Community Mental Health Practitioner /Psychiatric Triage Nurse

at  Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Harrow Community Mental Health Triage and Assessment Team, based in Harrow and Wealdstone is looking for a passionate and experienced RMN who is looking to make a difference whilst working in an environment that promotes staff development and training opportunities . CNWL is passionate about developing its own staff , driving them to go on to become more established practitioners and this post is no different. Harrow is a pioneering service in Trauma Informed Approaches
We are seeking an experienced practitioner looking for a new venture in the community to further develop their skills; we have training and development opportunities tailored to suit your needs.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
To be you and to do what you do best in the job you love!
You will be accountable for the RMN intervention of a defined caseload of adults. To assess health and social care needs (including accommodation, finances, and support in accessing education, training or employment) and negotiate care plans with service users and their carers, remaining objective when working with diagnostic uncertainty.
To help support you with the above we offer a robust induction and tailored training will be given and encouraged . As an employer, CNWL and Harrow Local Authority also offer various training opportunities, dependent on how long you are in post and your development needs as well as the CMHH offering internal training opportunities so that the team continues to learn and evolve their practice and support of their clients and each other.
We are committed to offering you an environment to flourish which includes dedicated development opportunities as well as a healthier work life balance . We will offer you;
Commitment from the team to develop you by offering coaching and in-house development sessions such as Preceptorship Workshop, Leadership programmes, ACP modules and CBT-P training
Free access to our Staff and Wellbeing service to ensure that you are always looking after yourself
Commitment to career mapping to ensure continuous professional development including opportunities within the Trust
On-site shadowing opportunities including HTT, Psych Liaison and many more
An opportunity to work with a friendly, dynamic, passionate and diverse team who are committed to looking after each other as well as their patients
Excellent staff benefits : our benefit packages are amongst the best in London and include: childcare vouchers, health and wellbeing services, season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, blue light card, discounts at Nando’s and Superdrug, mobile phone contracts and much more!
Award-winning Staff Networks
Hidden Gem & annual award ceremonies

The post will involve the responsibilities laid down under the following key headings:

• Clinical
• Communication and Liaison
• Training and Education
• Administrative and Professional Practice
• Research and Development

Clinical
To receive referrals from GPs and undertake comprehensive psycho-social mental health assessments to establish care needs.
To act as a contact point and provide a link/liaison role to GP practices with regard to patients with more complex mental health problems and/or co-morbidities
To screen non-urgent GP Adult mental health referrals, identifying patients who are suitable for management in primary care according to agreed thresholds and with any adjustments to reflect MH resource available at individual practices
To facilitate onward referral and rapid access to mental health services and other agencies in line with agreed thresholds and shared protocols and criteria, and/or to provide support/advise referring GP on effective management
To ensure early detection and fast tracking of clients with severe mental health problems.
To provide appropriate short-term interventions for clients with more complex and severe, enduring mental illnesses (SMI).
To support the safe discharge case management of patients discharged from secondary care, with a focus on enabling GP practices to provide effective, continuing care and to ensure access to support in terms wider social and social inclusion/self-management needs.
To refer-on patients assessed as having common mental health problems to the primary care psychological therapy pathway or to external resources
To facilitate, where necessary, the onward transfer of suitable clients from secondary care to primary care.
To develop and maintain a high standard of mental health professional care using a liaison model of nursing with a problem solving and evaluation approach.
To utilise a range of therapeutic techniques.
To understand the social factors which are relevant to mental health problems and to be aware of and respectful of the cultures, customs, values and spiritual/religious practices and beliefs of all clients, particularly those from minority ethnic communities.
To receive regular appropriate supervision, as agreed with the Mental Health Triage Team Manager.
To support the work of the depot clinic if required as part of a rota.
To undertake risk assessments, according to Trust policy.
Communication and Liaison
To act as a mental health resource to the respective GP practices by offering advice and support for the management and care of clients with mental health difficulties.
To provide overall liaison between primary and secondary care for clients known to mental health services. This may involve liaising with key mental health professionals in Harrow and other mental health services well as with social services and other agencies.
To participate in Mental Health Triage professional team meetings.
Recommend and facilitate admission for clients when it is clinically indicated.
Identify any conditions, which may affect the mental, emotional or physical well-being of clients or family and refer to appropriate agencies.
Establish and maintain working relationships with individuals and agencies working in the field of mental health.
Provide written reports about clients to referrers and other relevant agencies.
Training and Education
To facilitate teaching and health promotion in primary care setting through education, advice and support to GP’s and others.
To promote exchange of skills and joint training on issues of common interest for wider primary care team e.g. detection of mental health problems, post-natal depression.
Participate in the teaching of GPs and practice staff, e.g. nurses, health care assistants, practice managers and reception team.
Seek appropriate opportunities to contribute to mental health education within the community.
Attend conferences and workshops associated with mental health and psychiatry or related topics and keep abreast of developments by reading professional journals etc.
To undertake relevant training and education courses to keep up-to-date with professional developments and practices.
Administrative and Professional Practice
To bring to the immediate attention of the Team Manager and/or Operational Manager, any situation which cannot be adequately supported, supervised or managed.
To maintain accurate electronic patient notes using Systm One in line with CNWL and Social Services guidance and The Data Protection Act.
To ensure that treatments and interventions are carried out in a safe environment for clients and staff and agreed policies and procedures are complied with.
Assist in the induction of new staff.
To keep a diary of daily work.
To ensure that agreed CNWL Complaints Procedures are adhered to and assist in investigation and monitoring of complaints.
To supervise and monitor the storage and administration of prescribed drugs in accordance with the District Drug Policy.
To uphold the principles of the NMC Code of Professional Conduct (nursing staff) or other professional body as relevant.
To adhere to Health and Safety at Work Act and Fire Policies.
Research and Development
To participate in learning sets and to adjust working processes to match developments.
To attend respective Primary Health Care Team meetings, and shared learning events to increase the team’s awareness of current developments in mental health services.
To have regular meetings with GPs, Locality meetings and attend Mental Health Triage meetings.
Provide an overview of mental health service for respective GP practice teams.
Improve information exchange between GP practices and secondary care services e.g. referral routes/pathways, quality of referrals, speed and quality of discharge information.
To participate in research within the service as agreed by the Team Manager, Professional Leads and Community Recovery Services Manager.
Training
To participate actively in clinical supervision, as well as in management supervision and annual appraisal with line manager, and to pursue further professional development and training appropriate to the age range covered by the team, according to a Personal Development Plan
To maintain up to date knowledge through networking, training and reading, and to comply with professional requirements for the maintenance of professional registration.
To participate in and contribute to induction and training within the team, act as mentor or supervisor to students, and to support the development of a working environment conducive to learning.
To act as an expert in the field of depot medication administration and management to the team through regular updates of changes and introduction of newer anti-psychotic injectable medication.
Policy and Service Development
To work within and contribute to the development of service policies and procedures, within the overall operational policy for CMHT working.
To participate in and contribute to the development of the expanded Team, using discussion and wider liaison with other teams and community agencies

• Clinical
• Communication and Liaison
• Training and Education
• Administrative and Professional Practice
• Research and Developmen