Job summary
An exciting job opportunity has arisen in the Mental Health Liaison team in Bath in the Older Adult part of the service to recruit a Mental Health Practitioner to a substantive position.
The Liaison team cover from 8am to midnight, 7 days a week, 365 days a year with shift patterns of 8-4pm, 9-5pm, 10-6pm, 12-8pm and 4pm to midnight.
Staff working primarily in the Older Adult Liaison part of the team work from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, offering assessments for people predominantly over 65 years of age suffering a range of mental illness.
In this role there will be an expectation at times, to support your Adults of Working colleagues with assessments, reviews and triages working with 18 to 65 years with possible presentations of self-harm or overdose in the Emergency department. This will be based on clinical needs and demands and to share knowledge and skill across the team.
You will be joining an established and experienced team of professionals who provide mental health assessments and care within the Royal United Hospital, Bath.
We are looking for a team player and someone who is able to show sensitivity and tact as an essential requirement, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. and be able to demonstrate extensive experience of working autonomously with adults with complex mental health issues in a busy acute general hospital.
Main duties of the job
Able to demonstrate extensive experience of working autonomously with adults with complex mental health issues.
Act as an advocate for those who, due to dementia, delirium, or disordered thinking may be less able at that time to articulate their needs.
Carry out comprehensive risk assessments with service users who may have self harmed, lack capacity and or ability to maintain their own safety.
Be familiar With Safeguarding Principles and processes
Effective liaison and communication with patients, relatives, carers, primary health care and secondary mental health services.
Concise, effective liaison with clinical staff, including Dementia Coordinators, Therapy Staff and Discharge Liaison Nurses regarding advice on safe discharge pathways.
Demonstrate a sound understanding of the legal and ethical issues in caring for people with mental health problems, in understanding the application of the Mental Health Act (1983) and The Mental Capacity Act, and their use within the acute hospital setting.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from BAME backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Offering an assessment service to older adults usually aged over 65 years old, although this is not definitive as will be specific to the patients individual needs, with a range of undifferentiated mental health and psychological problems, and psychiatric illnesses, including dementia.
Utilising physical health knowledge in order to support formulation and treatment.Providing a mental health consultation liaison and advice service.
Assisting and supporting general hospital colleagues in making decisions about treatment and care in complex situations.
Providing formal and informal education and clinical supervision to registered and unregistered staff.
Representing mental health services within the General Hospital.
Providing a communication structure between the general hospital, secondary mental health services, primary care and non-statutory services, as a means of ensuring the highest possible standards of patient care.
Person Specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential
1. Registered Nurse (RMN) current NMC registration. Equivalent qualification OT or Social Worker
2. Knowledge of safety assessments and management in relation to suicide and suicide prevention
3. Knowledge of MHA, MCA, DOLS
4. Knowledge in key areas of Liaison psychiatric nursing including the psychological effects of physical illness
5. Knowledge of delirium and dementia care pathways
Desirable
6. Teaching & Assessing qualification (or equivalent)
7. Has experience working in Older Adult Mental health settings
8. Has experience in working in Liaison team setting in an Acute General Hospital
9. Knowledge of various therapeutic approaches in the care and treatment of drugs and alcohol
10. Knowledge of working with service users who may self-harm or overdose