Dementia Specialist Practitioner - Memory Assessment Services

The Memory Assessment Service provides specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment for those with suspected dementia. The focus is to assess patients referred where there has been a noticeable change or concerns with memory, cognitive function, behaviour or function., The team offers high quality assessment and diagnosis both in a community and clinic setting, intervention and treatment alongside networking with other agencies to promote well-being and support for individuals and their carer's and families during the process.

You will be aware of current guidance around service delivery in older adult mental health services and be able to evidence sound knowledge of this.
The MAS team is a training area for many different professions and you will be expected to provide support or mentorship as appropriate to students on placement in the team. You will also provide supervision and guidance to junior members of staff and provide leadership for the team as a senior member of staff.

The team is multi-disciplinary and works closely with other mental health service providers as well as primary care and other agencies. The successful candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team which operates within the hours of 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

The post holder must have proven clinical skills along with excellent communication skills, good knowledge and understanding of dementia and the needs of individuals diagnosed with this condition. For this position it is essential that you have post qualification experience and be able to demonstrate a high degree of clinical skills and knowledge. Please see the job description and person specification for more details of essential and desirable skills.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.