Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Responsibilities:

The post holder will:

•    Be allocated a number of people, whom they will complete an assessment of care needs (primarily social care) and risk assessment of patients presenting with a wide variety of clinical conditions. Following this the post holder will be responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of programmes of care, without direct supervision (though clinical supervision is implemented as per policy to support you).

•    Be required to provide advice, guidance and education to clients and their carers and families 

•    Participate fully in providing quality of care in line with local and national guidelines.

•    Act as a role model in providing a service for people with mental health problems.

•    To partake in continuing professional development that will also benefit the development and quality of the service.

•    Document all activity on Care Notes (PARIS), ACSIS and Outlook, and to utilise Employee Online, Online Expenses and other computerised systems.

Working Relationships and Communication Requirements of the Job

Working relationships

•    As the post holder will be working within the community most of the time, they will need to be establishing and maintaining positive relationships with people, agencies, charities and other providers who also provide services to Adult Community Mental Health Services in that community area. These relationships are vital and team members should bear in mind that they will be representing HPFT
•    Close working relationships should be developed with other parts of HPFT notably Crisis teams, CMHT’s and SMHTOP’s

Communication requirements

The post holder will

•    Demonstrate the ability to receive and give clinical information verbally and in writing to those receiving care, their families/carers and professional colleagues. 

•    Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and empathy in all communications.

•    Ensure adherence to all aspects of patient confidentiality, documentation and record keeping according to Trust and national guidelines.

•    Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and sensitively in complex situations. 

•    Demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues within the all agencies whom they encounter to the benefit of the client and the service.

Clinical Responsibility

   To provide ongoing interventions for people where assessment indicates this to be relevant to their needs.

•    Where indicated by assessment, to discharge with appropriate care provisions and follow-up, with future review dates booked as appropriate.

•    Demonstrate a high standard of record keeping and documentation with adherence to Trust policies

•    Work with colleagues to develop and promote the service’s philosophy, framework of care delivery and strategic objectives.

•    Contribute to Mental Health strategy discussions/steering groups when requested by senior management.

•    Work with colleagues to develop and demonstrate clinical expertise and high standards of mental health practice.

•    Deliver care that is person centered reflecting current best practice, and challenges practice that may be detrimental to older people receiving high quality care. 

•    Have an understanding of Mental Health Act.

•    Have a good knowledge of Mental Capacity Act, and to implement it when required.

•    Ensure that data quality and key performance indicators are upheld at all times.

Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility

•    Plan and organise their diaries, prioritise duties, and coordinate the care of the clients for whom they are allocated.

•    Give due regard to the health and safety, well-being, and interests of those who come in to contact with the team professionally.

Financial responsibility 

•    Report any activity that may be fraudulent
•    Be responsible for the completion of own extra duty and expenses claims. 

Service Development and Improvement 

•    Ensure that all policies applicable to  Adult Community Mental Health Services are implemented 
•    To comment upon and propose changes to working practices and procedures relevant to Adult Community Mental Health Services

Planning and Organisational Skills

•    Demonstrate the ability to prioritise and organise case/ workload on a day-to-day basis.

•    Ensure that the client is always given high quality care. 

•    Where necessary request assistance from colleagues.

•    Represent the Adult Community Mental Health Services at meetings etc as delegated by the Team Manager.

•    When staff/students are attached to the team ensure that learning is facilitated to meet their needs. 

Information Resources

•    Be expected to maintain a record of hours worked
•    Maintain up to date electronic records of people that the post holder has had contact with.
•    Audit activity as required.