Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

The Assistant Practitioner role is a key role within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team (CAMHS) and supports the work of registered professionals within the CAMHS service. The team utilises a Multi-disciplinary approach in supporting the mental health of children, young people and their families and sits alongside Psychology, Family Therapy, Creative therapies, Mental Health Nurses and Social Work.

We pride ourselves in holding strong values of compassion and kindness in the work that we do, and together provide a supportive and learning environment for staff.

Main duties of the job

Responsibility for actively participating as a key member of the clinical team for providing quality services for an identified client group under the supervision of a registered professional.

Having undertaken a Foundation Degree level qualification will maintain, develop and evidence clinical knowledge, skills and competencies at all opportunities and through the competency framework

Demonstrate an attitude which respects and values service users and their carers.

Be accountable and work autonomously within clearly defined boundaries of the Assistant Practitioner competencies and carry out specific delegated tasks.  This may include extended roles delegated by a registered professional.

Expected to deliver care and services within the strategic objectives of the organisation and promote the principles of Recovery. These principles will recognise the need to promote safe practice; value the beliefs and aims of service users and carers; work in partnership and offer meaningful choice; and value social inclusion

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Undertake appropriate extended roles which have traditionally been undertaken by registered professionals.  These roles can be undertaken under the direction of a registered professional following approved training and assessment of competence.  Undertake and maintain a competence portfolio, (Competency Framework)

Take part in on going assessments of service users with the Multi-disciplinary team

Assess, plan, deliver and evaluate service users’ needs in conjunction with a registered professional

Deliver care within the sphere of the Care Programme Approach, including the importance of working with carers

Able to work independently on own initiative to meet the needs of services users

Deliver person centred care

Liaise with external organisations as required promoting partnership working to ensure holistic care

Have an understanding of Social Care requirements and legislation including referrals, carers’ assessments and self-directed support such as individualised budgets, providing input and assistance as required

Attend and contribute to MDT/CPA review

Hold and manage an identified caseload where appropriate

Take part in and contribute to ongoing review of risk assessments, recognising and responding to any changes.

Ensure service users’ needs are accurately reflected in health record documentation.

Assist service users and carers to access information

Be able to provide therapeutic interventions including 1:1 Sessions and facilitation of group activities

Demonstrate an understanding of pharmacology including the ability to discuss benefits of medication, issues of compliance and recognising side effects

Carry out basic physical health checks as required e.g. basic observations, phlebotomy, MEWS and respond accordingly to any concerns

Ensure that service users’ physical health needs are met and demonstrate an ability to identify any common on going physical health needs

Able to work within multi-disciplinary team

Recognise the importance of service user and carer involvement in delivery of care

Able to develop relationships and networks with internal and external agencies and services

Demonstrate the ability to communicate complex, sensitive information to a wide variety of professionals in a variety of methods

Provide updates and reports as required related to service users’ needs and care both written and verbal

Work within Trust Policy in all matters related to communication of clinical risk, including the need for information sharing

Clearly understand the issues surrounding confidentiality

Act consistently with legislation, policies, procedures and other quality approaches and promotes the values of quality approaches to others.

Practice within the professional boundaries and code of practice for Assistant Practitioners

Recognise own level of competency and act and seek support when limitations of knowledge or competency are identified

Maintain practice through further study, research, clinical practice and personal development

Work unsupervised and organise own workload and work in a manner which maintains and promotes quality

Keep accurate records in accordance with Trust Policies

Support day to day running of services including co-ordination of staff and daily tasks and training and mentoring of junior staff

Provide leadership for junior staff including supervision; appraisal; and line management

Maintain quality in own work and encourage others to do so.

Act in ways that support equality and value diversity

Support, promote and value equality and diversity

Develop a culture that promotes equality and values diversity

Participate in Equality and Diversity Impact Assessment

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!