Navigator/Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit a Part-Time (30 hours/Week), Band 6, Permanent member of staff, in to the role of Navigator/Senior Mental Health Practitioner based within NHS Tameside and Glossop Talking Therapies Service.

The primary function of the Navigator is to steer clinical referrals (Self Referrals/Professional Referrals/Partnership referrals) that come into the Talking Therapy service.  The role supports the triage and safe assessment of received referrals, ensuring the suitability for Talking Therapies and modalities of treatments offered.

The successful applicant will attend daily multi disciplinary team meetings and assist in the screening and triage of all referrals coming into NHS Talking Therapies.

Referrals that require further investigation may require additional Navigator triage and assessment, review/analysis of risk concerns - supplying an inclusive comprehensive risk formulation, safeguarding and  evaluation of presenting co-morbid mental disorder diagnoses and physical health concerns.

There is a requirement to provide specialist advice and support to Therapy colleagues

As part of this role, the successful applicant will receive regular clinical and line management supervision.

Main duties of the job

• To support referral first level gate keeping into Talking Therapies
• To participate in the Talking Therapies  MDT meeting in order to screen, triage and assess (if required) referrals into the service and if necessary, refer onwards to the most appropriate service to meet the needs of the service user.
• To undertake comprehensive assessments of the health and social care needs of individuals who are referred to the service in addition to comprehensive risk assessments and formulations
• To coordinate daily workload - triaging acuity of need
• To provide triage/assessments for individuals who present through the urgent care pathway with acute mental health needs. Following assessment to be responsible for identifying appropriate management plans, follow up care, referrals and signposting of patients into specialist services.
• This post will also hold responsibilities for the assessment and formulation of presenting mental health problems experienced by people at a primary care level.
• This post involves liaison with other roles and services within the community, and will directly link with a group of General Practice surgeries.
• To participate in the overall development of the service ensuring that the principles of Clinical Governance underpin all developments.
• It is expected that you will deliver care in accordance with all Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust policies and procedures
• Please refer to Job Description and Person Specification for full details

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assist in triaging all referrals that are made to the service as the first level gatekeeper to Mental Health services working within core hours (9- 5).
• Provide specialist consultation and advice to other health and social care colleagues as required.
• Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
• Prepare and present clinical information for all patients on their caseload to clinical case management supervisors within the service on an agreed and scheduled basis, in order to ensure safe practice and the clinical governance obligations of the worker, supervisor and service are delivered.
• To provide assistance to clients and other professionals both from within the service and externally. Providing guidance and direction to clinical staff engaged in telephone based assessments.
• Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the overall number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
• To make onward referrals to the most appropriate service to meet the individual needs of the service user following triage.
• To carry out a thorough assessment of the service users’ current mental health problems and individual needs, including a risk assessment/analysis and formulation in collaboration with the patient and significant others.
• To provide support patients with brief Psychoeducational advice, inline with patient need.
• To provide comprehensive short term crisis management plans incorporating patient involvement and agreement.  Cascading information to necessary health professionals (GP, PCN etc)
• To identify needs within an assessment or triage  for a robust Strategy in line with safeguarding children and the Protection of Vulnerable Adult Policy and to comply with statutory obligations.
• To liaise and negotiate with other professions, statutory and independent agencies to ensure the best possible service is provided to service users and carers.
• Complete all requirements relating to data collection and support the service to maintain full Talking Therapies compliance in respect of key performance Indicator (KPI) reporting.
• Respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in clinical practice.
• Provide advice, information, training and clinical supervision to other colleagues in the service
• Engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve own competences and clinical practice
• To participate in relevant operational groups and to carry out work as required by the service.
• To promote and develop collaborative working with relevant services and agencies.
• To actively contribute to the development and evaluation of a service pathway for the identified client groups
• To evaluate systematically and record, outcomes of mental health assessments, adapting care on the basis of these outcomes - utilising service and trust approved systems (PCMIS/PARIS, etc)
• To involve family and carers in the assessment and care planning with service users consent.
• To provide education and appropriate self-help resources to patients specific to individual needs and presenting problem.
• To maintain accurate and up to date clinical documentation on all service user contacts, ensuring confidentiality at all times.
• To develop a thorough understanding of deliberate self-harm, suicide and  management strategies.
• To possess a sound knowledge of issues surrounding violence and aggression and to be able to diffuse potentially difficult and volatile situations.
• To contribute to the establishment and review of policies, procedures and practice guidelines relating to the Talking Therapy  Service and the interface between other primary, secondary and specialist Mental Health Services.
• To provide advice and information to non-mental health trained medical and nursing staff regarding the management of patients with mental health problems.
• To undertake evidence based practice - in line with Trust and Professional body guidance