Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary hours per week We are seeking to recruit a B6Senior Mental Health Practitioner working with the Acute Care Pathway withinLivewell Southwest.
Liaison Psychiatry operates asan urgent and emergency mental health service within Derriford Hospital.
Thisspecialised service provides mental health care in conjunction with physicalhealth treatment, supporting hospital clinicians in assessing and managingmental health concerns for patients receiving care at the hospital.All Livewell staff are expectedto be able and willing to work across a 7-day service.
Job Share(s) Considered You will serve as shift lead ona rota basis, coordinating service delivery, prioritising workload, andproviding clinical advice to junior staff.
You will also consult with otherservices, participate in a multi-agency forum and risk management, andcontribute to training and supervision.
Additionally, you will chairRisk Management and Professionals meetings as needed and will have access tosupport from an experienced multi-disciplinary team.
You will help develop trainingprograms for staff and the local induction program, including studentmentoring.
Please note that this role maynot be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker routePlease note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted.
Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity Main duties of the job Senior Mental Health Practitioners are responsible forconducting brief clinical risk assessments and mental health evaluations,formulating care and safety plans, making informed decisions, and developingshort-term contingency strategies for individuals experiencing mental healthcrises.Operating within community settings, as well as Livewell andhospital sites, Senior Mental Health Practitioners conduct face-to-faceassessments and collaborate closely with other mental health services andagencies, including Police, Ambulatory services, and local authorities.Through a variety of brief, solution-focused interventions,Senior Mental Health Practitioners empower patients, their families, andcaregivers in the decision-making process, directing them to a spectrum ofhealth and social care resources for additional support.Collaboration with representatives from various agencies (,Police, Paramedics) is an integral part of the role, especially during out ofnormal office hours shifts, to provide acute assessment and assistance forindividuals experiencing mental health crises in both hospital settings and inthe community.Key attributes for this role include substantive experienceworking in mental health acute work, professionalism, assertiveness,experienced in patient advocacy, and a sound understanding of how physicalhealth conditions influence mental well-being.
About us Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning socialenterprise delivering integrated health and social care services acrossPlymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts ofDevon and Cornwall.
Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sportscentres, and health hubs.As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, andcollaboration.
We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, whileempowering staff and those we serve.We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, inshaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the righttime and place.
Centering our work on individual needs helps people leadhealthy, independent lives.We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, trainingpathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the CareCertificate and Nurse Training Scholarships.
Our induction and preceptorshipprograms ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from allsections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mentalhealth, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities.
Job description Job responsibilities As a member of the Liaison Psychiatry Team you will be assessing 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 /deliriumYou will 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.You will serve as shift lead ona rota basis, coordinating service delivery, prioritising workload, andproviding clinical advice to junior staff.
You will also consult with otherservices, participate in a multi-agency forum and risk management, andcontribute to training and supervision.
Additionally, you will chairRisk Management and Professionals meetings as needed and will have access tosupport from an experienced multi-disciplinary team.
You will help develop trainingprograms for staff and the local induction program, including studentmentoring.
You will lead investigations forcomplaints, complex cases, and internal reviews, with management support asrequired.
Please see full job description within the supporting documents section.
Person Specification Experience Essential 18 months + 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.
Knowledge and 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.
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.
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.
Qualifications Essential Registered Mental Health Nurse/Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional such as Physiotherapist, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist (on relevant register 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.