Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Mental Health Practitioner / Case Manager  in the Greater Manchester Universities Student Mental Health Service.

The post is to work 37.5 hours within the service per week

The GM Universities Mental Health Service has developed an integrated, single referral pathway for students from seven GM Universities. The care pathway is based on the I Thrive needs-led framework with service access based on need rather than limited to diagnostic category.

The aim of the service partnership is to provide proactive support and interventions to students to enable them to fulfil their university ambitions and experience. Students with pre-existing mental health problems or those whose mental health problems emerge whilst at university will be supported to succeed and to manage their mental health challenges.

This partnership model enables care to be aligned with the needs of students presenting with more complex, co-morbid and chronic conditions. The needs of the people who access this tier of care are significantly more likely to have several presenting problems, some which they will have had since childhood and for which they may have low motivation to change. They are likely to have significantly higher rates of interpersonal difficulties, i.e. recorded personality disorder, with the main life-limiting problems of anxiety disorders, co-morbid with depression, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties.

Main duties of the job

• To ensure the delivery of high standards of care to students referred to the service by the University wellbeing service.
• Take a lead in the case management process (supported by the operational manager and clinical leads)and provide structured clinical mental health assessments, leading on the care of an individual
• Promote a culture based on principles of recovery, choice and personalised care, in which the student e agreed can expect to be active in decision-making about their care and treatment.
• To work in an effective partnership with  the Consultant Psychiatrist, and Lead Clinical Psychologist in the service thus providing a strong multi-disciplinary leadership model.
• To work collaboratively with GM Universities colleagues supporting student mental health
• To work with students to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
• To work with VCSE organisations and student support services to ensure the student is able to access the required mental health support.
• Be an ambassador for the service
• To promote an understanding amongst the University workforce of the role of the Senior Practitioner and the wider mental health service.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification

Staff benefits

• Pay Enhancements
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Excellent pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Wellbeing programme
• Blue Light Card Discounts
• fuelGenie Fuel Cards (for applicable roles)