Job summary
The post holder will carry out mental health care and support to older people with mental health problems in the community in accordance with a laid down Programme of care as designed by the multi-disciplinary team.
The support worker provides this care under the direction of qualified nurses and social workers and encourages independence within the service user's social network. The post holder will regularly work alone without direct supervision for part of the span of duty.
Support workers will have close working links and work in a coordinatedmanner with the members of the multi-disciplinary team, as well as DayCentre staff, Home Care staff and any other voluntary or statutory agencies involved with service users in their care.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking a motivated and self directed individual to join our mental health community services working with older people in the Dacorum and Sta Alban's Health Services for Older People in the Northwest Hertfordshire work with older people to assess, diagnose, treat and support mental health conditions and/or dementia. The post holder will support the qualified staff by working to care plans that aim to enhance and optimise the potential and recovery of people who are open to our service. The post holder will also support qualified staff with other tasks to ensure the smooth running of the care that we Health Services for Older People has four departments - Community, Crisis, Therapies, and Early Memory Diagnosis and Support. The post holder will primarily work with the community team, but may also be required to work across the other three teams at times. We primarily see people in their own driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving)
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission
Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Responsibilities:
To appraise senior staff of service users progress and observations of changes in their mental health condition and ensure that these changes are documented in service users notes.
Assist in the implementation of care ensuring service users rights to privacy, dignity, choice, independence and fulfilment are adhered to at all times.
Participation in multi-professional assessments and reporting back to other care agencies.
Providing support to service user and/or carer in accordance with a care plan, (maintaining social networks, maintaining a safe environment, communication/ liaison with other service providers, reassurance and emotional support persuading service user to accept support).
Participation in multi-professional reviews and Care Programme Approach/Care Management meetings.
Report any changes in circumstances in respect of the service users care to the agencies who are or may need to be involved in the service users or carers support network improving the quality of life, rehabilitation and independence of service users and their carers.
To ensure that all care services provided are offered without prejudice regardless of age, creed, gender, and ethnicity within their sphere of responsibility.
To develop awareness of service users cultural and ethnic needs to facilitate appropriate support and care.
See job description& person specification for detailed information...
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
1. NVQ/Mental Health Certificate Level 2 or completion of the Care Certificate on appointment
2. Commitment to Continuing Personal Development
Desirable
3. NVQ level 3 qualification or mental health certificate level 3 or agreement to undertake such training as soon as resources permit.
4. Educated to GCE/GCSE or equivalent (Maths and English)
5. Training in physical health care assessment and interventions
6. Venipuncture trained
AREAS OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Essential
7. Three years' experience of providing mental health or health and social care services from within a team setting, which may be combined with personal lived experience of mental health difficulties.
8. Basic written communication skills
9. Good verbal communication skills and the ability to listen effectively.
10. Understanding of the Care Act
11. Empathy, compassion, and patience
12. Ability to create innovative solutions to help empower service users.
13. Ability to work unsupervised in a range of settings
14. Ability to form positive therapeutic relationships with service users and carers
15. A keenness to make a positive contribution to improving the quality of life for people with mental health problems.
16. Ability to use structured therapeutic skills, such as solution focused therapy, motivational interviewing, or a commitment to acquiring such skills
17. Ability to acknowledge diversity and promote anti -discriminatory practice/equal opportunities
18. An ability to act calmly in emergencies and to respond in a professional manner to stressful and challenging behaviour.
19. Awareness of local services and ability to liaise with different services/teams
20. An understanding of the mental health system
21. Basic Interviewing Skills
Desirable
22. Basic health and safety awareness
23. Moving and handling awareness
24. Basic knowledge of benefits/employment systems
25. Ability to supervise/mentor others
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
26. Ability to develop trusting relationships with management staff and work effectively in partnership with them
27. Ability to convey complex information in a clear and concise format
28. Effective report writing skills.
Desirable
29. Effective presentation skills
30. Influencing skills to promote positive change