Associate Mental Health Worker

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work within the Secondary Adults Mental Health community services at a time of innovation and service development. This role will be involved, as part of the wider team, in helping to adapt the existing service within the new transformation process.

This process is in response to the NHS 5-year plan to develop mental health services round the Primary  Care Networks and provides new opportunities which include developing partnership working with the voluntary sector, working more closely with GP practices and developing more innovative, community based and holistic ways of working. There are three posts available – one in each of the three, Core Community Mental Health Teams in Barnet.

The post holder will be responsible for participating and assisting in the delivery of care/services to patients, service users and carers as part of the Core Community Mental Health Team, working under the direct or indirect supervision of a registered member of staff. You will be responsible for carrying out practical tasks, identified as part of the service users’ care plan or care pathways. The post holder will complete carers assessments with the support of appropriate staff.

The post holder will provide supportive care management to an allocated group of service users as delegated by the Team Manager or registered Practitioner.

Main duties of the job

Actively participate in the care and rehabilitation of service users and carers as per the plan of care determined by the MDT

Maintain clear, timely, comprehensive and contemporaneous written clinical records on all patients in accordance with Trust policies

Undertake a range of duties which involve direct service user and/or carer assessment, monitoring and psycho social treatment interventions, under the supervision of a qualified HMS staff member, following competency assessment.

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups with service users and/or carers.

To be conversant with mental health issues in later life, including dementia and the preferred treatment options.

Have an awareness, knowledge and understanding of the importance of psychological, social, physical and spiritual needs of older service users and carers.

Provide service users and their carers with a service that is culturally sensitive and gives due consideration to any special needs including those related to later life.

Act in ordnance with the direction of an appropriate practitioner (i.e. nurse, doctor or pharmacist) to administer medication as and when required following competency assessment and supervision.

Provide information on health promotion and healthy living.

To provide basic information for service users relating to health promotion and well-being, directing service users to a more senior team member for further information.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for participating and assisting in the delivery of assessment and treatment   services to service  users  and  carers  referred  to  the Haringey Memory Service (HMS),working under the direct or indirect supervision of a registered member of staff. They will be responsible for administering components of the assessment and monitoring process for service users and carers that are identified as part of the service users and/or carers care plan and/or service care pathway. The post holder will assist with post diagnostic interventions on an individual and/or group basis. The post holder will carry out clinically related practical and administrative tasks as delegated; this can include participating in audits, collection of statistics, project work.

HMS is located on the St Ann's Hospital site. Offering services in community locations may be a future development and the post holder may be required to work and travel across a geographical area and/or across related services.

The post holder, under direction and supervision will be responsible for providing assessment, monitoring and treatment interventions to residents of Haringey referred to the service. The Borough of Haringey has a diverse cultural population with pockets of high social deprivation and need. The post holder will be required to work with

Interpreters to effectively meet the needs of Haringey residents who do not have English as a first language; this can include refugees and asylum seekers.

The post holder will receive monthly management and clinical supervision. They will be encouraged and supported to partake in reflective practice and further training as agreed in supervision and at their annual appraisal.