Job summary

The post holder will be part of a service which aims to increase Mental Health capacity and expertise in Primary Care.

As a Primary Care Mental Health Specialist, you will be expected to develop, plan, coordinate, deliver and evaluate the service provided in primary care setting within the South Kent Coast area.

The post holder will need to be flexible and responsive according to the needs of the service as well as work as part of a wider PCMHS team across Kent.The PCMHS team consists of Registered Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Healthcare Assistants, Consultant Psychiatrist and Administrators.

The post holder will work as an autonomous practitioner, responsible for the provision of assessments, interventions, education, and discharge planning of patients referred from within the South Kent Coast area. They will have responsibility for managing a caseload of clients with a variety of Mental Health conditions and will be expected to collaborate with other health care professionals including GPs, Practice Nurses, Secondary Care practitioners and third-party organisations.

Main duties of the job

  • Support practice staff in the management of Mental Health conditions in Primary Care.
  • Support the effective navigation of patients through the various mental health systems and services.
  • Ensure that local voluntary sector, health, and social care provision are used effectively.
  • Provide assessment, follow up, therapeutic treatment groups and/or depot clinics for patients seen within primary care.
  • Support recovery by pro-actively enabling medically stable individuals to move from secondary to primary care.

About us

We are a non-profit company, with a passion for primary care. We have a wide range of services such as hub-based GPs services, GP surgeries, services in Urgent Care Centres and A&E, a Community Primary Care mental health service, GP staff training service and the list is growing all the time.

We are formed by a federation of General Practitioners working in Canterbury and South Kent Coast areas of East Kent.

Our aim is to provide local, high quality services for local people by collaborating with other established organisations in the health and social care community.

What perks can we offer you?

  • NHS Pension
  • Learning and Development opportunities
  • Progression opportunities
  • Agenda for change annual leave entitlement
  • Incremental pay progression
  • Flexible working
  • Approved blue light card provider
  • Salary Sacrifice Schemes
  • Company Car Scheme
  • Employee Assistance Programme

Date posted

23 December 2022

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£33,705.95 to £40,587.77 a year Salary shown is full time. Will be pro rata for part time hires

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

B0082-22-0021

Job locations

Innovation House

Innovation Way

Sandwich

Kent

CT13 9FF

Job description

Job responsibilities

As a Primary Care Mental Health Nurse / Occupational Therapist you will work to:

  • Undertake pro-active transfer and case management activities for a defined group of individuals.
  • Ensure practice patients access suitable interventions for their needs.
  • Increase identification and management of the full range of adult mental health conditions in primary care, including initiatives to improve physical health outcomes for those with a long-term serious mental health condition.
  • Work with other primary/community-based staff to introduce measures which improve detection of depression in people with long-term physical health conditions such as coronary heart disease, COPD, diabetes, or other clinical disease group, as determined by CCG priorities.
  • Support initiatives to reduce the numbers of referrals made directly to secondary care for common mental health conditions.
  • Advise GPs on referral routes into local primary care psychological therapies where indicated.
  • Provide time limited emotional support to patients who present with a low to moderate risk, but do not require formal psychological or medical treatment at this time, e.g. social isolation.
  • Advise of and encourage the use of local open access community groups, e.g. those provided by religious organisations, Healthy Walk scheme, leisure centres, Citizens Advice Bureaux etc. appropriate to the needs of the individual.
  • Refer those requiring more complex care or with a higher level of risk on to secondary care for more comprehensive/MDT intervention.
  • Keep accurate records of activity undertaken for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Clinical Responsibilities

  • Assess and make evidence based clinical decisions based on the presentation of patients referred to the service.
  • Manage a varied and complex caseload effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
  • Facilitate or co-facilitate treatment groups in keeping with NICE guidelines and within Primary Care settings.
  • Administration and monitoring of depot medication within the depot clinic, advising and supervising junior staff within the clinic setting as well.
  • Responsible for monitoring medication regimes, assessing effects and advising patients on the safe storage and disposal of drugs.
  • Undertake pro-active case seeking and case management activities for a defined group of individuals.
  • Formulate individualised management plans based on recovery principles using advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making.
  • Facilitate the transfer of care from secondary to primary care for agreed individuals, providing transitional support where necessary, e.g. help with obtaining prescriptions, reminders about appointments, etc. if needed.
  • Act as a key point of contact for agreed individuals on the Mental Illness Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) register who are being managed by primary care.
  • Ensure annual physical health checks are carried out and acted on.
  • Liaise closely with Secondary Care to ensure effective shared care for key individuals.
  • Ensure timely re-entry into secondary care in the event of relapse.
  • Use clinical reasoning to prioritise and ensure that referred practice patients are seen within the right part of the wider mental health services.
  • Use analytical skills and specialist assessment tools to undertake comprehensive assessment of patients with complex needs.
  • Maintain an excellent knowledge of local community resources which may support the wider psychosocial recovery needs of individuals.
  • Oversee and supervise more junior staff including students on placement.
  • Maintain practice supervisor/practice assessor responsibilities.

Job description

Job responsibilities

As a Primary Care Mental Health Nurse / Occupational Therapist you will work to:

  • Undertake pro-active transfer and case management activities for a defined group of individuals.
  • Ensure practice patients access suitable interventions for their needs.
  • Increase identification and management of the full range of adult mental health conditions in primary care, including initiatives to improve physical health outcomes for those with a long-term serious mental health condition.
  • Work with other primary/community-based staff to introduce measures which improve detection of depression in people with long-term physical health conditions such as coronary heart disease, COPD, diabetes, or other clinical disease group, as determined by CCG priorities.
  • Support initiatives to reduce the numbers of referrals made directly to secondary care for common mental health conditions.
  • Advise GPs on referral routes into local primary care psychological therapies where indicated.
  • Provide time limited emotional support to patients who present with a low to moderate risk, but do not require formal psychological or medical treatment at this time, e.g. social isolation.
  • Advise of and encourage the use of local open access community groups, e.g. those provided by religious organisations, Healthy Walk scheme, leisure centres, Citizens Advice Bureaux etc. appropriate to the needs of the individual.
  • Refer those requiring more complex care or with a higher level of risk on to secondary care for more comprehensive/MDT intervention.
  • Keep accurate records of activity undertaken for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Clinical Responsibilities

  • Assess and make evidence based clinical decisions based on the presentation of patients referred to the service.
  • Manage a varied and complex caseload effectively and efficiently with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.
  • Facilitate or co-facilitate treatment groups in keeping with NICE guidelines and within Primary Care settings.
  • Administration and monitoring of depot medication within the depot clinic, advising and supervising junior staff within the clinic setting as well.
  • Responsible for monitoring medication regimes, assessing effects and advising patients on the safe storage and disposal of drugs.
  • Undertake pro-active case seeking and case management activities for a defined group of individuals.
  • Formulate individualised management plans based on recovery principles using advanced clinical reasoning and decision-making.
  • Facilitate the transfer of care from secondary to primary care for agreed individuals, providing transitional support where necessary, e.g. help with obtaining prescriptions, reminders about appointments, etc. if needed.
  • Act as a key point of contact for agreed individuals on the Mental Illness Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) register who are being managed by primary care.
  • Ensure annual physical health checks are carried out and acted on.
  • Liaise closely with Secondary Care to ensure effective shared care for key individuals.
  • Ensure timely re-entry into secondary care in the event of relapse.
  • Use clinical reasoning to prioritise and ensure that referred practice patients are seen within the right part of the wider mental health services.
  • Use analytical skills and specialist assessment tools to undertake comprehensive assessment of patients with complex needs.
  • Maintain an excellent knowledge of local community resources which may support the wider psychosocial recovery needs of individuals.
  • Oversee and supervise more junior staff including students on placement.
  • Maintain practice supervisor/practice assessor responsibilities.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum 2 years experience in mental health.
  • Clinical experience
  • Collaborative working with other organisations
  • Experience of running or leading treatment groups
  • Supervising junior staff and students
  • Ability to administer medication, including IMI depot medication as appropriate and monitor side effects

Desirable

  • Managing projects or leading defined pieces of work
  • Audit/research and clinical governance procedures and their application in practice
  • Working in primary care settings
  • Liaising with a variety of stakeholders
  • Working with people with a physical health condition or other disability

Qualifications

Essential

  • A degree or equivalent qualification in Mental Health Nursing or Occupational Therapy RMN (current NMC registration)/ OT (current HCPC registration) Accredited fieldwork educator Membership of relevant professional body and specialist interest group(s)

Desirable

  • Further training relevant to the role at the level of post-graduate or MSc equivalent
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Minimum 2 years experience in mental health.
  • Clinical experience
  • Collaborative working with other organisations
  • Experience of running or leading treatment groups
  • Supervising junior staff and students
  • Ability to administer medication, including IMI depot medication as appropriate and monitor side effects

Desirable

  • Managing projects or leading defined pieces of work
  • Audit/research and clinical governance procedures and their application in practice
  • Working in primary care settings
  • Liaising with a variety of stakeholders
  • Working with people with a physical health condition or other disability

Qualifications

Essential

  • A degree or equivalent qualification in Mental Health Nursing or Occupational Therapy RMN (current NMC registration)/ OT (current HCPC registration) Accredited fieldwork educator Membership of relevant professional body and specialist interest group(s)

Desirable

  • Further training relevant to the role at the level of post-graduate or MSc equivalent

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.