Care Coordinator - Lewisham Early Intervention in Psychosis
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
About the role:
This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and dynamic Care Coordinator to join the Lewisham Early Intervention Service (LEIS). The post is open to qualified Nurses, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists.
This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced community care coordinator with a particular interest in psychosis and looking to gain experience working in an Early Intervention in Psychoisis (EIP) setting.
The team has been commended by students and former colleagues for it's passion and enthusiasm in supporting service users, along with its supportive team dynamic.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will undertake the responsibilities of a care coordinator, working within the Care Programme Approach for a defined caseload of service users and their carers. They will conduct initial assessments of those suspected to be experiencing a First Episode of Psychosis (FEP).They will provide evidence-based psychosocial interventions in line with NICE guidelines, and will focus on engagement, recovery and social inclusion as well as addressing physical health care needs.
Working for our organisation
About the Team
LEIS is a large multi-disciplinary team providing a comprehensive service to people living in Lewisham who may be experiencing psychosis for the first time. The successful applicants will be enthusiastic about this client group, and committed to working within the recovery approach to deliver NICE concordant care.
About the Location:
You will be based at 59 Cordwell Road, London, SE13 5QY.
Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2). SLAM also operates across other locations, such as London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; and substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Lambeth, Greenwich and Wandsworth.
Benefits:
We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM.It’s important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- Assessment: To be responsible for the assessment of newly referred adults with First Episode Psychosis and the subsequent presentation of findings to the wider team. To work with diagnostic uncertainty, providing ongoing comprehensive assessments and outcome monitoring for all service users within caseload. To undertake risk assessments regularly, involving all other health professionals/agencies involved. To ensure that risk assessments are regularly updated, are meaningful and are reflected in care plans.
- Engagement: Assertively outreach difficult to engage clients. To meet service users regularly, as far as possible at a venue of their choice, be this at home, CMHT centre, education, work or recreational establishments to assist with engagement and encourage participation in treatment
- Support: To provide ongoing care coordination of a designated caseload of service users who will be experiencing their first episode of psychosis. To provide support and advice in relation to service users regarding the issues concerning them. To work collaboratively with service users focusing on a recovery approach.
- Interventions: To provide interventions relevant to a first episode client group. To ensure all interventions are age appropriate and that care is sensitive to the needs of black and minority ethnic service users. To provide low intensity CBT and Mindfulness interventions under supervision. To provide psycho-education to services users. To have a client-centred approach with a focus on re-socialisation and social inclusion.
- Families and Carers: To involve families and carers in treatment plans where appropriate. This may require direct family interventions. Ensuring services are provided within guidance of the Children and Carers Acts. To ensure that the needs of Carers are assessed and the care services are
- MDT Working: To work in co-operation with members of the multi-disciplinary team and all other relevant health professionals to assess, develop, implement and evaluate high quality packages of client centred care. To form effective relationships with inpatient services to facilitate early effective discharge. To participate in Mental Health Act Assessments of service users that you are responsible for as appropriate. To take part in all clinical meetings.
- Communication: To maintain accurate clinical documentation on designated caseload ensuring case notes are up to date as per guidance and in line with electronic patient journey system. To ensure effective verbal and written communication with all involved with delivery of care. The post holder will liaise with other disciplines and organisations to ensure that all issues affecting service user care are managed and communicated to a high standard.
- Personal Development: To remain up to date with current/emerging good practice relating to community mental health services, in general and Early Intervention services in particular. To abide by the policies of SLAM NHS foundation Trust and Local Authority. To keep abreast of all developments pertaining to the provision of Community Mental Health Care. To contribute to effective MDT working. To meet regularly with Team Manager/Supervisor. To remain up to date with all mandatory training requirements. To undertake CPD as agreed with Team Leader. To
- Miscellaneous: To participate in the team duty system. To provide cover for colleagues in their absence. To participate in research as requested. To undertake audit/clinical governance as required. To undertake other duties as requested by Clinical Service Lead and the LEIS Team Leader
and to be willing to work from any location in the borough.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Knowledge of the Recovery Approach and its application in practice
- Knowledge of Early Intervention in Psychosis Approach
- Knowledge of CPA, Community Care Act, Carers Act, Mental Health Act and other relevant legislation as application to practice.
- Knowledge of the role of a Care Coordinator
- Knowledge of current Government Policy and Guidelines concerning provision of community mental health care and of EI in psychosis in particular.
Skills
Essential criteria- Skills and experience in crisis management.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- IT/data input skills.
- Ability to involve service users and carers in care planning
- Ability to provide psycho education to service users and their carers about psychosis
- Care coordination/CPA skills
- CBT/FI skills
Experience
Essential criteria- Significant experience of working with service users with psychosis when acutely ill.
- Significant experience and skills in risk assessment and management.
- Significant experience and skills in clinical assessments.
- Experience of working with service users with psychosis and their carers.
- Experience of partnership working with statutory and voluntary services
- Experience of the use of evidence based interventions relating to the care of service users with first episode psychosis
- Experience of working with service users experiencing psychosis within a community setting
- Experience of carrying out Family Interventions
- Experience of care coordination/CPA
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Relevant professional qualification. e.g. RMN, CQSW or equivalent
- Up to date registration.
- Evidence of continuing professional development e.g. relevant training
- Meridan/FI training or equivalent
The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:
- Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
- Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
- We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity
Please note:
- That all applications for this post will need to be made online
- That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
- That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
- That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
- That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
- That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
- That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
- That we are a smoke-free Trust
SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe’