Associate Mental Health Practitioner

The Associate Mental Health Practitioner will work across the Service as directed to provide and support smooth transitions between teams and a high level of experience for the person in crisis.

The Associate Practitioner will demonstrate robust assessment, risk assessment and management skills and possess sound decision making skills for people in a mental health crisis and will formulate crisis safety plans under the guidance of registered clinicians.

They will demonstrate an understanding of a range of brief interventions and be able to provide robust physical health checks or be willing to undertake training to do so.

They will be expected to work under supervision, with adherence to Trust procedures and policies, and to employ value based and socially inclusive practice.

Main duties of the job

• Taking calls and text messages from patients and carers with all levels and complexities of Mental Health needs
• Triaging calls and text messages ensuring they are dealt with by the most appropriate professional
• Provision of a high quality Mental Health crisis support line
• Meeting the key performance indicators set for answering calls and responding to text messages
• Liaise with other professionals and agencies as appropriate to support the person in crisis

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job responsibilities

• Triage all calls and text messages coming through to the ELFT centralised crisis line.
• If patient has a physical health need that takes precedent over mental health need then seek and document advice on whether to transfer back to NHS111 or, 999.
• Signposting callers to other Trust services where appropriate referring patients and carers to appropriate downstream mental health and support services
• Seek advice and support with regard to escalating concerns about an individual user:
• Seek and document advice from a qualified mental health practitioner in order to continue the call and text message thread
• Be clear at which point to hand-off the call or text message to a qualified mental health practitioner in order to continue the discussion based on details already gathered
• To ensure that all callers are welcomed in a courteous manner
• To ensure that all telephone and text message enquiries to teams are handled politely and sympathetically, ensuring that all onward referrals are completed in a timely and accurate manner which may often involve dealing with difficult and distressed patients on the phone

Person Specification Education, Qualification and Training

• Evidence of basic skills at level 2 numeracy and literacy
• NVQ level 3 or equivalent mental health experience
• Brief intervention and motivational interviewing training or willingness to undertake
• Suicide prevention training or willing to undertake
• Degree in psychology/psychology graduates

Experience

• Relevant experience working with and supporting people with mental health needs
• Is able to demonstrate good organisational skills

Knowledge and Skills

• IT literate
• Is able to produce written documentation as required by the service area.
• Has an ability to communicate clearly, concisely and confidently, using language and manner appropriate to the audience, avoiding the use of jargon.
• Able to measure and monitor physical health signs and symptoms eg. take vital signs such as temperature, pulse and blood pressure and report any abnormalities with these to a clinician or willing to undertake training to do so

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.

£33,094 to £36,195 a yearper annum Inc HCA