Community Practitioner

The Croydon Assessment & Liaison (A&L) Service is made up of three teams (North, South & Central) and are all based at Jeanette Wallace House in Croydon. We provide advice on the best treatment and care options available to people between the ages of 18-65 living in the London Borough of Croydon who have moderate to severe mental illness, such as anxiety, depression or personality disorder. We work with a team of health and social care professionals including nurses, doctors, social workers, psychologists. We also work closely with the patients, carers and GPs. Main duties of the job To oversee and provide assessment, planning, of care to a group of service users within Croydon Assessment and Liaison team Ensuring records associated with this process are maintained. To work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and across other agencies. To provide a high quality of care to individuals with complex bio psychosocial needs. The post holder will carry out procedures to a standard that ensures safe and effective care, and complies with their relevant professional code of conduct. The post holder will clinically supervise and appraise junior staff and students. There will be an expectation that the post holder will facilitate user involvement in all aspects of service delivery., To assess needs, plan, implement and monitor care in collaboration with the service user, carers, and other members of the multidisciplinary team. To implement care that meets the mental, physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of the service user, and that is sensitive to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexuality and disability. To administer medication with knowledge of contraindications and side effects, and relating accurate information to service users in a format they are able to understand. To formulate needs assessments for service users requiring commissioned services and to monitor care packages as directed. To ensure that risk assessments are completed in full, documented and actioned. To provide continuing assessment and follow up of the individualised care plan, liaising with appropriate stakeholders. To demonstrate an understanding of the distress caused by, and social and personal consequences of mental illness for service users and their careers. To formulate plans of care with service users which actively promote activities of health promotion and recovery. To work within policy, professional and legal frameworks at all times. Understand and upholds knowledge of relevant Code of Professional Conduct, risk assessment and child protection protocols, Mental Health Act and CPA, and Trust clinical policies. Facilitate the service users choice, within legal, ethical and professional framework. To work with in an appropriate psychological framework with service users and carers. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Registered Nurse (Mental Health) or other professional registration Social Work and Occupational Therapy.

Essential

• Experience of working in community mental health settings ( Home Treatment Team, CMHT) or acute inpatient settings
• Experience in managing safeguarding issues.
• Experience in carrying out detailed assessments, formulating and planning care.
Desirable
• Experience of working in an MDT setting
• Experience of managing a caseload
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities Essential
• Experience of racial awareness / diversity training / cultural competence.
• A knowledge of evidence based interventions for people with complex mental health problems.
• Ability to present information both written and oral and communicate this effectively.
• Awareness of bio-psycho-social assessments and the safe and effective management of risk.
Desirable
• Knowledge of wider local organisations to support recovery plans for service users Ability to role model, reflect and provide evidence of conflict resolution
  
  Generous pay, pensions and leave, we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
Work life balance, flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as : part-time working and job sharing. Career development, There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as Apprenticeships, mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes NHS discounts, discounts from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website. Staff are also eligible to apply for a Blue Light discount card Other benefits include : Croydon Carers parking permit Counselling services Wellbeing events Long service awards Cycle to work scheme Season ticket loan Childcare vouchers