Mental Health First Responder

Job overview

The post involves working with people of all age (Children and Young People, Adults or Older People) experiencing a mental health crisis via the telephone. Working as part of the wider multi-disciplinary team, Mental Health First Responders will provide initial assessment and triage via the phone, as well as information, support, signposting, and  advice.

The post holder will provide compassionate and professional support to callers (including carers) and will support and assist individuals to cope more effectively with their mental health issues by assisting then with key aspects of their care plans, (if in place), supporting them in managing distress and challenges / difficulties which they might be struggling to  deal with.

The post holder will seek advice from the clinical leads/shift coordinators with any call where the caller may require urgent assessment, or any call in which the appropriate response is unclear.

For people experiencing a mental health crisis, Mental Health First Responders will provide. • Mental state assessments • Risk assessments • Case formulation • A range of recovery focused interventions  • Validation and de-escalation of crisis

Main duties of the job

Provide complex and sensitive information to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders (users of services, carers, multi-disciplinary staff, and other statutory / non statutory services) • Contribute to the safe and effective day to day operations of the service managing clinical enquiries  • Provide a high standard of written and verbal communication that is clear and in line with local guidance. • Role model effective communication: demonstrating empathy, respect, compassion, and hope where there may be barriers to understanding

Ensure that individual episodes of care are delivered in a timely, effective and integrated manner. • Promote a recovery model that empowers persons, carers and relatives to be at the forefront of decision making, owning their packages of care/treatment. • Create, implement, and update care plans as required. • Utilise a range of hardware, software and applications provided by Trust and other stakeholders to sources and record information and communicate with service users and partners and be proficient in the use of IT hardware and software and digital telephony.  • Champion persons’ rights and service users including dignity, equality, diversity, choice and respect. • Provide advice and guidance regarding mental health problems. • Request information on specific individuals from Police Officers as per information sharing protocol

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This list is not exhaustive of the responsibilities of this role.

Please read the job description and person specification.