Specialist Recovery Worker / Practitioner
An exciting opportunity has arisen in a newly developed team in our Crisis Prevention Houses. North London Foundation Mental Health Trust is developing a new model of service delivery at the Crisis Prevention Houses, a bridge between inpatient and community care, in which service users can attend peer-led and co-developed recovery programmes. The ethos is based on the Enablement Approach, facilitated by a clinical team, and delivered by staff in a range of roles to support people who use the service with their mental health, wellbeing, education, community engagement, and goals.
The post holder will utilize their experience of Mental Health Services, drawing on recovery-based strategies and role modeling hope. They will work within the team for the house and play a fundamental role in developing and supporting current and new recovery worker roles in the Crisis Prevention House. These posts will have a clinical caseload by working directly with people referred to the Crisis Prevention Houses. In addition, working closely within the clinical team, they will collaboratively work to continue to develop and embed the new service within the Crisis Prevention House.
Main duties of the job
1. Leading shifts from a trauma-informed perspective and providing trauma-informed interventions that relate to guests' needs - including physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and cultural needs;
2. Leading and contributing to assessment processes including assisting in initial information collection; monitoring of guests' progress; as well as being able to report back clearly regarding guests' progress at any team care reviews;
3. Contributing towards the ongoing quality of service and care and identifying any risk issues in relation to guests' health and social care. Promptly informing the team and taking action if there are any:
1. Changes in guests' physical conditions or mental state;
2. Significant factors relevant to the guests;
3. Incidents related to the guests;
4. With others, ensuring that the environment maintains the privacy, dignity, and respect of guests using the service;
5. Undertaking continuous risk and safety assessment and contributing to effective risk management and safety planning;
6. Guiding junior colleagues in assessments and interventions on each shift;
7. Providing individual staff with supervision/reflective practice;
8. Overseeing the health and safety of each shift, reporting/escalating to senior managers any on-call issues which cannot be contained within the shift;
9. Leading on some activities in the house.
10. Deputising for the House Manager when they are unavailable or not working.
About us
North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.
Our Five-Year Strategy:
1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all.
3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with a supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
4. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement, and technology.
Why NLFT?
1. We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
2. We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
3. NHS Discounts, generous annual leave, and NHS pension scheme.
4. Excellent internal staff network.
The post holder will be aligned with our Values:
* We Are Kind
* We Are Respectful
* We Work Together
* We Keep Things Simple
* We Empower
* We Are Proudly Diverse
In order to meet the needs of the Trust, you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that falls under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.
Job responsibilities
1. To have an excellent working knowledge of the value of trauma-informed approaches, therapeutic communication and interventions, and an understanding of the safety issues that may be associated with guests in mental health crisis. To lead discussions regarding the assessment, interventions, and review of guests' needs.
2. To be the lead worker for guests staying within the service devising agreement plans negotiated with the guest.
3. To provide trauma-informed interventions that relate to the guests' needs including physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and cultural needs.
4. To recognise that guests stay within the service with capacity and consent and so to work with them to create plans that support them to safely return home following a crisis stay. To create a Leaving Summary of their stay in collaboration with guests.
5. To observe and take action if there are any changes in guests' wellbeing as well as undertake, with consent, any routine observations that may be required for physical health management, as appropriate within a crisis house setting.
6. To maintain timely and accurate records and in line with Trust and service line policy and procedure.
7. To converse with guests who use services and their family/friends or carers/relatives in a positive and respectful manner, ascertaining their needs and assisting them as appropriate.
8. To lead and contribute to the initial and ongoing assessment of guests' health and social care needs by participating in assessment processes including assisting in initial data collection; monitoring of guests' progress; as well as being able to report back clearly at any team care reviews.
9. To contribute towards the ongoing quality of service and care and identify any risk issues in relation to the guests' health and social care. Promptly informing the team and taking action if there are any:
1. changes in the guests' physical condition or mental state.
2. any significant factors relevant to the guests.
3. any incidents related to the guests.
10. To support the Crisis Prevention House Manager in ensuring the service is adequately resourced and staffed and that the Team is able to provide a comprehensive service to service users. This includes planning and maintaining a European Working Time Directive-compliant 24-hour rota, in line with service needs.
11. To participate in the collation, analysis, and dissemination of statistics relating to the activity of the service and plan against service targets.
12. The post holder will positively promote flexibility and integration within the team and between other teams and services.
13. To support junior colleagues in the delivery of a range of identified trauma-informed psychological interventions e.g., grounding techniques, active listening, and validating skills.
14. To contribute to multi-disciplinary comprehensive, culturally appropriate assessments to establish eligibility for health and social care services.
15. To undertake continuous risk and safety assessment and to contribute to effective risk management and safety planning.
16. Recognising and valuing guests as individuals the post holder will ensure that the care provided respects equality and diversity that is supportive of guests and their carers, understanding the negative impact of discrimination and inequity on one's mental and physical health.
17. Utilising agreed frameworks and guidance such as NICE or NTA; evidence-based best practice and or local policy and procedure, as well as a range of profession-specific tools, the post holder will actively assess, plan and determine the care needs of guests. They will undertake and contribute to specific or multi-disciplinary team reviews of such care.
18. To undertake the physical health care assessment and or ongoing physical health monitoring/review of designated guests, recording any changes in the guests' physical health, reporting these to appropriate members of the team and acting appropriately on the advice given.
19. To identify and provide information to guests that promotes their health and wellbeing. Directing them as appropriate to others/other services in order to address any identified needs.
20. The post holder will lead in the support and help for guests to empower them in becoming aware of their own physical health and wellbeing and engage guests in addressing these i.e., smoking cessation and obesity. This role will also involve the post holder providing appropriate information and support for other staff.
21. To contribute to the ongoing quality of service and care, identifying and promptly reporting any risk issues or other significant factors in relation to the guests' health and social care.
22. The post holder will participate in and contribute to a range of service-led, commissioner-driven, or nationally directed monitoring or performance management, related to care, care delivery, or service provision.
23. Recognise and respond appropriately to any behaviour that is outside the accepted boundaries of the therapeutic community and the house rules as noted in the welcome pack. Or respond to concerns of harm to themselves or others.
24. To undertake and assist in the organisation of the day-to-day smooth running of the service, reporting any issues relating to the fabric or condition of the work environment and to promote a trauma-informed environment.
25. At all times to act in accordance with trust policies in relation to risk assessment.
26. To identify safeguarding issues for children and adults and to implement trust procedures as required.
27. To have knowledge, understanding, and experience of applying Mental Health legislation.
28. To be aware of personal accountability and responsibility in respect of ensuring that quality of care standards are adhered to and that these are compliant with the Care Quality Commission and other regulatory and professional requirements.
29. The post holder will support in communicating with guests regarding medication efficacy and possible side effects, should guests wish to report their concerns to identified members of the nursing staff or medical staff within, or outside of the team e.g., crisis team or GPs.
30. To follow trust policy in promptly reporting all accidents and incidents and to contribute to undertaking complaints or investigations if required.
31. To deputise as and when called upon to do so for senior clinical colleagues.
Communication
1. Contribute to ensuring effective communication with guests, their carers, family, friends, external agencies, and staff colleagues. Always acting in a dignified and responsible manner with service users, visitors, carers, and colleagues; listening carefully and responding using appropriate language and communication skills which acknowledge cultural differences and professional boundaries.
2. To maintain and record integrated guest records accurately, sensitively, and collaboratively.
3. To collect and record clinical or activity information as required by IT databases for the Trust and Adult Social Care and carry out any other administrative duties as required by the team.
Health and safety
1. To recognise own responsibility in and contribute to the requirements of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974.
2. To be aware and to follow the Trust's infection control policies, procedures, and the importance of protecting themselves and service users in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
Education, Training, Research and Development
1. To be managed by and receive supervision from a nominated line manager, including annual review of performance as part of the Trust's appraisal system.
2. To be in receipt of and engage with clinical supervision and to use this to reflect on clinical and professional practice.
3. To maintain and update relevant knowledge and skills, maintain a professional portfolio, and participate in training in line with service needs and clinical governance requirements.
4. To actively contribute to reviews of the team's activity and the monitoring of performance in line with the Trust, commissioner, SHA, or national directives and audits. Participating in relevant governance, audit, practice development, or research activity that may be expected in the service line.
5. To provide teaching and supervision for other members of the team according to experience and competence.
6. To supervise, mentor, and assess nominated trainees and other junior staff as required.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
* Registered mental health professional qualification or nationally recognised qualifications in relevant/identified posts (teaching, City and Guilds, sports coaching) or equivalent level experience.
* Evidence of recent and ongoing academic study.
* Level 2 Safeguarding Children or Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults certificate.
* Mentorship or recognised teaching and assessing certificate.
* Evidence of studies or learning about mental health, trauma, or domestic and sexual abuse.
Knowledge and Experience
* Demonstrable experience working with individuals with mental health issues in a community, inpatient, or crisis and emergency setting.
* To demonstrate a sound knowledge base in relation to factors that cause mental health problems for people and preferred treatment methods, or trauma-informed therapeutic models.
* Demonstrable understanding and experience of utilising a variety of assessment tools currently used in practice in relation to determining risk and assessing/planning care needs.
* Practical experience of mentoring or supervising junior staff, students, other trainees, or new staff.
* Previous employment in NHS Mental Health Services or experience of liaising with NHS and other statutory/non-statutory services.
* Demonstrate a clear understanding of current Mental Health legislation and its application/use in practice or legislation relevant to substance misuse services.
* An awareness of current research and evidence-based practice within the setting.
* To demonstrate an understanding of the interventions needed to meet the physical health needs of people with mental health or substance addiction problems.
* To have experience of or if appropriate to service needs be willing to undertake training in de-escalation or breakaway techniques.
* To demonstrate an understanding of the societal factors that impact on the health and wellbeing of people, including discrimination and how this contributes to mental health problems.
Skills and Abilities
* Excellent verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills.
* Able to work on own initiative.
* Able to work as part of a team and demonstrate the importance of a team approach.
* Demonstrate well-developed interpersonal skills.
* Ability to maintain boundaries and form positive therapeutic relationships with service users and carers.
* Competent using computers and keyboards for entering personally generated data, generating and responding to emails, conducting web searches, etc.
* Sound awareness of patient/service user services within the wider context of the organisation.
* Demonstrate a clear understanding of the roles within the multi-professional team.
Personal Qualities
* Motivated and enthusiastic about working/creating a newly formed trauma-informed service.
* Willingness to work at other crisis prevention house sites in order to ensure safe staffing levels.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
£34,521 to £41,956 a year Per annum, pro rata
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