Specialist Community Forensic Practitioner

Job overview

This post is for qualified nurses or social workers. Any applications that do not meet this criteria  we cannot accept

We are looking for an experienced mental health practitioner (social worker) with experience in the community and forensic fields to join the Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT).  This is a developing service that has been set up in response to the NHS New Care Models to improve the care of service users within the forensic mental health system. The SCFT works with mental health offenders from the Essex area who are being cared for within medium and low secure mental health units, primarily in Essex.

Main duties of the job

The SCFT provides a period of ‘in-reach’ work with our service users for six to nine months prior to discharge with the aim of building good therapeutic relationships; with the aim to engage in them, in care planning, relapse prevention work and addressing potential challenges after discharge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The role will be embedded within a Multi-disciplinary team with a specific focus of expediting the safe, smooth discharge of service users specifically within Brockfield House and other secure services to a range of appropriate community placements.

The post holder will be expected to provide care co-ordination for a small caseload and contribute to the development of robust risk assessments and care plans. The post holder would be required to attend regular inpatient reviews to monitor the progress of service users and to ensure that any potential delay to discharge is addressed at the earliest opportunity. The team will support clients across Essex.

The post holder is also expected to contribute and support the day to day operational management of the SCFT.