Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

You will work as a member of the MDT in providing high quality, evidence-based, holistic assessments and care to patients in line with your professional Code of Conduct and Trust policies.

You will work within a fast paced urgent community care pathway providing an urgent and crisis response to those experiencing mental distress within the community. You will work jointly with the Ambulance Paramedic clinician by providing immediate crisis care in the community across West Essex and also supporting the vehicle covering Hertfordshire where necessary. You will support other Paramedic crews in managing patients with complex mental health needs. You will work with non-statutory and statutory services to support people while in crisis.

You will conduct initial assessments, agree formulation of need and develop collaborative care plans underpinned by NICE Guidance delivering a range of interventions based upon individual needs. Assessments and interventions can take coaching and through the use of assisted technology and on line forums. The successful candidate will be working within the West Essex area conducting assessments and interventions over a twenty four hour period.

As required by your manager, you will supervise junior staff, those in lower bandings, within your team locality. This will include the management of these staff in line with agreed Trust HR processes.

Main duties of the job

Core Clinical Function

• Work jointly with the Ambulance Paramedic clinician in delivering a blue light response to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in the community who will have made contact via the 999 emergency system.
• Provide triage screening to persons under the age of 18 and liaise with EWMHS for further assessment and support.
• Produce accurate and timely documentation, conduct and manage the maintenance of accurate and timely documentation / records on all service users in line with your professional Code of Conduct and Trust policy
• Oversee the conduct / contribute to the assessment process, as well as the observation and ongoing assessment, providing accurate and timely feedback Conduct risk assessment of the individual and of the potential hazards in the patients environment
• Attend and participate in multi-disciplinary meetings i.e. referral / review / business Report and document incidents as required
• Conduct and oversee physical health care checks and act upon the findings
• Safe storage of PGD medicines, checking receipt, storage of medicines in medicine cupboard
• Provide education around the medication prescribed, side effects, actions and aids to compliance. For more details of this please see job description and person specification.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For detailed description of core clinical duties and core non-clinical duties, please see the job description.