Psychosocial Therapist

Job overview

This role integrates the provision of day to day care and therapeutic support, whilst providing the opportunity for individuals to be equally and actively involved in supporting the team by providing valuable insight into service users’ risks and progress on the ward, and where applicable supporting their transitions to the community. The nature of our service user’s personality difficulties can present daily challenges and therefore we expect those who wish to work in this environment to have some understanding of the nature of a personality disorder or be motivated to learn where you will be supported in this, and to carry an empathic approach to such interpersonal difficulties, whilst also maintaining professional boundaries.

The service aims to reduce and manage the risk in the least restrictive environment possible; reduce personality pathology and the associated suffering and distress; increase pro-social and adaptive behaviours in the areas of relationships, education and employment, and community integration; promote independence; and improve quality of life. Waddon Ward aims to provide a safe environment, and works in collaboration with patients and other stakeholders (e.g. MAPPA, PCTs, Ministry of Justice) to develop treatment plans incorporating SMART goals that focus on patient care and gradual community re-integration or return to prison on completion of treatment

Main duties of the job

The role of a Psycho-Social Therapist is to work daily as part of the nursing team and the wider Multi-disciplinary team. You will be working as a security nurse or response nurse day by day. The post holder will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge of working with personality disorder patients within the forensic setting as well as the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway. There are opportunities for the individual to develop their skills in 1:1 with patients in a therapeutic manner and skills in facilitating groups. They will report to the Nurse in Charge of the ward and be a part of the nursing team although the ward is a psychological based ward working in a therapeutic community stance.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Your main duties during a shift may involve working as the security nurse for the ward, or to respond to crises within River House. You will escort service user’s on section 17 leave out on the hospital grounds or in the community, to occupational therapy (OT) groups/activities, medical appointments and or any other required leave of absences, at the discretion of the Nurse in charge You must be able to physically respond efficiently and confidently to a crisis, i.e. be able to assist in the delivery of First aid, or employ Seni Lewis training techniques which you will have completed or booked into during your induction to the trust. You will participate in the assessment of service user’s mental and physical health, promptly reporting observations to the Nurse in charge and Provide care in accordance with individual service users care plans. You will assist in the assessment of service users’ risk(s), feeding back your views to the team Where appropriate, you will have the opportunity to contribute to psychological interventions under the supervision of a registered professional. You will be expected to take part in regular monthly supervision and appraisal, and contribute to the well-being of the team by supporting other team members and treating all colleagues with dignity and respect. I promise to… Be caring, kind and polite Do what I say I’m going to do Take the time and listen to you Be honest and direct with you Be prompt and value your time You will work as part of a team in a professional manner, respecting the boundaries of the relationship with service users, carers, and staff, exchanging appropriate information with service users, carers, and other team members on a regular basis maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information. You will undertake any other reasonable duties as directed and are responsible for using supplies and equipment cost effectively, and monitoring stock levels on a day to day basis. An example of something that is NOT a key responsibility: Confidentiality Ensure Confidentiality of information is always maintained in accordance with Trust policies and the trust code of ethics and professional conduct The above is not a ‘key’ responsibility. CPNs may be responsible for confidentially but it does not fit into the 3 core purposes of a job description. Policy requirements that are to be adhered by all staff should be avoided or banded together.