Clinical Practice Lead

Clinical Practice Lead All Age First Response Service - Substantive post. Job requires working night shifts and weekends.

We are looking for a Clinical Practice Lead who has a professional qualification as a registered Mental Health Nurse, a mental health Social Worker or a mental health Occupational Therapist to join the First Response Service team based in Exeter. We are seeking to recruit an experienced, visionary and motivated individual to join our mental health First Response Service. The team promotes a dynamic and innovative way of working, triaging and responding to crisis referrals. The role encompasses the NHS principle; right care, right time and right place. The First Response Service triages mental health crisis calls and referrals, providing tele-coaching psychological interventions, support, guidance and signposting. The service further delivers timely and responsive face to face assessments where indicated.

This post is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to further develop a solid and rewarding career within an accolade winning mental health trust. The First Response Service is growing and evolving, delivering a high quality mental health service to many people. Clinically leading front line staff will make a difference to peoples lives from the moment you join us. The post is band 7 covering a variety of shift patterns to cover a 24/7 service.

Job description

Job Purpose

The Clinical Practice Lead will work with the First Response Service to provide 24 hour urgent access to mental health services for people of all age, (Children and Young People, Adults or Older People) have been identified as being in a mental health crisis.

The post holder will be responsible for ensuring compliance with quality and safety standards within their assigned clinical pathways/teams. They will ensure that all individuals receiving care and treatment from the service do so in line with Trust strategic objectives and are safeguarded from any harm.

The key responsibilities of this role are as follows:

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A professional mental health qualification to degree level or equivalent
• Post Graduate qualification relevant to specialism
• Evidence of commitment to life-long learning and continuing professional development

Desirable

• Management qualification
• Training to level 3 in Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for Health Care staff

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of key areas of professional mental health practice
• Specialist knowledge of mental health disorders
• Knowledge of clinical risk assessment
• Application of teaching theory into practice
• Ability to undertake bio-psycho-social assessment and formulating, robust care pathways
• Higher level communication skills, both written and oral
• Ability to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively

Sufficient clinical knowledge to be able to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems and signpost accordingly

Management and organisational skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service.

Knowledge of the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty

Information Technology skills

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post qualifying work, including community mental health care (Children and Young People, Adults or Older People)
• Risk assessment/management
• Working with people presenting in mental health crisis
• Clinical leadership
• Evidence of working therapeutically with individuals
• Ability to interpret research and apply to practice
• Knowledge and utilization of counselling skills / cognitive behavioural skills, psychosocial interventions
• Experience in the management of clients with drug and alcohol problems/dual diagnosis
• Experience of carrying out assessments, identifying the appropriate care pathways and confirming diagnosis

Other relevant post registration experience

Understanding of research principles

Teaching, training and/or supervision of clinical staff

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with large groups who may be antagonistic and/or distressed. This will apply to persons who use the service and their carers/relatives and professional staff groups
• Able to produce well written reports
• Ability to communicate complex information across multi-agency teams
• Ability to support junior staff: professionally and academically, promoting their personal growth and developing their competencies
• Ability to develop a healthy culture of team working
• Able to identify and own problems and get involved in the solutions
• Ability to assess and manage all levels of risk
• Excellent clinical assessment skills
• Ability to manage change in a positive manner
• Supervisory skills
• Ability to manage own time and that of the teams
• Ability to be mobile across a geographical area

About the employer

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

Our values

We not only recruit employees based on their qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess and demonstrate the behaviours which underpin the core values of our organisation. These values include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health & learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Employer.