Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To provide, lead, manage and clinically supervise in an exciting new service which we will be delivering across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough: the Mental Health Support Teams (MHST). MHST’s will be based within schools, ensuring children and young people receive faster access to earlier mental health support. 

In this role you will implement the provision of a high quality Early Intervention service to students (and their families) experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. You will lead the team in delivering evidence-based interventions to support the recovery of young people referred to the service. This work will be in accordance with clinical governance processes and professional standards. You will utilise your skills and knowledge of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and child and adolescent mental health practice, and knowledge of Whole School Approaches to mental health, in order to lead the MHST(s).

You will ensure the ‘voice of the child/young person’ is pivotal in all aspects of clinical practice and development. Co-production will underpin the MHST’s.

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

The post holder will be responsible for the work of the MHST’s and will support them to deliver the service provision.

1. Ensure needs-led, evidence based interventions from the MHST’s and, where relevant, other services, that support local and national priorities, policies and relevant clinical guidelines.
2. Manage pathways and referral routes ensuring that the formal route for referring children/young people to ‘Getting Help’ and ‘Getting More Help’ is effective; communication and information sharing mechanisms are in place, and that working collaboratively with all relevant agencies (health, social care, locality teams, education and voluntary) creates smooth progression for children, young people and their families/ carers without unnecessary delay.
3. Ensure accessible management information is regularly used for service improvement and reporting via SystemOne data sets and the EHWS database.
4. To develop and present reporting of impact, outcomes, and feedback around the service as well as service productivity.    
5. To support with the roll out of further MHST’s within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
6. To be accountable as the Lead Clinician for the direct delivery of an effective MHST service and ensure this fits with the iThrive model across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
7. To be accountable as the Lead Clinician for the direct delivery of an effective MHST service and ensure this fits the iThrive model across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
8. Develop an open culture; facilitated by research, development and best practice which enables staff to take critical and innovative approaches.
9. Ensure the service is delivered in accordance with the contract and that all key performance indicators and outcomes are met and are presented and reported within agreed frameworks.
10. To lead effectively, with enthusiasm and by example, within Trust principles (HEAR) via effective communication, service model and structures facilitating staff, stakeholder and service user involvement.
11. To support schools for post-vention work in the event of deaths by suicide. To work in a collaborative way with other agencies to support education staff at this highly difficult time.
12. Ensure that locality professionals are supported in guiding children, young people and their parents/carers to the resources available to meet their needs.
13. Attend CCS NHS Trust performance meetings, where appropriate, to represent the service/clinical speciality.
14. Responsible for the implementation of the delegated actions from service plans, through effective communication and briefings to staff and other stakeholders.

Communication 

1. As the post holder will be working within the community, they will establish and maintain positive relationships with professionals, agencies, charities and teams who also provide services to children and/or adolescents in the community. These relationships are a key part of the role in which you will be representing CCS NHS Trust.  
2. The post holder will be able to clearly and effectively communicate highly complex or sensitive issues relating to the MHST’s work to a wide range of audiences, such as senior management, service users and their families/carers, schools and other professionals.
3. Responsible for the management of complaints within HEAR Trust values.
4. Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, self-awareness and empathy in all communications
5. To liaise closely with other professionals including colleagues in the Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service, GPs, Paediatricians, Specialist CAMHS, school counsellors, Children’s Services, other voluntary agencies and UEA.
6. Maintain key communication with:

MHST colleagues within the MHST’s and across the country as the service are developed.

The University of East Anglia (UEA), who are providing the training for EMHP’s possibly contributing to teaching elements on the newly developed course.

School partners, including Head Teachers, Mental Health Champion/Lead, Teachers, SENCO’s and Teaching Assistants.

Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service Clinical Lead and Team Leads, including Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners and Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioners.

CAMHS colleagues, including the Service Manager and SPA Clinical Lead, as well as the new ‘YOUnited’ collaborative.

Social Care and Early Help Colleagues.

SEND colleagues, including Specialist Teachers and Educational Psychologists

Other Managers and Clinical staff

Budgetary Responsibility 

1. Authorised signatory
2. Required to hold and manage a budget.

People Management

1. To have lead responsibility for the effective management of staff (who may be from different clinical backgrounds) within the service, ensuring mechanisms are in place to provide strong and effective clinical and managerial leadership, advice, support and supervision.  
2. To provide clinical supervision and line management to the senior staff within the team.
3. Propose and devise clinical policies, pathways and reports for the service that embed best clinical practice, working closely with stakeholders.
4. The post holder will provide for development of staff, agree the annual service plan and set service objectives. They will ensure appraisals and supervisions are in place for the whole team.
5. Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process
6. To respond to daily issues faced by the service and ensure these are resolved as swiftly as possible.
7. Ensure appropriate recording of meetings, supervisions and management actions and maintenance of personnel files.

Research & Development Activity 

1. To lead and participate in regular audits, quarterly reporting, and research projects for the improvement of the team’s clinical practice.
2. To present findings and outcomes of the implementation of the MHST and support the continual improvement of the team and roll out of subsequent teams. 

Clinical and Practice Governance

1. Participate fully in providing quality care in line with local and national guidelines e.g. NICE Guidance & Quality Standards relating to children and/or young people with mental health difficulties and social care difficulties
2. Follow emergency/crisis care protocols when required.
3. Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any client/family/staff records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
4. Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.  
5. The post holder must lead and adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes
6. The post holder must lead and adhere to infection control policies and procedures
7. It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with the appropriate professional body, and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.
8. Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.
9. The post holder must participate in clinical and safeguarding audits as required
10. Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team  
11. Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis
12. The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.