Senior Healthcare Assistant | East London NHS Foundation Trust

This role is based in Newham University Hospital Emergency Department and wards. The post holder will provide care and treatment to an identified group of patients who require mental health support under the direction of Registered Nurse. The post holder will be part of the Enhanced Care Team working alongside the Psychiatric Liaison and ED colleagues to provide enhanced observations to patients who are in the emergency department, who may be waiting for a bed in a mental health hospital. will be to provide high quality care and keep service users safe whilst they are under the care of Newham University hospital.

The Enhanced Care Service is made up of registered mental health nurses and health care assistants. The aim of this team is to provide enhanced observations to patients with Mental Health Problems and Acute Behavioural Disturbances at Newham University Hospital (NUH) both in A&E and on the medical wards.

The mental health liaison team within Newham University hospital will assess and prescribe the level of observation, which will include an appropriate care plan and risk assessment that fully meets the needs of the patient

To provide care and treatment to an identified group of patients under the direction of Registered Nurse.

The post holder will be work as part of the team to carry out the level of observations effectively, liaise with the mental health liaison team, Barts Health, Newham Centre for Mental health.

Effective communication with all relevant personnel both internal and external to the Trust.

To ensure continuous personal development through the utilisation of regular supervision, annual appraisal and training where appropriate.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

· Undertake observations to the agreed level prescribed by the mental health liaison team.

· Ensure awareness about patient's history, background, risk factors and specific needs.

· Ensure orientation to the working environment, the ward policy for emergency procedures and potential risk in the environment.

· Ensure that periods of observation are viewed as opportunities for therapeutic engagement and relationship building

· Be familiar with the observation care plan, current risks and individual needs of patient.

· Report to the mental health liaison team any relevant information to assist the effective review of patient's level of observation

· Be aware of how to get support should it be needed and have regular breaks without leaving the patient unattended.

· Take an active role in engaging positively with the patient, be approachable, listen to the patient and know when self -disclosure and the therapeutic use of silence are appropriate.