Band 6 Specialist Intensive Practitioner - Bristol

Job overview

Are you empathetic, motivated and committed to improving the experiences of our service users?

Bristol is a high performing well established Locality. The North Bristol Crisis Service is looking to recruit a committed and passionate Band 6 Specialist Practitioner on a 12 month fixed contact.

We are a diverse, multi-disciplinary team providing high-quality person centred care to service users at risk of psychiatric admission.

This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with trust policy, all newly qualified social workers will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances in which case it may be agreed to extend this for a further 2 years.

On successful completion of the ASYE, for which you will be given full support of an experienced Social Worker as well as Divisional Social Work Lead, and peer support from other ASYE candidates, you will then be eligible to progress to a Band 6 position.

If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role this will be an automatic progression, following confirmation of your successful completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work autonomously to undertake emergency assessments in a wide range of locations, planning and delivering defined, intensive, specialist interventions in line with the CPA framework to people with severe and enduring mental health needs, who maybe distressed and in crisis.

Where appropriate the post holder will work alongside other services to plan, deliver and review effective “wrap around” intensive interventions to manage risk and prevent hospital admission for those with the most complex needs.

This role will necessitate working rotational shift patterns including nights.

We can offer you a satisfying work life balance, generous holiday entitlements, regular supervision and the chance to make a real difference to somebody’s life, whilst working in a friendly supportive team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In a wide range of situations and locations to undertake the full range of activities required to deliver comprehensive mental health assessment, in an emergency for service users, who may be distressed and in crisis. This will include:  a. The use of standardised assessment tools i.e. Cluster Allocation Support Tool (CAST), KGV.  b. Recovery Star. c. History, strengths and aspirations.  d. Mental state.  e. Impact of culture and diversity.  f. Functional needs.  g. The needs of family and carer.  h. Evaluation of risk.  i. Physical health.  j. Complicating factors.  k. Identifying and ensuring specialist involvement where required.  l. The interventions and treatments required to enable positive change.  m. Social Care.  n. Safeguarding and public protection.  o. Capacity under the Mental Capacity Act.

To be responsible for developing delivering and reviewing comprehensive and complex treatment programmes using appropriate frameworks in line with evidence–based practice, including strategies to manage risk for service users with complex needs and carers, bringing in other resources as required.

To plan, deliver and evaluate defined, specialist therapeutic interventions as indicated in the assessment process, in line with personal recovery plans, including to service users who maybe on other caseloads.

To deliver a range of defined activities/interventions to improve the carer’s ability to support the service user and to enable them in their relationship with the service user.

To develop and maintain good partnership working with other services throughout all treatment episodes, including regular liaison within Primary Health Care Team, inpatient and intensive services, day services, voluntary sector and with nominated carers/advocates.

In collaboration with service users and carers, to be responsible for facilitating the development of comprehensive crisis plans, rapid access plans, advance statements etc, involving other agencies such as primary care etc where appropriate.

To personally build and lead others to build, hope inspiring relationships with service users, which acknowledge the personal journey of each person, and focus on strengths and aspirations to allow the creation of meaningful personal recovery plans.

To be responsible for maintaining own workload, as well as planning the workload of others, on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that time is prioritised effectively, utilising electronic resources such as diaries/scheduling.

To be responsible for the protection of individuals from abuse and harm in line with local safeguarding policies and procedures, including working with others in the planning development and review of protection plans.

Coordinating and undertaking protective interventions which may be required in the protection of others, as outline in the protection plan, taking individual action where indicated.

Personally, and leading others to collaboratively and sensitively work with individuals, with a range of mental health needs to develop skills to manage their own health, in accordance with their personal recovery plan, by actively promoting and using approaches which are affirming, build on strengths, identify past positive experience and success, and use small steps to move towards the person's goal.

Undertake active clinical leadership and supervision within the team, covering for the manager and colleagues as required.

To maintain the single health and social care record, ensuring both paper and electronic records are kept up to date in accordance with professional and organisational standards.

Report and record within agreed timeframes, all activity relating to information reporting and performance requirements.

To participate in management, caseload and clinical supervision in accordance with trust policy.

To provide mentoring/ training for others in relevant practice areas, according to professional requirements, taking a collaborative approach to practice development and evidence-based care. Specifically this means providing a safe and effective learning environment for the mentoring and supervising of students, participating in their learning objectives and assessments.