Job summary
The Southwest Op Courage Veterans Mental Health Service operates across the entire Southwest and is one of six national NHS England commissioned Op Courage services, and is delivered by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

Op Courage provides a complete care pathway and is delivered by an experienced and committed Multi-Disciplinary Team.

The pathway starts with a comprehensive needs-led conversation and is followed by evidence-based interventions/treatment for a wide range of need and complexity, including complex mental health difficulties and psychological trauma.

The service is currently looking to recruit a Band 6 Specialist Practitioner to work across Devon and Cornwall so the postholder will need to live within this area and be mobile; however, on occasions, it will be necessary to work outside this area in order to support service delivery and to attend team meetings.

The service is delivered via a hybrid working model which includes using clinical spaces, hot-desks and homeworking. Clinical appointments are delivered face to face or virtually, in line with patient choice and clinical/operational need, so some lone working will be required.

Please note this advert is for a specialist practitioner to work across Devon and Cornwall. The address on the advert in Weston Super Mare is our admin base and regular travel there is NOT required.

Main duties of the job
The postholder will need strong clinical skills in mental health assessment, safety assessment and safety planning and the ability to provide therapeutic interventions; deliver or advise on outstanding nursing care that reflects the values of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code and AWP's commitment to trauma-informed practice.

This includes fostering a culture of kindness, respect, and inclusion in every interaction. Your role will involve leading on holistic assessments, collaboratively developing Personal Wellbeing Plans, and evaluating outcomes with service users, their families, and the wider MDT.

You will act as a keyworker for patients, coordinating all aspects of care and communication for the person, their family members and carers and the services that are involved.

You will maintain regular contact with the person and their family members and carers and specify this in their Personal Wellbeing plan.

You will support the physical and mental health of those in your care, uphold their human rights, and contribute to a safe, therapeutic environment.

You will also provide guidance and supervision to junior colleagues and students, modelling compassionate leadership and reflective practice.

You will be expected to provide mentorship for student nurses, provide preceptorship and supervision for Band 5 nurses and supervise other junior staff as directed Accurate and sensitive documentation will be a key part of your role, ensuring continuity and quality of care.

About us
We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.

Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200miles, to more than 1.8million people.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job responsibilities

• Working autonomously within the parameters of the role leading on implementing the delivery of quality nursing care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, and taking steps to address any issues that arise.
• Highly developed and skilled in assessing and interpreting complex needs of patients/clients e.g. clinical assessment of complex health needs and social needs, interpretation of vital signs and related physical health assessments
• Deliver person-centric nursing care via face to face, online or telephone contact in line with the persons choice, risk and/or clinical need.
• Facilitate access to services such as housing, employment, education, and substance misuse support, advocating for patients needs and preferences.
• Provide education and support to families and carers to enhance understanding and involvement in the patients recovery journey.
• Co-ordinating and evaluating collaborative patient-centred care; getting feedback and improving Personal Wellbeing Plans with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and system partners. Liaising and working positively with members of the multidisciplinary team and partner organisations.
• Advocate for service users needs and rights within Trust policy. Encouraging and empowering service users to have an optimum level of responsibility for their individual programme of care.
• Communicate complex and sensitive clinical information to patients, families, and carers in a clear, compassionate, and professional manner.
• Ensure that all information regarding Personal Wellbeing plans, treatment options, and health conditions is accurate, timely, and presented in an accessible format.
• Comply with and implement local and Trust policies and procedures regarding appropriate communication.
• To deliver specific interventions in line with the treatment pathway, including complex service users. Deliver care that is evidence based, reflecting current best practice and research (including NICE guidelines), demonstrating clinical excellence and high standards of professional practice to other staff
• Demonstrate empathy, active listening, and reassurance when supporting individuals through difficult or emotionally charged situations, adapting communication approaches to meet the individual needs of patients, including those with sensory impairments, cognitive challenges, language barriers, or disabilities.
• Proactively support patients in engaging with mental health and related community services, promoting recovery, independence, and social inclusion.Identify and address barriers to engagement, including stigma, accessibility, cultural factors, and individual anxieties or mistrust of services.
• Advocating for service users needs and rights within Trust policy. Encouraging and empowering service users to have an optimum level of responsibility for their individual programme of care.

Person Specification
Education, Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Essential

• NMC Registered Mental Health Nurse with current registration and has successfully completed preceptorship
• Understanding of trauma informed approaches and current nursing practice
• Substantial experience at band 5 in mental health settings
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Function as keyworker coordinating all aspects of care and communication for the person, their family members
• Demonstrate leadership skills - motivating others, using own initiative, change management
• Mobile with the facility to move easily across a geographically dispersed, and often rural, area with limited public transport.

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualification in nursing or related discipline
• Is a veteran, has lived experience of the veteran community or has experience of caring for veterans

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).