CAMHS Liaison Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

This post is to work in the CAMHS Liaison Team based at the acute hospitals Emergency departments including the Queen's Medical Centre, King's Mill Hospital and Bassetlaw hospital. This service is a 24 hour service offering assessments of Children and Young People presenting to the Emergency Department in Crisis. The service also covers the Crisis phone line from 8 pm to 8 a.m.

The post holder will ensure young people receive appropriate assessment, intervention and treatment with minimal avoidable delays, whilst improving the quality and experience of care.

The service will be for young people under the age of 18 who are admitted to hospital due to self-harm and young people who are experiencing a crisis in their mental health of such a degree that without the intervention of the CAMHS Liaison service, inpatient psychiatric care would be required.

As a CAMHS service we actively work with both children and families and recognise the value of a systemic formulation alongside our mental health and risk assessment. Clinicians with a varied work experience are welcome to apply as we assess a diverse population

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies

Main duties of the job

With support from the Operational Lead and Clinical Lead, monitor improvements to standards of care through clinical supervision, clinical audit, evidenced based practice, and supporting professional colleagues. To be responsible for completing specialist mental health assessments and developing treatment plans as an autonomous practitioner and to monitor interventions utilising routine outcome measures and MDT case discussion, ensuring compliance in accordance with Trust policy. To prevent avoidable admission of young people experiencing mental health crisis and/or high levels of emotional distress To maintain professional standards, ensuring adherence to all relevant policies and procedures to ensure the delivery of high quality care. There is an expectation for workers to work shifts covering the 24/7 shift pattern of the team. There may be elements within the job description that may alter within reasonable boundaries and there will be an expectation of supporting other area’s of the CAMHS service owing to fluctuations in demand and capacity. These requests would be in line with the knowledge, skills and competencies of the post holder.

A full UK driving license and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide comprehensive specialist assessments using well developed skills, including the risk assessment and management of young people who present in mental health crisis.

To work as an autonomous practitioner who is accountable for their own professional activities, providing clinically effective and where possible evidence based therapeutic interventions, utilising specialist analytical and interpretive skills for young people and their parent’s/ carer’s presenting with complex needs.

To undertake specialised initial assessments of young people following acts of self-harm and attempted suicide. This includes gathering appropriate information from the child and family and other relevant agencies, offering specialist expertise in child and adolescent mental health.

To undertake specialised risk assessments throughout the assessment documentation in appropriate case notes.

Participate in the consultation/liaison work of the team with other agencies.

To provide liaison psychiatry assessments to young people and their families who attend our Acute Hospitals / A&E Departments experiencing distress, harm to self or other presenting highlighting concerns related to their emotional wellbeing.

Agreed appropriate standards met.

Evidence of timely accurate data input.

Evidence of service user involvement.

Evidence of high quality risk assessment and treatment via patient records and supervision as well as team discussion.

To work intensively with parent/ carer’s/ families to enable them to be aware of the young person’s difficulties and needs in order to support them and be active participants in the care planning and delivery processes.

To sensitively facilitate family based interventions.

To reflect upon their own clinical practice and that of others in all aspects of care given to patients in crisis and their families/carers.

Working as an autonomous practitioner with a limited need for day to day supervision.

To be able to make safe clinical decisions in pressured situations while keeping the best interests of the young person and family at the heart of the decision making process- with support if required.

To work effectively with colleagues from other disciplines as appropriate throughout the assessment and treatment process.

To have highly developed report writing skills. Be responsible for providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive distressing and emotional information in relation to health issues.

Communicate sensitive complex information about their condition to patients and their carers.

Developed knowledge of safeguarding procedure and experience in how to manage these situations including advising colleagues where necessary.

To ensure documentation and care plans are comprehensive and are of the highest standard in line with Trust policy.

To take an active role in the involvement of service users in all aspects of the service.

To represent the CAMHS service with our partner agencies as a highly specialist practitioner. To be aware of and involved in service development.

To work within professional and ethical frameworks established by national bodies such as the Department of health and the NMC.

To provide in-reach to young people admitted into psychiatric inpatient beds, to support with facilitating home leave and enabling more timely discharge.

To liaise with and support staff on the trusts 136 suite’s if a young person is admitted for a section 136 assessment.

Provide support to young people on a section 136 and families if able to within team capacity.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.