Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Post Details

·       To ensure that all women requiring admission to a mental health unit within a year of childbirth have the option to be admitted with their babies where clinically appropriate.

·       To ensure that the needs of the infant are always considered when considering the needs of the mother.

·       To support the mother in her recovery and provide support to the wider family.

·       To ensure that there is equal access to the service regardless of the mother’s social, religious, cultural or ethnic background.

·       To ensure that the service’s policies and practice meet the needs of women with differing cultural, religious and ethnic needs and do not discriminate where there are physical or learning difficulties.

·       To ensure that mothers requiring admission, and their babies, are cared for by appropriately trained staff in a safe, secure and therapeutic environment.

·       To ensure that systems are in place for the early detection of women at high risk of, or suffering from puerperal psychosis, depression or other mental illnesses in maternity services and primary care.

·       To ensure that services for women with mental health problems related to childbirth are organised in a seamless, integrated way resulting in early use of preventative measures, rapid access for those most severely ill and management at the appropriate level of specialist care necessary for effective treatment.

·       To promote the safety and welfare of children of mothers with mental illness and to support the developing mother-infant relationship. This includes interventions to encourage a secure mother-infant attachment.

·       To promote close liaison with maternity services to ensure that they have prompt access to specialist consultation/liaison and assessment services.

·       To communicate effectively with all agencies involved with the mother’s care including Health Visitors, Maternity Services, the Primary Care Team and Social Care.

·       To ensure that the needs of mothers, infants and their families are met in a holistic way rather than by a single agency response.

Those appointed will benefit from access to both the SAS Advocate and SAS Tutor as well as Professional Lead to support career development and offer pastoral support, will join an active, friendly and supportive SAS doctor group in LYPFT, will have protected minimum monthly hourly supervision with their consultant supervisor, access to SAS CPD, facilitation in joining a SAS peer group, annual appraisal and job planning, will be a member of the SAS Committee, will be supported in obtaining s12 approval, AC approval and MRCPsych exams if applicable, will have access to our Trustwide teaching programme,  and will benefit from 2 sessions a week of protected SPA time as standard.

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. 

So that you’re even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, you’ll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.