Senior Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

We are excited to recruit to the role of Senior Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner (Band 7) in West Hertfordshire's Abbey HealthPrimary Care Network (PCN) covering the following GP surgeries in the St Albans area: The Maltings Surgery, 12-14 Victoria Street, St Albans, AL1 3JB Summerfield Health Centre, Caledon Rd, London Colney, St Albans AL2 1PU You will involve travel between the PCN practices and other venues to help fulfil the role. You must hold a full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010). You will work alongside other clinicians within the PCN as part of a multidisciplinary team. You will need to be able to work autonomously to triage, assess, case manage and discharge a patient without referral to a GP where appropriate. For an informal chat, please contact Adrienne Coward on 07814353426.Main duties of the jobThe successful candidate will:
hold relevant professional qualification: Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist or equivalent provide mental health assessment and support/brief interventions to service users in GP surgeries advise on medications, identify and intervene to meet social needs, order investigations and refer on to secondary care services where necessary. act as a first point of contact in primary care accept referrals for triage via agreed routes within the PCN offer rapid and autonomous 'first contact' triage and promote early treatment by supporting people directly into appropriate mental health pathways across both the statutory and voluntary sectors provide short term interventions on the telephone, via video link options, at the surgery or in the persons home where appropriate.
In return, we can offer you:
leadership and management training opportunities 5% on top of basic salary high cost allowance supplement (subject to a minimum and a maximum payment pro rata) 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable) One of the UK's best pension schemes Free Pilates lessons Comprehensive health and wellbeing services Special leave for family and personal reasons NHS Car Lease Scheme Employee Assistance Programme
About usWe are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission Our family of over 3500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout: Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Our staff survey results tell a story of highly engaged, motivated, passionate people working at HPFT. The survey has shown that staff overwhelmingly believe that their role makes a difference to service users, to the extent that HPFT had the best score nationally for this question. Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesYour tasks will include early triage, assessment, treatment, risk management, identifying and dealing with safeguarding concerns as well as contributing to case discussions and service-related meetings across the adult mental health primary care pathway ensuring good links with secondary care services. You will coordinate the time limited care of primary care-based service users delivering integrated care which takes account of social care needs. You will be someone who enjoys adapting and learning as you contribute to the embedding of this new role in primary care. You will also take a leading role for service innovation and development in primary care mental health. This could include projects with other junior staff to ensure delivery of safe and effective primary care mental health services and making a significant contribution to the development and leadership of mental health services within Primary Care Networks. Abbey Health Primary Care Network believes in excellent care at the heart of the community. It comprises of 2 practices, The Maltings Surgery in St Albans, and Summerfield Health Centre in London Colney. Our vision is to forge a strong relationship between our multidisciplinary teams and the wider community to optimise the health and well-being of the population. The PCN was shortlisted for a number of HWE ICB Primary Care awards 2023, including for best PCN and for excellence in training and development. The Maltings Surgery is one of the largest NHS GP practices in St Albans with a growing population of approximately 17,600 patients. Its Improvement and Transformation team received special recognition at the HWE ICB Primary Care awards 2023 by winning the digital transformation category. It is a progressive practice whose ethos focuses around three aims: staff and patient wellbeing, managing our workload safely and practice sustainability. We encourage personal development and a culture of support including mentoring and supervision. Our values are important to us and are embedded in everything we do for both our staff and our patients. Four pillars underpin our values and they are teamwork, respect, quality and community. Summerfield Health Centre is in London Colney, one of the biggest villages in Britain with a population of nearly 10,000 residents. London Colney has a lively and cosmopolitan community. Summerfield Health Centre has recently moved into a new, fit for purpose, health centre that creates a hub of community services. The surgery pledge that we promise to listen, to respond and treat our patients equally and with respect by providing an accessible professional service. Role responsibilities: Provide brief, outcome focussed support and time limited evidence-based interventions for people. Offer interventions to people using the principles of motivational interviewing. Support people to build their emotional resilience and crisis planning tools, promoting self-management skills Ensure systems are in place to promote smooth pathways between primary care and secondary mental health services. Proactively recognise and effectively manage the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate onward referral to HPFT crisis management teams, community teams or via SPA. Where appropriate will complete joint assessments with ACMHS. The Mental Health Practitioner will act to negotiate rapid re-access to HPFT clinical services should the need arise and will jointly work with ACMHS to help identify and support patients ready to transition to primary care, and develop care plans and prepare people for step down. Work in partnership with Health and social care professionals from other agencies and organisations including Mental Health Link Workers, Community Navigators, social prescribers and other practice staff to map community resources and assets that are available for those with mental health needs within the specific PCN geography and ensure awareness of these is communicated throughout the Primary Care Network. Work within Primary Care to reduce the need for onward referral to secondary care services where consultation with the Community Psychiatrist or psychologist can provide the required support whether this is medication review or additional advice and guidance. To lead collaborative working between the full range of physical health and mental health services, to ensure that people who need care are able to access it quickly and easily and are prevented from being excluded from services or falling through gaps. Establish an ethos within the Primary Care Network based on individual strengths and community assets, and support, service users, carers and families to access voluntary services and other relevant community providers, and utilise available information to promote self-management approaches as part of a holistic approachPerson SpecificationQualificationsEssential
Current professional registration: Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist or equivalent Evidence of relevant post registration training and development in particular motivational interviewing, brief solution focussed interventions, cognitive and behavioural approaches and psychosocial interventions
Desirable
Independent and supplementary Prescriber Recognised Post Graduate clinical or leadership qualification relevant to the role Mentor and mentorship training
ExperienceEssential
Extensive post registration experience in working with people with mental health needs. Community experience in mental health services for adults and older age adults with severe / significant mental illness Experience of providing a range of evidence based interventions to people with a variety of mental health problems and serious mental illness Considerable experience in the assessment and management of clinical risk. Experience in physical health assessment for people with mental health needs. Experience of effective collaborative working in partnership to deliver holistic health and social care outcomes. Evidence of Interdisciplinary / multi-agency working experience including primary care and community/ voluntary sector. Experience of leadership and development of junior colleagues.
Desirable
Proficient in clinical audits and research. Experience of working in primary and secondary mental health services. Experience in the planning and delivery of training and practice developments to staff. Experience in service evaluation and improvements. Experience working in a CAMHS and/or OPMH service
Employer detailsEmployer nameHertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation TrustAddressAbbey Health Primary Care Network The Maltings, 12 - 14 Victoria Street, St Albans AL1 3JBAny attachments will be accessible after you click to apply. 367-PLAN-#####-B
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