Mental Health Practitioner

We are looking to welcome to our team a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner on an 18 month Fixed Term Contract.

Step2 is an Early Intervention Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service aimed at improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people in Hertfordshire. The post holder will carry out skilled mental health triage and assessments and offer brief intervention therapy to children and families where a more targeted response is required. The service works with children aged 0 - 19.

The post will provide highly skilled Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) support to the Universal Children's Workforceto increase their capacity to identify and manage children's mental health needs, through liaison and joint working between services.

Main duties of the job

• Deliver quality service in line with the organisation's objectives and performance indicators.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner carrying out specialised triage, clinical assessments and formulation, and brief interventions.
• Work in partnership and consultation with other professionals.
• Promote the mental and emotional health of children, young people and families in the community, from birth into adulthood.
• Support an outreach capacity to engage with a range of vulnerable groups.
• To facilitate appropriate access to Specialist CAMHS and other relevant provision according to level and nature of need.
• Contribute to the promotion and participation in integrated practice and multi agency support team models.
• Work on own initiative and prioritise workload reporting back regularly for supervision with the Service Management.
• Responsible for the safe provision, use, maintenance and storage of equipment and materials for self and others.
• Maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and exercise professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice.
• Plan and deliver treatment interventions in line with Best Practice and local and National Guidelines.
• Promote and embed Children's IAPT & THRIVE values within the service and wider workforce. Please read the attached full job description and person specification document before applying for this post.

About us

A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

You'll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff

We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities

Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision

We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

We don't want you to miss out so we'd like you to know that if we have a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible - Apply now

You've made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we're looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you.

The Trust is committed to gold standard recruitment. In support of this, please read our 'Supplementary Information' document which is attached to our vacancy adverts

Job responsibilities

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK

Candidates must hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)

Please read the attached full job description and person specification document before applying for this post.

Person Specification Qualifications and Training

• Qualification relevant to child mental health at postgraduate level or accredited as a mental health practitioner.
• Training in a specific mental health intervention such as CBT, attachment focused, systemic psychotherapy or creative therapy.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of legislation and policy and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health

Experience

• Experience of working with young people and families in a brief intervention model, whilst maintaining professional boundaries.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to develop a trusting therapeutic relationship and experience in working with children and young people with complex needs, safeguarding and contextual difficulties. Ability to work with people whose behaviour is personally challenging and with support, deal with frequent exposure to highly distressing or highly emotional circumstances.
• Openness to consult with professionals and utilise their feedback as appropriate. This includes the use of clinical supervision and promoting mutual support in a team context.
• Ability to work in isolation and manage own caseload timely and efficiently as well as maintaining intense concentration on a frequent basis. Ability to be flexible and respond to rapid changes.
• An understanding of Children's IAPT, Thrive and NICE
• Working knowledge of TPP SystmOne, electronic patient record

Personal Qualities

• Hold a full, valid, UK driving license and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)

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.

£38,682 to £46,580 a yearper annum, pro rata