PCN Mental Health Practitioner – Colchester Medical Practice

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the PCN team for a band 6 PCN MH Practitioner in the Colchester area. The successful candidate will work closely with GP surgeries, embedding themselves within GP practices across the Colchester PCN to support improved access to mental health services, as well as providing early assessment, intervention, and support for adults experiencing mental health difficulties.

Main duties of the job

• Promote and maintain safety, privacy and dignity of all patients
• Act, wherever applicable, in accordance with the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and associated policies and procedures
• Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of patient self-harm, abuse or neglect,
• Responsible for ensuring the highest professional standards and attitudes towards the care of patients are maintained and that care is delivered
• Undertake a comprehensive initial assessment of referred patients, including those with complex needs
• Support patients and their families / carers in the community,
• Provides clinical advice and consultation on complex issues to other members of the clinical team and staff from other disciplines and agencies
• Under the supervision of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Team Manager have responsibility for own caseload of patients and takes responsibility as lead professional as appropriate.
• Ensure that intervention / care plans are based on current risk assessment evidence based practice.
• Where applicable, monitor patients’ mental health medication, identifying concordance/non-concordance, effectiveness and side effects, liaising with the prescriber as necessary
• Provide health education and advice on health promotion to patients and their carers
• Responsible for decision making and coordination in a crisis situation, where necessary seeking advice and guidance from other relevant professionals

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To improve the lives of people with mental ill health by minimising the impact of their condition through the delivery of excellent services to promote recovery and wellbeing
• To be compassionate in meeting the needs of patients and their cares
• To work closely with Primary Care and Community health care colleagues within the locality regarding the mental health needs of their adult practice population
• Under the supervision of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Team Manager to be professionally accountable and responsible for patient care.
• Undertaking initial assessment and identifying patient’s holistic needs. This may be by working in collaboration with other appropriate services or by providing time-limited therapeutic interventions directly within a primary care setting or patient home.
• To carry own caseload and act as lead professional under the supervision of the Advanced nurse practitioner/Team manager.
• To promote social inclusion, community access and participation through the provision of patient care
• To provide clinical advise, consultation and support to other care providers within primary, secondary voluntary and statutory services as required
• To promote at all times a positive image of people with mental ill health
• To promote at all times a positive image of the Mental Health Service and PCN.