Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Children and Young People's Mental Health Service in Knowsley.

We are a multi disciplinary team consisting of psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, therapists and support workers who assess, treat and signpost referrals received for children and young people displaying mental health difficulties.

The successful candidate will be a key part of the multidisciplinary team, with caseload management responsibilities. They should have excellent communication skills to communicate with both internal and external professionals along with the young people and families that we work with.

Knowsley CYPMHS is part of the THRIVE offer within Knowsley and the successful candidate will hold a key role in ensuring the effective use of this.

We look forward to welcoming the successful candidate to our team which has recently won Team of the Month within Mersey Care and a Good Plus QRV result.

We are offering one 37.5 hour post and one 30 hour post.

Main duties of the job

To hold a caseload of both specialist and generic work dependant on clinical competence and experience.

Undertake assessments, treatment and consultation work based upon a conceptual framework and employing research-based evidence.

Provide direct therapeutic interventions dependent on clinical competence and experience in line with the grading of the post, including assessments, formulation and therapeutic input into children, young people and families referred into the service.

Undertake risk assessments and care plans accordingly, in line with the THRIVE framework.

To be responsible for the screening of referrals to children and Young People’s service.

To exercise responsibility and autonomy, within supervisory, managerial and accountability structures, for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.

To deliver care co-ordination, ensuring effective assessment, care planning and risk management processes are maintained. Involve the views of children, their families, referring agents and other professionals involved in the network of care including organising multi-agency meetings.

To work jointly and collaboratively with other team members in order to enhance and develop the provision of services to young people and their families.

Identify and respond appropriately to child protection issues, as described with the guidelines of Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust safeguarding policies.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To engage with using routine outcome measures as clinically appropriate including their use in clinical practice and inputting data into clinical record

To work collaboratively with children, young people and their families and contribute to the trust’s service user participation agenda.

Work in partnership to deliver a range of mental health interventions. This may involve group work or direct work with children/young people as well as offering specialist mental health-based consultation, and advice around men tal health.

Be responsible and ensure the effective co-ordination of clinical care provided including consideration to safeguarding and clinical risk issues where indicated

Work with clinical staff to identify children and young people with emerging mental health needs.

If working within MHST, Providing supervision and caseload management to the new EMHP (dependent on clinical competence and experience)

Participate in MDT discussion within relevant locality including waiting list management contribution.

Work in partnership with young people and their families to inform assessment, need and rationale for treatment intervention.

To work collaboratively with team members and supervisors to ensure safe working practice and positive outcomes for children and young people.

To follow safeguarding processes as appropriate or required.

When working within MHSTs the post holder will be expected to lead on engagement and participation events/activities hosted by the team and support delivery of the whole school approach offer by the team.