Community Support Worker Physical Health Outreach Team
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
An exciting opportunity has arisen for two Community Support Workers to join the Physical Health Outreach Team. The primary purpose of this role is to reduce health inequalities for patients on the Severe Mental Illness Register by undertaking outreach to coordinate and deliver physical health checks as well as lifestyle intervention support, advice and signposting.
People with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) are at increased risk of poor physical health. The life expectancy of people with SMI is reduced by an average of 15-20 years compared to the general population, mainly due to preventable physical illness. Two thirds of these deaths result from avoidable conditions, including heart disease and cancer, primarily caused by smoking.
The Physical Health Outreach service is provided to support our GP colleagues to undertake the checks and subsequently improve individual health outcomes. The post holders will be based at Studdert Kennedy House in Worcester and will deliver health checks in GP surgeries and patients' homes throughout the county.
The post will be attractive to support workers who feel strongly about improving physical health for people with a serious mental illness. We will provide you with resources to develop and progress as well as flexibility, continual professional development and a wide range of wellbeing and support.
If you are passionate, self-motivated, and driven to improve health outcomes in local populations then we look forward to hearing from you.
Main duties of the job
The role will require:
* Previous experience in a caring role, with specific knowledge and interest in improving physical health outcomes alongside mental health.
* Resilience when working with patients who are harder to reach and engage with.
* The ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels.
* Delivery of a 12 domain health check to patients.
* Working flexibly to provide the service delivery need across the county (the service operates from 9 am - 5 pm, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays).
* The ability to work autonomously to manage your own caseload whilst working within a multi-disciplinary team.
* The ability to problem solve and manage time effectively.
* The ability to provide support and guidance to the carers of patients accessing the services.
About us
At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, we are working together to deliver outstanding care. We run community hospitals and community health services across Worcestershire and provide mental health and learning disability services across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Our people (all 4500+ of them) provide services for people of all ages, experiencing both physical and/or mental health conditions from over 100 sites.
We will support you to thrive; offer flexible working options for a great work-life balance, help you fulfil your ambitions, and empower you to make positive changes within your team or service. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities.
What we offer:
* 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service.
* Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours.
* Flexible and agile working opportunities.
* Great maternity, paternity, and adoption support.
* Wide range of supportive staff networks.
* Health and wellbeing opportunities.
If you would like to know more, please visit our website.
Job responsibilities
To behave consistently with the values and beliefs of the organisation and promote these on a day-to-day basis.
To act as a role model to colleagues, always seeking to maintain the highest standards of professionalism.
To use initiative and take responsibility for the quality of their work and the service provided to patients.
To work as part of the Adult Mental Health services providing support and care to people living within the community who have mental health problems.
To participate in the assessment, implementation, monitoring and the evaluation of all care and support on an individual patient basis, with a particular emphasis on outreach to patients who may not normally engage with services.
To understand and be competent at undertaking physical health assessments and identify the need to escalate concern to the responsible clinician.
To support professionally qualified staff, often without direct supervision, to ensure that patients and carers receive, through liaison with the appropriate agencies, a range of services and resources appropriate to their physical health needs.
To support patients to access interventions if required providing a more intensive contact and communication process for the booking of appointments and supporting patients with follow up if needed.
To promote and support the training of physical health both within the Trust and wider networks.
For full detail of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job description and person specification attached.
Person Specification
Experience
* Previous relevant experience working with the client group.
* Previous practice in relation to health and wellbeing interventions.
* Experience of undertaking physical health assessments independently (Physical Health Checks).
* Working with adults/older adults with mental health problems.
* Experience of working to reduce health inequalities in hard-to-reach communities.
* Interest in holistic health and well-being.
Qualifications
* Level 3 qualification (e.g., A-level, NVQ3) in Care or Level 2 qualification (e.g., GCSE, NVQ2) in Care and will be expected to undertake the relevant level 3 qualification on appointment to post.
* Will be expected to meet the Care Certificate standards within 12 weeks of commencing employment with the Trust.
* Venepuncture.
* Mental Health First Aid.
Additional Criteria
* Applicants should be able to work flexibly and with minimal supervision.
* Ability to cope with changing situations to routine including a variety of workspaces.
* Able to meet the travel requirements of the post including travel to GP surgeries and patients' homes across the county.
Knowledge
* Observing skills.
* Knowledge of physical health assessments.
* Knowledge of health and wellbeing interventions.
* Knowledge of health and well-being initiatives.
* Knowledge of evidence-based interventions for those with SMI in relation to physical health.
* Knowledge of co-morbidity risks of those with SMI and how to escalate concerns in practice.
* Knowledge of normal values and parameters for physical health.
Skills & Abilities
* Ability to challenge poor behaviour.
* A positive attitude and able to act on feedback.
* Ability to praise and be supportive to others.
* Ability to motivate others to make healthier choices.
* Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English in both verbal and written formats.
* Competent at undertaking physical health assessments.
* Ability to be resilient and persistent in engaging with patients who may frequently not attend appointments.
* Venepuncture.
* Able to undertake ECG recordings.
* Experience in recognising the unwell patient.
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.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
£24,071 to £25,674 a year pro rata for part time.
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