Job summary
As part of the wider Older Peoples Mental Health Services an exciting opportunity has arisen for a Mental Health Practitioner to join the Young Onset and Rarer Dementia team.

This award winning team is based at The Meadows within the borough of Stockport and provides support for clients (under 65) and their carers.

The team are responsible for providing interventions to people with a diagnosis of a young onset dementia, or a rarer type of dementia, in a community setting involving particularly challenging and complex cases.

Main duties of the job

• To carry out a thorough assessment of the service users' current mental health needs, including risk assessment, psychological needs and cognitive functioning.
• To demonstrate the ability to make decisions in relation to the clinical management of individual patients and make critical clinical judgements in relation to mental health and care provision within the community setting.
• To be able to assess and manage clients presenting with co-morbidities of physical and mental health needs including the impact of medication.
• Provide advice on issues related to activities of daily living, working with service users / carers / relatives with regards to all aspects of the care package.
• Communicate clearly with service users who may lack insight into their condition and the risk issues involved.

About us
We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we're a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
• Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance.
• Access to Continued Professional Development.
• Involvement in improvement and research activities.
• Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service.
• Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel.

Details
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year PA, pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 311-S764-26-B
Location: The Meadows, Owens Farm Drive, Offerton, Stockport, SK2 5EQ

Job responsibilities

• To work in the community and liaise with in-patient areas assessing and prioritising clients appropriately.
• To manage a caseload of clients with complex and challenging mental health needs.
• To assess clients in the most appropriate location often in their own home working in accordance with the Lone Working Policy.
• To plan and implement client centred interventions using selected and graded activity to meet the needs of the individual ensuring issues of behavioural disturbance, aggression, wandering, mood disorder, psychosis and de-motivation are considered.
• Contribute to making decisions regarding client care in consultation with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Undertake the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of specific packages of care (in conjunction with other team members).
• Maintain standards with regards to the quality of interventions provided.
• Work within the framework of the Care Programme Approach, act as care coordinator / care manager, as required.
• Work within the framework of the All Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy and be willing to undertake relevant training.
• Maintain confidentiality and a high professional standard at all times.

Research and Audit

• To ensure that Paris records are efficiently maintained.
• To contribute to audits as required.
• To provide relevant data as required in line with performance monitoring targets.
• To participate in research and development opportunities as directed by team or service manager.

Education and Training

• To contribute to the on-going training and development of non-mental health trained staff with regard to mental health issues.
• To have effective presentation skills in order to positively promote the Young and Rarer Dementia Team.
• To provide mentorship, education and training to learners from a range of professional backgrounds.
• To attend mandatory and other training as identified as relevant to the post and necessary to ensure safe effective practice.

Service Development
To participate in monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of service delivery and contribute to developments relevant to mental health services.

Management
To engage in peer supervision, advice and support to team members across the divisional team. To deal appropriately with clinical incidents, complaints etc. from patients, relatives and members of the public, via line manager, in accordance with Trust policy.

This job description is not exhaustive, but is intended to give an overall picture of the role. Other duties within the general scope of the post may be required from time to time.

General Duties of all post holders

• To undertake any other reasonable duty, which is appropriate to the band, when requested by Senior Staff.
• To be familiar with and comply with all Trust and departmental policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines.
• To be aware of and work towards the Trusts strategic goals.

Person specification
Essential qualifications

• RMN or appropriate registered AHP.
• Short courses and experience to post graduate diploma level.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable qualifications

• Accredited skills training.
• Trained to degree level.
• Demonstrable experience in mental health.
• An accredited mentor for nursing students.

Essential experience

• Experience of working within Old Age Psychiatry and with people with dementia.
• Experience of acting as care co-ordinator under the Care Programme Approach.
• Monitoring effects and side effects of service user medication.
• Assessing service users capacity to manage own medication.
• Experience of MDT working.

Desirable experience

• Experience of community based mental health services.
• Experience in young onset or rarer dementias.
• Experience of working with carers in a collaborative way.
• Experience of working with voluntary sector.
• Experience of providing supervision.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer contact
Team Manager: Jennifer Day, jenniferday1@nhs.net, 01617164505

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