Community Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker to work in the Rough Sleepers Mental Health Service (RSMHS). This is an 18 month funded post that could be offered as a fixed term contract or secondment.

The focus of this role will be to contribute to the exciting new My GAFF Leeds (MGL), formerly  Single Homeless Accommodation Programme (SHAP). MGL aims to provide accommodation for some of Leeds’ most entrenched rough sleepers, with considerable wrap-around support which this role will be a key part of. The RSMHS will be supporting the MGL project in partnership with other statutory and third-sector organisations according to the principles of a Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE). This role will work as part of a team with a Clinical Psychologist and young persons’ Mental Health Practitioner. The postholder will provide mental health assessment and interventions to MGL tenants, as well as working more broadly with people who are rough sleeping, or are at most risk of rough sleeping, as part of the RSMHS’ service user pathway.

The RSMHS is a newly developed team, working collaboratively with the city’s other street support teams to provide exceptional holistic treatment to rough sleepers and those at most risk of sleeping rough.

Main duties of the job

We are proud to be part of a partnership delivering MGL, and this role will be key in influencing service culture and the skills development of housing and healthcare staff, using a trauma-informed approach.  The service has a real opportunity to use relational approaches to embed Psychologically Informed Environment principles and in doing so to have a significant impact on people’s lives.

Our Team is a Monday to Friday service with the core hours being 9am to 5pm, however we offer a hybrid model of working and flexible working arrangements. We require a motivated individual, with good initiative and organisational skills. You will ensure that the service users' goals are identified and central to their formulation and care planning needs.

It is important to us that you have significant experience working in the community with people who struggle to access mainstream services. Our client group have experience of rough sleeping/ living in precarious environments, and like other vulnerable groups they often face difficulties and barriers in accessing and engaging with NHS and other support services.

We are a specialist mental health team; you will need to have significant experience of working with people with severe and complex mental health difficulties. You will be person centred, have good risk assessment skills and be able to provide a range of therapeutic interventions supported by evidence-based practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This post will provide a trauma-informed service for people experiencing poor mental health who are housed within MGL accommodations.

The Rough Sleepers’ Mental Health Service (RSMHS) is a small multi-disciplinary team that consists of a Clinical Team Manager, Principal Psychological Therapist, Consultant Psychiatrist, Mental Health Practitioner, Community Support Worker and an Administrator. The team works work closely with partner services who also support rough sleepers, including Forward Leeds drug and alcohol service, Community Mental Health Teams, Leeds City Council, York Street GP practice and third sector street support services.

The RSMHS is expanding due to an exciting new opportunity to be involved in a partnership with Leeds City Council and other organisations to deliver the My GAFF Leeds (MGL) project. MGL aims to accommodate some of the most entrenched rough sleepers in Leeds, through providing both appropriate accommodation and significant housing and healthcare support for residents. You will work with the support of the wider RSMHS team, with a focus on supporting adults who are accommodated in MGL housing alongside the MGL Senior Psychological Professional and a young persons’ MGL Mental Health Practitioner.

With access to appropriate clinical and management supervision, you will be able to demonstrate and  practice a range of appropriate skills to include assessment (including risk assessment), formulation, safety planning and clinical interventions.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience of working as a qualified Mental Health Nurse/ Social Worker/ Occupational Therapist, including post-qualification experience relevant to the specialty. You will have experience of working with people who are homeless, socially excluded and/or otherwise difficult for services to engage through traditional means.

The service operates Monday to Friday and the hours can be flexible, depending on the needs of the post-holder, the service, and the client group. There may be a small requirement to work some evening hours, in order to meet service user’s needs.

You will need to have the ability to travel between work bases around the Leeds area.