Sutton Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are seeking to recruit to a Mental Health Practitioner. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced Registered Mental Health Nurse to join the Sutton PCNs providing a combined consultation, advice, triage/assessment, and liaison function in a primary care setting.
We are looking to fill a full-time position (37.5 hours a week) over 5 days – typically Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm (flexibility can be discussed at interview). The successful candidate will enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, receiving referrals from GP surgeries and supporting patient transition from secondary care to primary care by providing up to three step-down sessions and vice-versa i.e., from primary care to secondary care (when more specialist or intensive support is required).
We offer a supportive working environment, with a visible and accessible management team. Supervision is a priority as we pride ourselves in supporting staff to meet the needs of the patient and we are committed to delivering an exemplary service with a strong culture of training and education.
In this role you will work as part of the primary care team, providing support to GP practices for patients presenting with mental health problems. This support will include provision of advice, education, support and interventions to patients and carers through bookable appointments.
You will provide expert advice and education to primary care staff across the specified PCNs.
Main duties of the job
Provide medicine education and adherence advice and lifestyle advice for patients and their carers, presenting with mental health problems
Assist in supporting early intervention and supporting shared decision-making around self-management
Carry out triage and comprehensive assessments
Work with patients and team members to support engagement with appropriate services and treatment
Support patients to transition from secondary care to primary care by providing up to three step-down sessions at the point of step down from secondary care services
Provide ongoing specialist support for patients to transition from primary care to secondary care when more specialist or intensive support is required
Support patients to stay well within their local communities
Work at all times to promote the safety and the well being of service users and their families/carers
Develop a close relationship with Practices, attending Practice meetings and having regular informal contact.
Work closely and in partnership with colleagues within primary care and local NHS trust in a collaborative way, ensuring that decisions are made that ensure the best care for service users and that there is a seamless pathway.
Support primary care teams with the administration of long-acting injections for those patients with complex needs
Support patients on the SMI register to access annual physical health checks and to carry out these checks and physical health monitoring for those patients with complex needs
About us
Sutton has a population of approximately 200000 residents registered to 23 practices and there are currently 4 Primary Care Networks (PCNs); Carshalton, Cheam & South Sutton, Central Sutton and Wallington PCN; each serving a population of approximately 50000 patients. Primary care networks (PCNs) form a key building block of the NHS long-term plan. Bringing general practices together to work at scale has been a policy priority for some years for a range of reasons, including improving the ability of practices to recruit and retain staff; to manage financial and estates pressures; to provide a wider range of services to patients and to more easily integrate with the wider health and care system.
Sutton PCN is forward-looking, friendly and focused on providing a wide range of excellent healthcare services to patients in Sutton and the surrounding area. We merged as we could see the benefits of working together in a larger GP partnership and we are delighted to be realising some of those benefits now. Because of our scale, not only are we more resilient and efficient but we are able to invest in continuous quality improvement, enhanced care, new services and training and developing our workforce. We value the diversity of our colleagues and actively champion an inclusive culture and are committed to helping our colleagues achieve a work/life balance.
Job responsibilities
Clinical
To provide medicine education and adherence advice and lifestyle advice for patients and their carers, presenting with mental health problems
Assist in supporting early intervention and supporting shared decision-making around self management
To carry out triage and comprehensive assessments as required.
To work with patients and team members to support engagement with appropriate services and treatment which may include onward referral to secondary mental health services or signposting to other mental health services, social prescribers, voluntary services and community-based support groups
To support patients to transition from secondary care to primary care by providing up to three step-down sessions at the point of step down from secondary care services
To provide ongoing specialist support patients to transition from primary care to secondary care when more specialist or intensive support is required
To support patients to stay well within their local communities, including the re-enforcement of newly learned psychology techniques
Work at all times to promote the safety and the well being of service users and their families/carers
To develop a close relationship with Primary Care practices, attending practice meetings and having regular informal contact.
To work closely and in partnership with colleagues within primary care and local NHS trust in a collaborative way, ensuring that decisions are made that ensure the best care for service users and that there is a seamless pathway.
To support primary care teams with the administration of long-acting injections for those patients with complex needs
To support patients on the SMI register to access annual physical health checks and to carry out these checks and physical health monitoring for those patients with complex needs
To provide clinical supervision to junior collegues.
To maintain accurate, contemporaneous healthcare records appropriate to the consultation.
Quality Improvement
To contribute to the improvement of pathways between primary and secondary care and where practicable, to standardise processes across the PCN
To support primary care initiatives which improve the physical health outcomes of those with a long-term mental health condition and the mental health outcomes of those with a long-term physical health condition
Training, Development and Education
To provide specialist mental health specific training and shared learning for staff across the primary care network, including providing specialist advice relating to mental health
To undertake mandatory and statutory training as required by Sutton PCN policy, identifying individual training needs.
To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development Review/appraisal.
To undertake personal development as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP).
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills – Essential
– Ability to provide quality care that is responsive to service user needs, without close supervision
– Excellent written and oral communication skills
– Good organisational skills
– Resilient: able to cope in difficult interpersonal situations
– Ability to complete comprehensive assessments where required.
– Approachable
– Self-aware, self-confident and intrinsically motivated to do a good job and to motivate others
– IT skills
Personal Attributes – Essential
– Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems.
– Ability to fulfil all the requirements of the role (including physical)
– Loyal and able to advocate and show price in the work area and organisation and demonstrate values of both Sutton PCNs and the NHS
Experience – Essential
– Demonstrable experience of working clinically at Band 5 and/or Band 6
– Experience of working with people who have experienced serious ongoing mental health problems
– Experience of research based/reflective practice e.g. understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills, attitude and knowledge and develop these by using evidence based practice.
– Experience as a preceptor/mentor
– Knowledge of clinical governance and audit
– Knowledge of relevant professional and clinical legislation
– Ability to proactively and independently manage a workload.
Experience – Desirable
– Previous experience of working within primary care
– Experience of working consultatively with professionals
– Evidencing of completing and/or supporting clinical research projects and audits
Qualifications – Essential
– Mentorship development
– Evidence of continuing professional development
Qualifications – Desirable
-Experience of using quality improvement methodologies
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.