experience as a Band 5 Nurse or AHP equivalent either working with older adults or within dementia/complex care environments or with functional mental health issues. Ability to demonstrate transferable skills. Either experience of working with older adults with Depression and older adults with dementia. Or experience of working with adults with functional mental health problems. Suitable Candidates will show a clear willingness to develop skills in the areas of both functional mental health problems and older peoples/complex care mental health needs.

Desirable

• Previous experience of working in a community mental health setting. Evidence of developing and contributing to service development. Experience of change in health care.

Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse/Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional such as Physiotherapist, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist (on relevant register e.g. NMC or HCPC). Mentorship qualification or equivalent experience.

Desirable

• Post qualification experience/training in mental health and related issues. Leadership qualifications. Teaching Qualification. Non Medical Prescribing.

Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• Up to date knowledge of current practice with emphasis on Liaison Psychiatry. Evidence of post registration development. Understanding about how a persons physical health can affect their mental state. Specialist knowledge of mental disorders and their impact on physical health. Understanding of National guidelines and initiatives related to provision of mental health services in an acute general hospital. Understanding of services and their role in the provision of mental health care in the community. General understanding of Continuing Healthcare and the assessment process for this. Sound working knowledge of Mental Health Act (1983), Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (2005). Protection of Vulnerable Adults Policies and Procedures. Time management. Ability to manage environmental stress. Ability to work in a changing team. Articulate with a high level of communication skills. Ability to deal with high levels of emotional stress. Ability to sustain high levels of concentration. Motivated and committed to developing new ideas and improving patient care. Ability to function as an autonomous practitioner. IT skills.

Desirable

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy skills. Problem solving skills. Solution focussed therapy skills. Physical healthcare skills. Motivational interviewing skills. DBT skills. Cognitive assessment skills. Experience of working in both acute mental health and in complex care and dementia care.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.