Job summary
Liverpool Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) at Alder Hey are looking to recruit 3 xMental Health Practitioners .
1. 2 x WTE permanent staff and 1 x 12 month fixed term maternitycover.
As a B6 Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) you will work across a range of educational, healthcare and community settings to provide early intervention/evidence based interventions for children and young people and their families, enabling children and young people to access support in schools.
The successful candidates will have already undertaken further training in one of the IAPT modalities (CBT, SFP and IPTA is desirable) and will undertake direct work with children and young people, families and carers as well as education providers. In addition, the post holder will deliver training and work with education providers to develop the Whole School and College Approach.
The post holders may also provide supervision to our Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHP's). From April 24 2024, EMHPs will be required to be registered with either British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) or the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Main duties of the job
To communicate to the client and family, knowledge of therapeutic processes, confidentiality and available options involved in their assessment and care plan, to enable them to engage appropriately from a position of informed consent. This will sometimes include communication about highly sensitive material and outcomes.
Utilising analytical skills, specialist knowledge and experience provide a comprehensive assessment and formulation of the presenting problem taking into account the child's educational attainment, chronological/ developmental stage, inner world/ emotional wellbeing, the mental health of the child's parents, the family dynamics and environment, and the broader social context including school.
Develop a planned programme of intervention utilising behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic and systemic perspectives as indicated by the formulation, the needs of the client and the evidence base.
Provide individual, couple, family and group interventions as appropriate as part of a client's integrated, therapeutic programme.
Undertake with supervision/consultation, case management of cases of some severity, risk and complexity, co-ordinating multi-disciplinary inputs and working in partnership with other agencies where appropriate.
About us
Alder Hey has already earned our place as one of the world's leading children's hospitals, thanks to innovation and pioneering medical work. We treat 250,000 young patients a year and have a broad range of hospital and community services, serving the local population of children, as well as being a tertiary referral centre for children from across Merseyside, Cheshire and parts of Lancashire, Shropshire and North Wales.
We would welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as our ambition is that our workforce is fully reflective of the communities that we serve. Alder Hey is signed up to the disability confident scheme.
Alder Hey are offering excellent benefit schemes;
Refer a friend - Alder Hey staff
Successful candidates who are introduced to the trust by existing staff members will receive £1000 after completion of six months in post. Please include the name/Alder Hey email for your friend in the additional information section of your application.
This will be paid in two parts, £250 in first month pay on commencement in post, and £750 on completion of six months.
Accommodation
Alder Hey will support the cost of accommodation for up to 3 months from the date of employment (up to £500 per month)
The cost is to be paid by the staff member and reclaimed as expenses.
Relocation package
Relocation packages to support new hires and will be consulted on an individual basis, please link in for further information.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical
2. To communicate to the client and family, knowledge of therapeutic processes, confidentiality and available options involved in their assessment and care plan, to enable them to engage appropriately from a position of informed consent. This will sometimes include communication about highly sensitive material and outcomes.
3. Utilising analytical skills, specialist knowledge and experience provide a comprehensive assessment and formulation of the presenting problem taking into account the childs educational attainment, chronological/ developmental stage, inner world/ emotional wellbeing, the mental health of the childs parents, the family dynamics and environment, and the broader social context including health and school.
4. Develop a planned programme of intervention utilising behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic and systemic perspectives as indicated by the formulation, the needs of the client and the evidence base.
5. Provide individual, couple, family and group interventions as appropriate as part of a client's integrated, therapeutic programme.
6. Undertake with supervision/consultation, case management of cases of some severity, risk and complexity, co-ordinating multi-disciplinary inputs and working in partnership with other agencies where appropriate.
7. Identify potential signs of mental health disorder/other specialist need and refer to the appropriate professional for assessment.
Responsibility for patient/client care
8. To communicate to the client and family, knowledge of therapeutic processes, confidentiality and available options involved in their assessment and care plan, to enable them to engage appropriately from a position of informed consent. This will sometimes include communication about highly sensitive material and outcomes.
9. Utilising analytical skills, specialist knowledge and experience provide a comprehensive assessment and formulation of the presenting problem taking into account the childs educational attainment, chronological/ developmental stage, inner world/ emotional wellbeing, the mental health of the childs parents, the family dynamics and environment, and the broader social context including school.
10. Develop a planned programme of intervention utilising behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic and systemic perspectives as indicated by the formulation, the needs of the client and the evidence base.
11. Provide individual, couple, family and group interventions as appropriate as part of a client's integrated, therapeutic programme.
12. Undertake with supervision/consultation, case management of cases of some severity, risk and complexity, co-ordinating multi-disciplinary inputs and working in partnership with other agencies where appropriate.
13. Provide risk assessment of children and young people admitted to the acute paediatric ward, following acts of self-harm as first on call undertaking responsibility for discharge or seeking further consultation/assessment from psychiatrist on-call as appropriate.
14. Provide 9 - 5 emergency cover under supervision/consultation as agreed, for referrals of children at risk of self-harming.
15. Identify potential signs of mental health disorder/other specialist need and refer to the appropriate professional for assessment.
Responsibility for policy/service development
16. Maintain comprehensive clinical notes and consultation records in accordance with trust policies and procedure.
17. Contribute to the development, implementation, evaluation and monitoring of the Service Groups operational policies and procedures.
18. Participate in MDT and multi-agency meetings
19. Share responsibility with other team members, as appropriate, for implementing service developments.
20. Contribute to the management of workloads of appropriate staff within the framework of the Service Group policies and procedures.
21. Contribute to the delivery of national and local priorities as set out in the Trusts corporate objectives.
Responsibility for research and development (detail below)
22. Utilise theory, literature and research to support evidence-based practice
23. Participate in agreed research activities and carry out specific research projects within own specialist area.
24. Undertake specific project management, including complex audit and service evaluation, as requested
25. Utilise patient electronic record data for the implementation of audit and service delivery purposes to inform service developments.
26. Provide appropriate statistical returns as required.
Supervision and Consultation
27. Provide consultation/training to professionals from other services, under supervision, and where appropriate.
28. Undertake regular clinical supervision/consultation with a supervisor/consultant agreed with the professional lead.
Audit and Research
29. Ensure use of best practice in all work, utilising the evidence base where available.
30. Participate in regular team meetings.
31. Undertake regular audit and evaluation of work under supervision.
32. Record audit and evaluation outcomes in portfolio.
Management
33. Manage own workload ensuring appropriate balance of clinical and non-clinical work and of case mix.
34. Maintain comprehensive clinical notes and consultation records in accordance with trust policies and procedures.
35. Participate in team business meeting.
36. Participate in service development.
37. Undertake responsibility for delegated aspects of service management with the agreement of the professional head and the team manager.
Professional
38. Maintain professional registration and clinical accreditation.
39. Maintain a high standard of all work undertaken.
40. Make effective use of regular clinical supervision/consultation.
41. Participate in regular professional group meetings.
42. Undertake continued professional development with the support of an identified professional supervisor.
43. Maintain a portfolio of workplace learning as well as other learning outlined in the MHP portfolio manual.
This is not an exhaustive list of duties; its contents will be subject to review at regular intervals in consultation with the post-holder.
Person Specification
1.Education and Training
Essential
44. 1.Qualified in core profession such as Mental Health Practitioner, Mental Health Nurse (RMN), Occupational Therapy, Social Work or Creative Arts Therapies. or 2.Recognised degree level broad based health & social care qualification which will require completion of The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) Knowledge Skills and Attributes (KSA) and training in a therapeutic modality
45. oProfessional Registration (where applicable)
Desirable
46. oQualification in a therapeutic modality
2.Experience of...
Essential
47. oMust have postgraduate/post qualification experience of working in a mental health or social care setting oMust have experience of working collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary setting
Desirable
48. oExperience of working in child and adolescent mental health services, and/or physical health settings.
3.Clinical
Essential
49. oMust be able to demonstrate application of therapeutic and analytical skills. oMust demonstrate ability to be self-reflective in relation to practice. oMust be experienced in and able to demonstrate proficiency in case management responsibility. oMust be able to demonstrate the ability to provide, (with appropriate supervision), assessment of emergency/ self-harming behaviour.
4.Knowledge of
Essential
50. oMust demonstrate a working knowledge of health, education, social services and the voluntary sector. oMust demonstrate knowledge of relevant, current legislation. oMust demonstrate knowledge of safety factors in management of self harming behaviours and child protection issues. oMust demonstrate understanding of principles underlying psychodynamic, systemic, cognitive and behavioural therapies. oMust demonstrate a working knowledge of child development oMust demonstrate awareness of recent government initiatives.
Desirable
51. oMust demonstrate knowledge of audit and evaluation methodology.
Essential
52. oMust demonstrate organisational skills to manage workload balance appropriately. oMust demonstrate a commitment to the overall vision and the development of the professional group of mental health practitioners. oMust demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression.
6.Personal Attributes
Essential
53. oMust demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression. oMust show enthusiasm and appreciation for multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working. oMust demonstrate a professional manner. oMust demonstrate a high level of communication skills commensurate with the nature of clinical and professional contacts required of the post. oWorks within professional ethics and Trust policies oAccountable for own professional actions