Community Mental Health Practitioner - Forensic

Job overview

We are looking to recruit registered Mental Health Practitioners (Nurses, Social workers, Occupational Therapists) on a full-time permanent basis.

CPFT are one of six providers of specialist mental health and learning disability care in the East of England, working collaboratively to ensure there is a seamless pathway of care, that is closer to home for the communities that we serve.

This enhanced specialist service consists of 2 multi-disciplinary teams, based in Cambridge and Peterborough, which cover the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough population. The service works with adults diagnosed with a mental health condition and/or learning disability who present with a risk of significant harm to others, to achieve optimal management of risk and minimize re-offending.

Working closely with the individual, we produce a tailored care package together that is focused around their personal needs. The service adopts a compassionate and trauma informed approach to promote relapse prevention and recovery, so enabling individuals to realise their full potential whilst supporting them to continue to build and live meaningful lives in the community.

Main duties of the job

• Ensure the shortest inpatient to community journey
• Provide a robust discharge by means of a collaborative wrap around service
• Deliver a seamless pathway of care that is centred around the individuals needs

You will be joining an experienced multidisciplinary team of professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, support workers and administrators who all share a passion and drive for delivering high quality care and treatment to service users with forensic histories.

The post will also involve working closely with a low secure unit to ensure a smooth pathway of care from inpatient to community.

The service will run 7 days a week (8:00am until 8:00pm), excluding bank holidays, and will include shift work on a rotational basis.

Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.

• DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website

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 and 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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To work within the Forensic Psychiatry Community Service to provide specialist assessment, care planning and interventions.
• To take a lead role in the care planning process, take on care co – ordination responsibilities and work within the Care Programme Approach ensuring that Service and Trust policies are adhered to.
• To take a lead role and work with those people who have more complex and challenging needs across the caseload.
• To develop practice within the teams in the assessment of health and well – being needs.
• Working closely with the Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists and other members of the 2 multi – disciplinary teams, act as a central link in the ongoing management of complex cases for the team.
• To provide specialist knowledge and advice to other agencies for the purposes of public protection.
• To provide written reports in respect of Mental Health Tribunals as required.
• To act as a ‘social supervisor’ for those people who remain subject to Mental Health Act restrictions whilst living out of hospital.
• Take part in the evaluation of the care of individuals at review meetings, case conferences, ward rounds etc.
• To attend and contribute to team meetings, providing specialist professional advice and support to staff regarding the management of individual service users and their programmes of care.
• To provide specialist clinical advice across the Trust as required.

To liaise with community statutory and non- statutory community and inpatient services.

Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.

• DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• Current professional registration with an approved professional body
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development

• Training Relevant to Practice
• Post Graduate Diploma
• Specific training in psychological approaches

Experience

• Significant previous experience of working with service users with acute psychiatric disorders and complex mental health needs
• Experience of managing a caseload
• Experience of supervising staff and providing mentorship

• Experience of working with service users with Forensic histories
• Experience of working with service users diagnosed with learning disability and or neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Experience of working in assertive outreach, crisis or home treatment services
• Lived experience of mental health challenges

Knowledge and Understanding

• Thorough understanding of care planning and the Care Programme Approach (CPA).
• Knowledge of physical healthcare needs.
• Commitment to and understanding of evidence based practice.
• Awareness of safeguarding issues and responsibilities under relevant legislation.
• Understanding of the legislation relating to care including - Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Care Act, Children’s Act, Equality Act 2010.
• Knowledge of NICE guidance relevant to practice area.

• Knowledge of the role of the MOJ and other criminal justice agencies.

Physical requirements

• To be able to travel independently between locations in a timely manner
• Routine and regular use of IT equipment

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to undertake assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment plans.
• The ability to supervise and participate in providing teaching and training to other staff.
• Proven skills in undertaking risk assessments and management plans.
• An understanding and commitment to the principles of Recovery and social inclusion
• An understanding of the role of health promotion and education with the client group.
• Ability to advocate for the service users who you are supporting.

• In depth knowledge and skill related to a particular therapeutic intervention such as CBT, DBT, family work, psychosocial interventions.
• Experience in group work

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.