Forensic Mental Health Specialist

Job overview

The purpose of The Fixated Threat Assessment Centre is to evaluate and manage the risk posed to prominent people by the fixated (i.e. those who engage in inappropriate or threatening communications or behaviours towards prominent people in the context of abnormally intense preoccupations, many of which arise from psychotic illness).

Staff at the centre comprise of a Metropolitan Police team and an NHS team. The NHS partnership includes a team leader, team coordinator, forensic consultant psychiatrists, forensic consultant psychologist, and forensic mental health professionals.

The position of the forensic mental health professional with FTAC places emphasis upon a broad knowledge of systems that deliver mental health services. The knowledge base might include an operational understanding of the community mental health services, GP provision along with an understanding of the criminal justice pathway; including the courts, prison service, courts, police service and secure mental health services.

Please note that a requirement of the successful candidate will be to hold SC vetting with the Metropolitan Police. This can be a lengthy process and can take up to a year to clear. Until cleared the post cannot be started.

Main duties of the job

Formulate strategies of intervention to convey information that might be complex or sensitive to services. Demonstrate an ability to communicate verbally and in written form to a high standard with partner agencies. Agencies will not only involve providers of health care, but also representatives of prominent people, including government.

To work with a client group who by their natures can be extremely challenging and relentless in their communications. The professional might themselves become the focus of vexatious communications and this experience might be intense and stressful requiring interventions that seek resolution.

Required to have developed forensic risk assessment skills and a willingness to undertake further training in this specialist area of work.

The role requires the worker to consult at a high level and to formulate strategies based upon an ability to arrive at judgments that demonstrate initiative and professional accountability.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The post holder will function within a team of specialist practitioners, along with the police officers in the unit. There is an expectation of the post holder to train in threat management and the specialist skill development will be through formal teaching programs, along with practice based supervision in post.
• The post holder will work jointly with other mental health personnel and police officers in the evaluation of concerns in each case, working to specific protocols. The post holder will take part in group referral meetings and supervision sessions that include police officers at which risk evaluations and possible interventions will be discussed.
• The post holder may on occasion be required to undertake assessments of the mental state of people making inappropriate attempts to gain proximity to prominent people. Such assessments may occur in public places, hospitals or the persons ordinary place of residence.
• The post holder will aid in the assessment and implementation of appropriate interventions, designed to contain or reduce the level of concern relating to a particular individual. Such interventions in many cases include a psychiatric liaison and/or diversion; this will mean liaising with mental health services in the persons area of origin and the provision of relevant background information which might assist the assessment.

This is not an exhaustive list, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.