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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose:  

The post holder will deliver, or advise on the delivery of, high quality safe care, ensuring consistently high standards of practice and clinical excellence which comply with their registered professional body and code of professional conduct. As a Community Mental Health Professional you will promote and develop clinical leadership and clinical practice and be a positive role model to junior members of the team through the practice of evidence-based care.

You will be expected to support professional development through clinical appraisal and supervision and contribute to the ongoing educational programme for staff, fostering a positive learning environment.

You  will be encouraged and supported by your line manager to undertake further training. As a senior member of staff working within the South London Mental Health and Community Partnership you are required to encourage and foster collaborative and cross organisational working.

Our values and commitments:

I promise to….

• Be caring, kind and polite
• Do what I say I’m going to do
• Take the time and listen to you
• Be honest and direct with you
• Be prompt and value your time

Communications and Working Relationships:

Service users and carers: Daily

Professional colleagues: Daily

Supervisor and supervisees: At least monthly.

Other teams/departments: As required

Referring agencies At least weekly

Police, probation, AMHP service; psychiatric liaison team; forensic services: As required

Support services: As required

Voluntary Community Services part of or linked to the Centre: As required

Core Responsibilities:

As a practitioner working in a community setting you will promote and deliver evidence-based care for service users with mental health conditions in their own homes and within a variety of accommodation settings.

Working autonomously within the parameters of the role leading and supporting junior staff and wider care team to implement the delivery of quality care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery-focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, and taking steps to address any issues that arise.

Demonstrating an enhanced understanding of Mental Health signs and symptoms and an understanding of how these may present in practice including recognition of impact on patient presentation and behaviour including risk factors. Supporting and teaching junior staff to develop understanding of mental health signs and symptoms and develop appropriate responses to these in practice.

Managing a Caseload

• Significant knowledge, awareness and understanding of Mental Health Law, including legislation of particular relevance to the community sector including the Community Care Act (2015) treatment legislation, the Care Programme Approach (2008), the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Community Treatment Orders (CTO).
• To be personally responsible and professionally accountable for a delivering interventions as part of the community team and lead and manage the work of others as required.
• Co-ordinating care, communicating with other professionals involved in the care and ensuring regular CPA reviews are held as required. This will include communication with other teams for example in-patient services through attendance at ward meetings and with interface services e.g. Addictions service and CAMHS services where appropriate.
• Independently carrying out assessment, care planning and interventions with excellent interpersonal skills, ability to listen to others’ views, respect and value individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds.
• Leading meetings with community team members on a regular basis to discuss report and evaluate client care.
• Ensuring a flexible approach in care provision with focus on choice and social inclusion opportunities.
• Recognising and addressing concerns about the physical health needs of service users with long term conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma etc.); escalating these concerns as necessary to senior members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Promoting Recovery

• Encouraging and empowering service users to have an optimum level of responsibility for their individual programme of care and with their consent, where appropriate, seeking the cooperation of friends, relatives and carers – following ‘recovery’ principles and approaches.
• Supporting service users to adopt recovery strategies that promote their wellbeing, healthy lifestyle, independence and self-care.
• Enabling service uses to establish and maintain links with their local communities and resources.
• Delivering interventions which empower service users with a range of mental health problems.

Risk Assessment and Risk Management

• Reporting any incident or Serious Untoward Incidents that may take place in a community setting and provide reports and accurate records relating to the incident.
• Working safely to ensure safe custody of medicines, sharps, and clinical equipment in a community setting; and reporting of all incidents following Trust Policy.
• Recognising and responding appropriately to “self-harm and suicide prevention” with particular regard to the risks in community settings, in line with Trust policies and training guidelines.
• Understanding and working within the boundaries of the Lone Working Policy and awareness of Personal Safety in a community setting, including clear and updated communication with colleagues.
• Responding to urgent situations, emergencies or crises using protocols specific to the local community setting.

Safeguarding and Duty of Candour

• Understanding and implementing safeguarding procedures in a community setting; recognise, report and investigate safeguarding issues and raise safeguarding alerts if you suspect that a service user and/or carer has been exposed to harm or abuse. ·

Communication and Collaboration

• Preparing and providing reports on information and statistics as required relating to case load, regularity of visits and details of contact with clients and families.
• Communicating/liaising effectively with relevant agencies to ensure that an integrated programme of care is provided throughout.
• Advising families on prevention of illness and accidents in a community setting within own level of competency.
• Collaborating with other Health Care Professionals, Statutory and /or Voluntary Agencies to address the needs of service user.
• Working closely with relevant professionals identifying health needs of the practice population and support the development of services in response to those needs.
• Leading and participating in team, locality and Trust initiatives as required and promote the strategic aims and objectives of the service, Nursing strategy and other relevant quality improvement initiatives in the community.
• Leading and actively contributing to clinical or governance reviews of the team’s activity and the monitoring of performance in line with trust directives and audit programmes in the community.
• Documenting according to Trust policy, write in plain language, avoiding jargon and use of acronyms.

Legislation

• Demonstrating an awareness and understanding of relevant and up to date Mental Health Law of particular relevance in community settings; ensuring adherence to legislation at all times.
• Having knowledge of the legal requirements of the Mental Health Act, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, Programme Approach, Deprivation of Liberty, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Community Treatment Orders.

Understanding of the admission and discharge procedure

• Completing referral forms as necessary.
• Networking/liaising across the teams such as Transition of clients from CAMHS into Working Age Adult team or from WAA to Older adult.
• Ability to adopt principles of coproduction working with service users and carers

Medication Management

• Monitoring the side effects of medication, utilising evidence-based tools
• Having a good knowledge of medication used in a community setting and side effects.
• Ensuring that the right medication is given to the right patient, right dose, right route, and right time and giving the right education to patients.
• Ensuring medication is transported appropriately and in a safe manner in accordance with Trust guideline and local policy
• Nurses administering medication including IM do this in accordance with NMC guidelines and code of conduct

Team working and Professional development:

• Protecting service users, self and others by maintaining a clean and healthy environment in accordance with health and safety and infection control policies. Ensuring safe working practices and working environment including monitoring and maintaining cleanliness of the service area and report, without delay, all hazards - real and potential. Leading audit and compliance activities and reports
• Working in ways that support shared responsibility within the team; demonstrating support, respect and courtesy towards colleagues; working in a professional manner and with Trust values always in mind, respecting the boundaries of the relationship with service users/patients, carers and staff.
• Participating in supervision by nominated senior staff member, including annual review of performance as part of the appraisal. Providing and coordinating and overseeing the supervision to 
•  Contributing to relevant audit practice development on research activity that may be taking place in the work area.

Administration and Leadership

• Ensuring that electronic patient’s records are complete. Writing reports and letters in a community setting.
• Engaging in practice reflection through clinical supervision and reflective practice groups and contributing to the delivery of clinical supervision to junior staff.
• Demonstrate leadership skills within the clinical context of the community, showing awareness of the challenges facing staff working in a community setting and supporting junior staff as appropriate