Dual Diagnosis Support Worker - NHS

Job overview

CPFT have been chosen by NHS England as one of the national exemplar pilot sites for the redesign and transformation of primary and community mental health care. The goal of this transformation project is to develop and deliver a new service paradigm that seeks to provide a more seamless pathway of mental health care and eliminate current gaps between services.

We know that there is a significant overlap between addictions and severe

mental illness and undiagnosed, unmanaged mental health illness within this group of people makes recovery harder to achieve and maintain.

Patients with a dual diagnosis often fail to get an initial diagnosis, or adequate treatment for their SMI, because they do not manage to attend appointments and, if they do manage to get a diagnosis, they do not easily follow treatment protocols.

The new Dual Diagnosis Outreach Team will solve some of these problems because the new team will operate as an outreach service and work flexibly with the service users and other agencies. Many of the people this team will be working with will be known to CGL Aspire but, there are also groups of adults in Peterborough who have problems with addiction and acknowledged but undiagnosed mental health problems, who do have not access to Aspire, or mental health care and who live on the streets.

Main duties of the job

To assist with data collection to continually enhance a quality service and meet key performance indicators as identified by commissioners and key stakeholders. Ensure all data is completed in a timely manner so that this can be collected from a central point within the team/ Encourage service users to complete feedback for the service to enhance service development

Successful applicants will be strong team workers with demonstrable commitment and enthusiasm for working with stakeholders. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a busy and innovative team whose aim is to enhance the chances of local people achieving and maintaining optimal mental health within Peterborough.

Working for our organisation

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient & primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.

Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see job description and personal specification for fully details:

1. To provide and receive routine information from the B6 MHPs in the Dual Diagnosis and Outreach team
2. To promote all methods of communication and be able to effectively communicate with clients, their carers, key stakeholders and partner organizations
3. To promote social inclusion and develop and maintain community networks
4. To take into account any communication difficulties facing the clients.
5. To demonstrate a safe level of inter-personal skills when managing individuals with complex needs.
6. To be able to accurately document support given and information given and received in clients clinical notes.
7. To contribute to clinical meetings
8. To support clients with a range of practical support and information, including escorting them to appointments.
9. Be aware of and understand the Clinical Governance framework
10. To seek client feedback using the standardised forms
11. Plan and organise the key tasks and interventions for the day with the qualified staff in the team.
12. To provide accurate and timely information to the practitioners as requested
13. To record information relating to the clients intervention and support, ensuring all entries are counter-signed by a qualified practitioner.
14. To ensure that the Lone Working Policy is adhered to
15. To promote social inclusion

Person specification

Education

• To have an understanding of mental health, learning disability, and substance misuse.
• Experience in a relevant care setting
• To have NVQ Level 3 and care certificate in care (or equivalent) or willingness to work towards this.

• Certificate in Mental Health Awards Framework, level 2, NVQ II or equivalent.
• Knowledge of current Mental Health Act
• Knowledge of benefit and employment services
• NVQ 1, 2 or 3 in health or social care or equivalent.

Experience

• Experience of working autonomously and as part of a team
• Experience of working with service users that have vulnerabilities
• Experience of working with multiple agencies/ services to achieve the same goal

• Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties and/or a learning disability or people with substance misuse

Skills & Abilities

• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate at all levels
• Good literacy and numeric skills
• Good IT skills
• Able to transport patients and travel with them on public transport.
• To be able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the organisation
• An understanding of the importance of client carer involvement
• Awareness of local services and community provision

• Ability to motivate others
• Ability to de-escalate a difficult situation
• Awareness of local partner agency resources
• Experience of NHS record keeping systems

Physical/Personal Requirements

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, empathy and compassion to the needs of service users.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to form short therapeutic relationships with clients and carers

Here at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) we are dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion. We deliver many of the NHS services that are provided outside of hospital and in the community such as physical, mental health and specialist services.

We are a health and social care organisation, offering a wide range of services, including:

• Integrated physical and mental health services for adults and older people;
• Specialist mental health and learning disability services;
• Children and young people’s mental health services;
• Children’s community services in Peterborough;
• Social care;
• Ground-breaking research

We strongly encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people and members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities. For further information about our positive equality, diversity and Inclusion work, please visit https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/equalityanddiversity.

CPFT is looking to build upon its pool of temporary workers with Temporary Staffing Services (TSS). You will be asked at interview if you would be willing to register with TSS. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to take on additional hours that are flexible around your personal circumstances.

Please be advised that in line with the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, 2020 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust currently are unable to accept applications from overseas candidates whose country of residence is classed as a ‘Red List’ country.

Applicants who require entry into the UK will be required to provide a valid police certificate from the relevant authority from each country (except the UK) where the applicant has been present for 12 months or more, 10 years before the date of visa application, while aged 18 or over.

If you are successful at interview you will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a DBS (if appropriate), references and Occupational Health. To ensure a smooth process please bring all identity documents to your interview. A list of required identity documents will be attached to your interview invitation.

All communications will be sent to you via TRAC Systems. By applying for this post you are agreeing to CPFT transferring the information contained in this application to TRAC. If you are made an offer, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.