CAMHS Crisis Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

This role is a key element of a new GM wide Crisis Care Pathway which is child centred, needs led, responsive, accessible and flexible across Wigan and Bolton.

The post will be instrumental in the success and future developments of the team and will ensure that all professional and patient contact with the service is of the highest professional standard at all times.  Working alongside senior clinical staff you will respond rapidly to requests for assistance when a young person is presenting in crisis.  You will offer assessment and management within a clear and structured Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction framework.

You will refer on to specialist in-patient services as necessary or work collaboratively with other services involved to reduce the need for inpatient care.  You will develop holistic and recovery focused care plans and mobilise support around the child and family to promote resilience and reduce the likelihood of future crisis episodes.

As a member of the multi-disciplinary team the service will intensively support young people and families from up to 72 hours to 6-8 weeks.  Direct work with young people will take place in clinical environments, including emergency care settings and community settings as well as home environments.

Main duties of the job

• Deliver community based assessment, de-escalation and risk reduction interventions when children and young people are presenting in crisis
• Work to support CYP in the community to manage crisis and avoid A&E attendance/admission to a medical bed without medical necessity or admission to a General Adolescent Unit
• Support families to offer containment and care during periods of high expressed emotion and crisis
• Work intensively with CYP and those who care for them from  72 hours up to 6-8weeks.
• Provide, or provide access to, a range of quality psychotherapeutic interventions in accordance with CYP assessed needs
• Support the delivery of established care pathways to provide an effective and responsive service for all CYP across the footprint into specialised mental health care settings within the NHS and Independent sector, including out of hours
• Complete referrals, following agreed frameworks, for specialist in-patient services and children’s services as appropriate
• Support CYP as required in ensuring young people maintain links to their community, family and support
• Provide direct assessment, risk assessment and formulation and case management of CYP and contribute to safety plans
• Liaise with emergency services and primary care to assist them in their work with risky CYP
• Participate in telephone helplines for CYP; families and other professionals in managing crisis out of hours

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification

Staff benefits

• Pay Enhancements – 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Excellent pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Wellbeing programme
• Blue Light Card Discounts