Mental Health Practitioner - Crisis Care Team

The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:

• Great flexible working opportunities
• Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
• Generous annual leave and pension scheme
• Extensive staff health and well-being programmes

Job overview

Mental Health Practitioner

Full time - 37.5hrs per week

Permanent post

This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate who has an interest and experience in working with young people experiencing mental health crisis,. The Crisis Care Service operates 24hrs per day 7 days per week, and provides intervention and support to children, young people and families experiencing mental health crisis.

This role is in a department that operates on a 24/7 shift basis and therefore enables staff to qualify for unsocial enhancements in addition to their basic pay.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide a substantial contribution to the clinical work of the multi-disciplinary team, including accepting, prioritising, assessing urgent referrals for children and their families.

Clinicians will work across Alder Hey Hospital and Ormskirk District General Hospital in both Accident and Emergency Department and inpatient wards completing bio-psycho-social assessments on children and young people in mental health crisis.

Another function of this role will be supporting callers to the crisis care line which offers advice and guidance to those in crisis on a 24/7 hour basis.

Working as part of the MDT, clinicians will formulate risk plans and a safe discharge process with support from senior clinicians. The post holder will support junior members of staff though supervision and mentorship and will participate in service development and national initiatives.

Working for our organisation

In April 2020, the Crisis Care team moved rapidly to a 24hr service to provide support for Children, Young People and families experiencing Mental Health Crisis in Sefton and Liverpool.

The service operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week and comprises of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Nursing, Social Workers, Keyworkers and Assistant Psychologists to provide 24hr urgent response and assessment to children and young people who are experiencing mental health crisis, as well support to parents/carers, and consultation to other professionals involved in their care.

Refer a friend – Alder Hey staff

Successful candidates who are introduced to the trust by existing staff members will receive £1000 after completion of six months in post. Please include the name/Alder Hey email for your friend in your additional information.

This will be paid in two parts, £250 in first month pay on commencement in post, and £750 on completion of six months.

Accommodation

Alder Hey will support the cost of accommodation for up to 3 months from the date of employment (up to £500 per month)

The cost is to be paid by the staff member and reclaimed as expenses.

Relocation package

Relocation packages to support new hires and will be consulted on an individual basis

• To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, please take a look at the job description and person specification attachments.
• The post holders must be able to demonstrate a positive attitude which encompasses our Trust Values of excellence, innovation, openness, respect and together.
• If you are enthusiastic and confident with a friendly and outgoing manner, and a focus on providing the best possible service to patients we would like to hear from you.
• For more information about this post, or to arrange an informal visit, please contact Jo White or Zoe Bentley.

Person specification

Qualifications, Experience and Training

• Qualified in core profession -or - recognised degree level H&SC qual with completed KSA AND Qualification in a therapeutic modality
• Professional Registration (where applicable)
• postgraduate/post qualification experience of working in a mental health or social care setting
• experience working in an MDT setting

• experience of working in CAMHS

Knowledge and Skills

• Able to demonstrate application of therapeutic, reflection and analytical skills
• Able to provide, (with appropriate supervision), assessment of emergency/ self-harming behaviour and management of this
• Must demonstrate a working knowledge of health, education, social services and the voluntary sector.
• Awareness of recent government initiatives about mental health
• Organisational skills to manage and prioritise workload balance appropriately
• Must demonstrate utilisation of professional development planning in own career progression

• Knowledge of audit and evaluation methodology

Personal Attributes

• Enthusiasm for and appreciation of multidisciplinary and multiagency working
• Must demonstrate a professional manner
• Excellent communication skills

We reserve the right to close vacancies without notice when we have received a sufficient number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply regularly as we will contact you using this regarding your application. All candidates will be notified via email whether or not they have been shortlisted.

We actively promote equality and diversity and operate a Zero Tolerance policy to aggression, violence, bullying and harassment.

Please declare within the supporting information if artificial intelligence (AI) has been used in your application.