Community Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

To work within a community mental health team based within the Surrey Heath area working in partnership with statutory and voluntary sector to facilitate whole system approach to care delivery. The Post Holder will act as Care Coordinator/Lead Professional, where appropriate, to care home patients with dementia, who require the skills of a Mental Health Nurse, and provide a holistic, clinical autonomous nursing service, to enable individuals to engage in the best standards of care available.

To succeed in this role, you will be supported by a range of specialist clinicians and there are regular opportunities for training, CPD and supervision in relation to the care home work.  This includes quarterly CPD events scheduled for all staff working into the Care Home Pathway, where you will receive specialist training and share ideas with other colleagues working in a similar role and learn new skills and training on Positive Behaviour Support and psychosocial approaches to supporting people showing distressed behaviour. You will need to have good IT skills; be a good communicator and have robust management and clinical skills and knowledge, as well being able to work flexibly and dynamically in a very exciting service.

There is an expectation to deliver personal care for people with dementia and experience of working in care settings would be an advantage for this position.

Main duties of the job

• To deliver a high-quality service to older people with dementia, in care homes, in a multi–professional framework.
• To develop shared understandings of people’s presentations that help people to better comprehend the underlying function(s) driving behaviour that challenges.
• To act as key worker/care co-ordinator for named individuals and adhering to the Care Programme Approach process.
• The ability to work independently, autonomously and take personal responsibility/initiative.
• To provide high standards of care, which are delivered in a professional manner.
• To ensure that the care delivered is based on best practice and is regularly reviewed.
• To help review suitability of referrals into the service and to support the wider network in understanding the remit of the Care Home Pathway Team.  This will be achieved by attending meetings and providing training.
• To ensure all records and reports are kept up-to-date and are in accordance with Trust electronic records system guidance and key policies such as the Caldicott report.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This is a role suitable for an NMC registered Community Psychiatric Nurse or Occupational Therapist with specialist mental health experience who is passionate about delivering excellence in dementia care in care homes.

Please check the job description and personal specification document for more information on the requirements for this job.