Band 5 Mental Health Link Worker - Weston-Super-Mare

Job overview

North Somerset Services are excited to announce the expansion of our Link Worker Service.

The role sits within North Somerset Services and is open to unregistered practitioners who are looking to develop themselves in this exciting opportunity as a Band 5 unregistered practitioner.

Snowcap was a pilot initiated in September 2023 in response to the critical bed need and the lack of consistent provision for service users leaving hospital.

The key remit of this role is identifying safe and effective care for people that no longer needs to be completed in hospital settings.

Rather than delaying discharge for people who then often get a short period of care from the Intensive Team this role includes developing a more person centred approach.

The role is varied and there could be daily contact conducted for individuals upon discharge.

You will be supported by a significant level of support and escalation process to maintains safety for both yourself and service users.

This role is for 22.5 hours per week within Mon-Fri 9-5 working hours per week.

No nights and no working weekends.

Main duties of the job

Following the successful implementation of a pilot project "Snowcap" since September 2023 the Link Worker role has become an integral part of the North Somerset Intensive Team Service Provision.

Role will include;

Attending handover within North Somerset IST at Long Fox Unit.

Working alongside our established practitioner to share a caseload of service users who are currently inpatients, discharged from hospital or where possible prior to coming into hospital.

To support both service users and carers with transition back to the community for a period of increased intervention.

Working collaboratively with other service providers and local keyworkers.

Visiting local wards within the BNSSG area to attend in person to work with service users from the North Somerset area.

Attending ward rounds for service users.

Links with local private hospitals.

Building relations with services outside of AWP such as housing, homeless prevention and local drug and alcohol services.

Facilitating training and support to wards and their staff about the provision of service.

Engaging with professional meetings about service users.

Completing PWPs and Safety assessments in line with trust standards.

Escalating service user need via North Somerset Intensive Team.

Collaborative working with GP Services.

Able to travel around the BNSSG locality via service pool cars.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Role and responsibilities:

• The Link Worker will be an integral part of both teams, attending North Somerset Intensive Team handovers Monday-Friday and participating in discussions about Service Users in need of admission and those who are viewed as ready for discharge.
• Attend initial ward rounds of service users to contribute to the purpose of admission discussion to support the inpatient units with plans of care.
• Liaise with IST team manager and Senior Practitioner regarding possible discharges from the wards identified in Patient Flow meetings held daily.
• Liaise with Shift Coordinator for IST when identified a patient for proposed discharge to be supported on the Intensive team Caseload.
• Support Carers and Families during the plans for discussing proposed discharge plans ensuring signposting to support services for carers as needed.
• Providing clear discharge support care plans to Service Users and documenting on RiO accordingly.
• Tracking all types of activities conducted by utilising the RiO Diary System to support in data collection.
• Liaising with Care Coordinators and other involved services such as We Are With You (Drug and Alcohol Service) about proposed discharge plans.
• Ensuring discharge medications are ordered in time for a Service Users proposed discharge by working with the Ward Medics and Consultant.
• Reviewing the implemented community care plan upon discharge during home treatment phase.
• Contributing to the information shared with the ward about an individuals Red-Green days, the ward daily MDT and weekly ward MDT for Juniper Ward.
• Supporting inpatient staff to develop a core understanding of community care while a person is in crisis to aid in the upskilling of ward staff to participate in identifying service users ready for discharge.
• Supporting and educating keyworkers about the role and purpose of the service. This can include helping those understand expectations and remits.
• Attending the weekly MDT Patient Flow meeting for both Juniper and Elham Way to aid in identifying actions needing to be raised for all inpatient and community teams.