Job overview
We are looking for ambitious and robust clinicians to join our diverse, experienced and supportive team. Our team focuses on bridging the gap between primary and secondary care services for patients with severe mental illness.
As a professional applying for this role you will have a special interest in early intervention for patients with severe mental illness, working to break the cycle of poor mental health by intervening at the earliest stage from within primary care. You will be working closely with the local community, primary care multi-disciplinary teams and primary care mental health hubs to challenge health inequalities and develop creative solutions to meet minority group mental health needs.
As a team we value unique skills, specialisms and professional interests. We work together to encourage and develop our skills further through formal and informal training. You need to have a flexible and open approach to change and willingness to learn, utilising reflective practice and share learning with your peers. You will need to be assertive, approachable and skilled in managing difficult conversation and conflict resolution.
Please see the link attached to a video with more information about the service
Main duties of the job
You will have a qualification at either undergraduate or postgraduate level in either Mental Health Nursing, Social Work or Occupational Therapy.
You will need extensive post qualification experience in adults or older community mental health services.
You will need to be self motivated, confident in your clinical decision making and able to work autonomously.
You will pride yourself on delivering a high quality standard of clinical practice for patients. Ensuring you maintain your continuing professional development.
You will ensure that the Primary Care Network that you are aligned to has highest quality standard for the mental health care and provision provided, implementing your leadership skills to maximise the opportunities available for patients.
You will provide specialist mental health triage, assessment, advice and/or signposting alongside brief interventions for patients in primary care.
You will utilise your profession specific knowledge and skills to facilitate early intervention for recovery within the patients local community.
This role will require you to travel between rural community bases you must therefore be comfortable with driving for work purposes and able to travel freely within the hours of the role. Applicants must have a full valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work. Adjustments can be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010 where required.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
1. Excellent opportunities for career progression
2. Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
3. 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
4. NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
5. Competitive pension scheme
6. Lease car scheme
7. Cycle to work scheme
8. Employee Assistance Programme
9. Mental Health First Aiders
10. Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
11. Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
12. As the Specialist Mental Health Practitioner you are responsible for championing the mental health needs of your Primary Care Networks patients needs within our Primary Care Mental Health Hubs and wider service transformations.
13. You will be supported on appointment to this role with a minimum four week induction developed between Oxford Health and the PCN.
14. You will have strong links with your professional body leaderships within the trust (Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Social Work).
15. You will work within the General Practice surgeries on a day-to-day basis.
16. You will receive direct management, specialist supervision and professional development through Oxford Health.
17. You will receive monthly supervision through your GP mental health lead.
18. Protected time monthly to meet with your team and primary care mental health hub peers at our in person Hub Days.
19. Your role will be to negotiate and organise your working week with your PCN and team manager to ensure maximum efficiency for your role and patients.
20. You will work as a member of the primary care network team, taking responsibility for the development and implementation of specialist mental health training within your surgeries.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
21. Professional Registration (Occupational Therapy/ Social Work/ Mental Health Nursing)
22. Post registration psychological training and clinical experience of brief interventions
Desirable criteria
23. Independent and supplementary prescriber (nurses)
24. Post graduate leadership or clinical qualifications
25. Mentor/ Practice Educator training
26. Approved Mental Health Professional or Best Interest Assessor
Knowledge
Essential criteria
27. Advanced and extensive understanding of mental health needs in adults and older adults
28. Advanced understanding of health inequalities and meeting needs of marginalised groups
29. Extensive experience of strengths based approaches to recovery focused patient care
Desirable criteria
30. Specialist knowledge relating to 18-25 year olds mental health needs
31. Specialist knowledge working with complex emotional distress, traits of or diagnosis of personality disorders
Experience
Essential criteria
32. Community Mental Health Service Experience for Adults and/or Older Adults with severe mental health needs
33. Significant experience post qualification working with individuals with mental health needs
Desirable criteria
34. Experience working in primary and secondary care mental health services
35. Experience in service evaluation and improvement
36. All new starters have a thorough induction process, both local and Trust wide, which aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
37. Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
38. Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
39. We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.
40. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an Equal Opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential. All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values – safe, caring and excellent.
41. Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
42. Oxford is a world-renowned centre of excellence for research. Oxford Health works closely with the University of Oxford department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary care, has a Biomedical Research Centre dedicated to improving mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site. The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) which carries out applied research that directly impacts patient health and wellbeing