Support Worker Maternity Cover

Values Based Screener

When you have finished you will be sent a 'completion code' by email, which will be valid for 6 months and required to submit your application form.

http://hpft.recruitforvalues.com/

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a support Worker to join our social care team in Adult Community Mental Health Services in Watford to assist us with the smooth running of the service.

As a healthcare support worker you’ll be at the very heart of everything we do – it’s a vital role that keeps the service going. You will work under the supervision of a healthcare professional, supporting them and helping service users on their journey back to full health.

Main duties of the job

You will be expected to :

• plan, arrange, assess, implement/ commission and evaluate care for people with mental health and social care needs at their homes, hospitals or community setting; this will include decisions regarding risk and risk management.
• Conduct Connected Lives (social care) assessment and carer assessment independently.
• Liaise with other services and community resources for service users and their carers.
• Write up reports, letters and keep an up-to-date and accurate record of service.
• Communicate with care companies and other related parties, monitor care being provided.
• Exercise communication skills, both verbal and written and be able to engage with acutely distressed people in challenging and unknown situations.

As a staff member you will represent Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) and will play a vital role in fostering positive relationships and communication between the Mental Health Trust and not only the clients and their carers and relatives, but also other agencies, charities, and providers.

All staff should comply with the Trust’s Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity.

Working for our organisation

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

• Be allocated a number of people, whom they will complete an assessment of care needs (primarily social care) and risk assessment of patients presenting with a wide variety of clinical conditions. Following this the post holder will be responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of programmes of care independently (though clinical supervision is implemented as per policy to support you).
• Be required to provide advice, guidance and education to service users and their carers and families regarding social care provision and policy.
• Participate fully in providing quality of care in line with local and national guidelines.
• Document on Care Notes (PARIS), ACSIS and computer systems.
• Participate in team audit projects associated with the service.
• Communicate with a variety of people and organizations to support assessment and care plan.
• Act as a role model in providing a service for people with mental health needs.
• Be required to challenge practice that compromises or challenges high quality care to people.
• To partake in continuing professional development that will also benefit the development and quality of the service.
• To partake in other team activities and services.

Working Relationships and Communication Requirements of the Job

• As the post holder will be working within the community most of the time, they will need to be establishing and maintaining positive relationships with people, agencies, charities and other providers who also provide services to Adult People in Watford. These relationships are vital and team members should bear in mind that they will be representing HPFT
• Close working relationships should be developed with other parts of HPFT notably Crisis teams, CMHT’s and SMHTOP’s and HCC.

Communication requirements

• Demonstrate the ability to receive and give clinical information verbally and in writing to those receiving care, their families/carers and professional colleagues.
• Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and empathy in all communications.
• Ensure adherence to all aspects of patient confidentiality, documentation and record keeping according to Trust and national guidelines.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and sensitively in complex situations.
• Demonstrate an ability to negotiate and problem solve in contentious and /or antagonistic situations where agreement is required. When agreement cannot be reached to communicate clear and rationale decisions. E.g. In initiating Mental Health Act assessments.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues within the all agencies whom they encounter to the benefit of the client and the service.

• Carry out specialist mental health social care assessments and reviews of social care practice. Develop, implement, evaluate, and document specialist care. This will include frequent requirement for intense concentration.
• To provide ongoing interventions for people where assessment indicates this to be relevant to their needs.
• Where indicated by assessment, to discharge with appropriate care provisions and follow-up, with future review dates booked as appropriate.
• Demonstrate a high standard of record keeping and documentation with adherence to Trust policies
• Work with colleagues to develop and promote the service’s philosophy, framework of care delivery and strategic objectives.
• Contribute to Mental Health strategy discussions/steering groups when requested by senior management.
• Work with colleagues to develop and demonstrate clinical expertise and high standards of mental health practice.
• Deliver care that is person centered reflecting current best practice, and challenges practice that may be detrimental to older people receiving high quality care.
• Have an understanding of Mental Health Act.
• Have a good knowledge of Mental Capacity Act, and to implement it when required.
• Ensure that data quality and key performance indicators are upheld at all times.

• Plan and organise their diaries, prioritise duties, and coordinate the care of the clients .
• Give due regard to the health and safety, well-being, and interests of those who come in to contact with the team professionally.
• Communicate with different parties and manage care commissioned.
• Manage disagreement or resolve conflicts if any.

• Report any activity that may be fraudulent.
• Facilitate service users for financial communication needed.
• Provide and maintain an accurate account of service cost.
• Be responsible for the completion of own extra duty and expenses claims.

• Ensure that all policies applicable to the service are implemented
• To comment upon and propose changes to working practices and procedures relevant to the service.

• Be required to make judgements involving a number of facts and or situations which require analysis.
• Make judgements where the situation is not straightforward such as those where information is limited or difficult to obtain.
• Make judgements as to the best course of action where there are a range of options available.
• Assess or interpret information to make a judgement.
• Make judgements where expert opinion may differ or be conflicting.

• Demonstrate the ability to prioritize and organize case/ workload on a day-to-day basis.
• Ensure that the client is always given high quality care.
• Where necessary request assistance from colleagues.
• Represent the team at meetings as delegated by the managers.

• Need to have access to a vehicle or a driver with a vehicle to drive to meetings /training off site and occasionally as required cover for colleagues on other sites.
• Be able to input information using computer keyboard.
• Be able to maintain training for such as per HPFT policies/procedures.
• Be able to work in an environment that is at times extremely busy and demanding.

• Maintain up to date electronic records of people that the post holder has had contact with.
• Audit activity as required.

Person specification

AREAS OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• The ability to organise and prioritise own workload within any specified guidelines where guidance is not readily available, but at set intervals
• Proficient in diary management coordinating appointments to ensure best use of time
• Good range of problem solving skills. Good range of information gathering skills.
• Experience of adapting to change and managing work in a changing environment
• Evidence of ability to be flexible and show initiative, sensitivity and enthusiasm to work

• Experience and knowledge in adult mental health service and social care

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Excellent communication skills, verbally and in writing
• Ability to feedback and discuss cases within the multi disciplinary team
• Excellent documentation of duties performed.

ANALYTICAL SKILLS

• Good range of problem solving skills
• Good range of information gathering skills.

About us

Our people tell us they feel supported though a great development, wellbeing and work-life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values-driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional so that together we provide great care and great outcomes for our service users and carers.

If you would like to join a team to be proud of and you share our values and passion for great care and outcomes for our service users and carers, we would love to hear from you.

Additional Information

HPFT is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and in order to reflect the diversity of its population, positively encourages applications from all areas of the community. We aim to be a representative organisation with regards to age, disability, ethnicity, gender, beliefs and sexual orientation and are fully committed to equality, diversity and human rights and encourage applications from all sections of the community including users of mental health services.

The Trust is committed to helping staff balance work and home life and welcomes applications from candidates wishing to work part-time or under flexible working arrangements.

Infection Control

All our staff will need to comply with current Infection Prevention and Control measures which could include wearing a mask on all our Trust sites and in all roles