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Job summary

Main area
CAMHS
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
334-CLI-6739985
Employer
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Chaucer Resource Centre
Town
London
Salary
£54,320 - £60,981 per annum Incl. of inner HCAs
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
12/01/2025 23:59
Interview date
23/01/2025

Employer heading

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust logo

Adult Mental Health Specialist

NHS AfC: Band 7

 

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives  in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology  to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust. 

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

The Parental Mental Health Team is an innovative early intervention nurse-led service working with parents of children under age 5 experiencing mental distress.  We provide mental health assessments,  offering a range of support in the home and groups in the community.  

We are seeking an enthusiastic, flexible and experienced Mental Health Nurse or Allied Health Professional who is keen to strengthen their knowledge and expertise in parental mental health and to use a ‘Think family’ approach.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build on skills and experience, working in a unique community team carrying out a range of group and individual interventions.  They will carry out mental health and risk assessments, including risk factors involving adults and children. A good awareness of the impact of parental mental health on family relationships and parenting, and knowledge of child safeguarding procedures is essential.

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to service evaluation and quality improvement.

Excellent interpersonal skills will be required to address sensitive issues with families, as well as commitment to providing a high standard quality of care.

We actively encourage applicants from black and ethnic minority groups.

This is a full-time post with a working shift pattern of Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.  

Staff are expected to carry out home visits; lone work across Southwark and may need to hot-desk.

Main duties of the job

  • To contribute to the provision of services to meet the needs of adults experiencing mental health difficulties who have children in the 0-5 age range.  
  • To contribute to the effective functioning of the team and service through attendance at relevant meetings, taking responsibilities within the service as appropriate and negotiated with the line manager. Supervise junior members of the team from any discipline. 
  • To participate in the monitoring, evaluation and audit of the service. To work with others to undertake and promote research-based practice. To join colleagues in providing specialist teaching, consultation/support to other professionals and agencies.
  • Provision of mental health assessments and assessments of family strengths and difficulties and to participate and lead in joint complex assessments with other disciplines and other agencies and provide reports for referrers, families and other agencies as required.
  • To deliver a broad range of AMH evidence-based individual and group interventions as well as supporting the service user as a parent. 
  • You will be required to assess and manage risk within your case load and make appropriate referrals.

Working for our organisation

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. 

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels. In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • To contribute to the provision of services to meet the needs of adults experiencing mental health difficulties who have children in the 0-5 age range.  
  • Identify development and training needs with Line Manager and Clinical Service Lead in accordance with Trust/Directorate guidelines. Remain up to date with changing practices and wherever possible make full use of all training and educational facilities. Participate in the provision of a good quality learning environment for trainee staff, overseeing placements and offering supervision to trainees and students.
  • To attend monthly supervision and twice-yearly appraisal meetings. To make effective use of colleagues in sharing and participating in casework supervision and other forms of supervision when required according to local practice. To maintain and ensure good professional standards and attitudes towards the care and treatment of parents and their families.
  • To contribute to the effective functioning of the team and service through attendance at relevant meetings, taking responsibilities within the service as appropriate and negotiated with the line manager. Supervise junior members of the team from any discipline.
  • To participate in the monitoring, evaluation and audit of the service. To work with others to undertake and promote research-based practice. To join colleagues in providing specialist teaching, consultation/support to other professionals and agencies.
  • To undertake all duties in line with the professional Codes of Professional Conduct, and maintain professional registration requirements for the post according to discipline/profession. To work in accordance and within the principles, policies, procedures and guidelines of all aspects of clinical governance. To plan your training schedule to maintain compliance with the Trust and your professional mandatory training requirements. To identify development and training needs with manager in accordance with Trust/Directorate guidelines. Remain up to date with changing practices.     
  • You will have responsibility for the provision of mental health assessments and assessments of family strengths and difficulties and to participate and lead in joint complex assessments with other disciplines and other agencies and provide reports for referrers, families and other agencies as required. Design, write and share a copy of the care plan with clients, families and other agencies involved in her care. Carry out the planned intervention with minimal supervision. To maintain good relationships and clear lines of communication with other professional agencies and departments, providing specialist advice and support where appropriate.
  • You will manage your own caseload and work within a team but will have freedom to act within the service framework and Trust operational policies. You will manage your time and your caseload within your job plan. You will be accountable for you own professional actions, your day-to-day work will be managed rather than supervised.
  •  To deliver a broad range of AMH evidence-based individual and group interventions as well as supporting the service user as a parent.
  •  You will be required to assess and manage risk within your case load and make appropriate referrals.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • • First level nursing qualification/registration RMN or First level qualification in OT, social work or other Allied Health Profession
Desirable criteria
  • • Training in relevant specialist interventions, eg, DBT; MBT; trauma focussed CBT; EMDR; Family Therapy; parent-child interventions
  • • Evidence of continuing professional development e.g. relevant training (A) Leadership skills in negotiating & Influencing others

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant experience working in a community adult mental health setting in a multi-racial urban environment.
  • Assessment of risk and management of risk factors
  • Experience of working with child protection procedures
  • A good understanding and experience of clinical governance; audit and the process of clinical supervision in AMH
  • Experience of working with families
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working within a CAMH service

Knowledge/Skills

Essential criteria
  • Mental health disorders in adults
  • Impact of the ‘trigger trio’ – parental mental health, substance misuse and domestic abuse on children
  • Relevant statutory guidance, eg The Children Act 2004; Mental Health Act 1983
  • Ability to work therapeutically with the client group, using a range of interventions including group work
  • Ability to be ‘reflective’ in therapeutic practice and adapt practice from this reflection
Desirable criteria
  • Children’s development
  • Relevant research and its clinical application
  • Presentation skills
  • Skills using a specific therapy in practice

Employer certification / accreditation badges

London Healthy workplaceCapital Nurse, LondonNo smoking policyLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Stonewall Silver 2022Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Armed Forces Covenant Bronze AwardHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Kate Tidnam
Job title
Team Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07583 742 365
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