JOB DESCRIPTION Job Details: Job Title: Community Mental Health Nurse/Care Coordinator/CPN Grade: Band 6 Department: Location Responsible to: Accountable to: Adult Mental Health Services CMHT base, to be confirmed (dependant on Locality) (NB. Post holder may be required to work on any Trust base/site) Team Leader Senior Manager 1. Job purpose: To be responsible for a caseload of service users who have complex and substantial mental health needs. The post holder will work as a member of the MDT ensuring that high quality individualised care is delivered and that this that promotes recovery and maximises independence. 2. Dimensions: Staff team comprises of... 3. Organisational Chart: Senior Manager Team Leader Community Mental Health Nurse / Care Coordinator/CPN (this post) STR/Support Workers 4. Knowledge, Skills, Training and Experience The post holder will be an experienced mental health practitioner, and the following are essential to the post: First level registration RMN ability to demonstrate the knowledge and skills applicable to this post, as detailed in the Personal Specification. Ability to establish and maintain therapeutic partnerships with service users and carers in the delivery of psychosocial assessments and interventions 1 of 8
Ability to manage distress and conflict in day to day work with service users who, as an expression of their distress, may at times be difficult to engage and/or demonstrate significant risk behaviours. Ability to communicate clinical formulations and interventions to service users and carers in an understandable manner based on a recovery model of mental illness which inspires hope to the service user and carer. Ability to advocate on behalf of the service user with a range of services ensuring that services, as far as possible, reflect their needs and wishes Ability to understand and contribute to statutory issues which impact on service users and carers. Performing statutory duties, subject to having received the appropriate training. This may include Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and Safeguarding Adults/Children policies and procedures. 5. Communication and Relationships Reports, and is accountable directly to the Team Leader. The post holder will work collaboratively with colleagues directly involved in the delivery of mental health care, both in the community as well as in hospital inpatient settings and will endeavour to develop good working relationships and networks with other community resources and providers, both statutory and nonstatutory. The post holder is required to have effective and accurate written and verbal communication skills. The post holder may be required to work with interpreters where service user s first language may not be English. Ability to demonstrate high level interpersonal and communication skills that promote and maintain therapeutic relationships with service users, their family and carers, and to help the service user overcome any barriers to communication. The post holder will utilise communications in accordance with Caldicott Principles, Data Protection, Freedom of Information Act and Trust policy and procedure. 6. Analytical and Judgemental Skills Ability to undertake comprehensive assessment of service users and carer s mental health and social care needs, in accordance with National CPA guidance. Ability to assess and manage risk to service users and others, sometimes in an acute environment involving possible harm to self or others and to formulate appropriate interventions, if necessary with the support of colleagues, other services or Team Manager. Ability to undertake care planning, implementation and evaluation using a variety of methods, in accordance with the Trust s Care Coordination Policy. 2 of 8
Ability to exercise clinical and professional judgement which may be in conflict with other professionals or the service user and to understand and apply policies and procedures, which ensure that Trust and Local Authority Statutory responsibilities are met. 7. Planning and Organisational Skills Ability to manage a caseload of service users with differing presentations whose condition may fluctuate in severity and complexity. The post holder will be expected to manage their own time and to prioritise their caseload and workload effectively, and support the reallocation of workload when other staff are absent for significant periods of time. Ability to meet deadlines for reports in accordance with statutory and agency requirements. Ability to convene and, at times, chair meetings relating to the care of service users and carers such as CPA reviews and to maximise user and carer participation. 8. Physical Skills With reasonable adjustments the post holder may be required to use a car or other forms of transport to visit service users in their own home or other clinical venue or to escort them to appointments. With reasonable adjustments made, the post holder will be required to use a keyboard and computer screen. With reasonable adjustments made this post sometimes requires the carriage of equipment to various sites in the locality. The post holder may be required to assist service users with areas of personal care. The post holder will be required to carry out physical health care tasks including administration of intramuscular injections, checking blood pressure, glucose monitoring. A requirement to be trained in approved Breakaway techniques. 9. Service User Care The post holder will be expected to carry out service user assessments autonomously using Trust procedures and documentation. This will be subject to appropriate risk assessments to ensure service user and worker safety. The ability to formulate care plans in partnership with the service user. This process requires awareness and adoption of a philosophy of care focused on reducing stigma, promoting social inclusion and recovery using a range of evidence based tools and interventions. The post requires a working knowledge of evidence-based interventions in accordance with NICE and other DOH guidance, and a commitment to develop and apply these skills, including providing education and advice. 3 of 8
The post holder is responsible for ensuring their health care records are contemporaneous and are of a high quality. The post holder is required to have an awareness of Safeguarding Adult issues and be able to recognise signs of physical, emotional or financial abuse 10. Policy and Service Development Adhere to NMC code of professional standards and conduct, Trust policies, and requirements of the Mental Health Act and other legislation. To support the development of local services taking into account national and local best practice, policies and procedures, which influence the local and national agenda. To support senior staff and actively contribute to the decision-making processes, which directly affect the service provision within the locality. To participate fully in the effective monitoring, review and evaluation of the service provided. To be involved as required in any work representing the Team and its activities as delegated by the Team Leader. 11. Financial and Physical Resources The post holder may be required to arrange for the safety and security of service users accommodation and possessions if the service user experiences mental health crisis. The post holder may be required to sign documentation, time sheets etc, to acknowledge or confirm that services have been provided to service users by other agencies i.e. interpreters. The post holder may be required to handle small amounts of petty cash. Responsibility for maintaining stock control of medicines and equipment. 12. Human Resources Subject to being appropriately qualified the post holder will be required to mentor nursing students on placement with the CMHT. The post holder may be required to provide guidance and to set tasks for support workers as indicated in the assessment/care plan. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that they are actively involved in their personal development plan via an appraisal process. May be involved in recruitment selection and appointment of new staff. There may be an expectation to supervise junior members of staff. 4 of 8
13. Information Resources The post holder is required, with relevant training, to be able to use both manual and electronic systems of record storage, and may be required to utilise a variety of software applications such as RIO, SWIFT, the internet, email and WORD. The post holder is required to understand systems that govern confidentiality such as Caldicott and the Data Protection Act and to understand the limits of these systems in terms of sharing information to minimise risk to service users and others. 14. Research and Development The post holder will be required to participate in audit relating to the care and treatment of service users within an integrated governance framework, and to participate in workshops or exercises, which examine and evaluate service delivery. The post holder will be expected to have an understanding of new research and literature. 15. Freedom to Act Post holder will be expected to carry out assessments and interventions as a lone practitioner subject to appropriate risk assessments but will have access to planned and ad hoc supervision in line with 3N s Clinical Supervision Policy. This will be delivered via a formal supervision contract agreed between the post holder and their Supervisor/Line Manager. Post holder will be responsible for their own time management ensuring that appointments with service users are timely and well organised. Post holder will sometimes be required to act as a representative for service users at statutory and/or legal meetings and may have to present verbal or written reports relating to assessment, care and treatment of service users. All of the above duties allow the post holder a degree of Freedom to Act but within the context of 3N s Clinical Supervision Policy, Line Management Accountability and the Care Coordination Policy. 5 of 8
16. Physical Effort Occasional light lifting. Carrying of files around office and information packs to and from service users homes. Significant period of time spent sitting in face-to-face contact with service users and doing office work. Combination of sitting, standing, crouching and walking during course of daily duties. Use of computer for data entry (case note recording, electronic forms, e-mail). Driving to and from appointments in a variety of traffic and weather conditions. 17. Mental Effort Need to check detailed documents referrals, reports. Prolonged periods of concentration when dealing with distressed or disturbed service users. Frequent report writing analysing written information. Carrying out intricate clinical interventions and dealing with crisis. Dealing with regular work interruptions. Concentration for long periods each day with service users or paper work. Frequent telephone calls including mobile phone calls, daily. Liaison with wide range of Health and Social Care professionals, daily. 18. Emotional Effort Regular contact for several hours with potentially distressed and angry service users. Regular contact for assessment and treatment of individuals presenting with trauma associated with childhood abuse, physical, sexual, emotional. Regular delivery of unwelcome or distressing news to service users and/or their families. Communicating life-changing events. Required to deal with situations whereby you are exposed to highly distressing and often highly emotional circumstances which may occur frequently. 6 of 8
19. Working Conditions Required to travel around the locality, driving in a variety of traffic and weather conditions. May be exposed to physical and/or verbal aggressive behaviour. May be required to visit premises that are dirty and unpleasant. Visiting homes of service users who smoke. Temperature variations throughout the working day in different locations. Working alone in a client s home and adhering to the Trusts Lone working policy. Safeguarding Every employee has a responsibility for safeguarding and protecting adults and children from abuse, regardless of the setting in which the care takes place. It is every employee s responsibility to be aware of relevant Trust policies. All employees should take part in training in order to maintain their skills. Front line practitioners should access regular supervision and support in line with local procedures. (This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties, and will subject to review in accordance with annual appraisal and changes in service need) Job Title: Community Mental Health Nurse/Care Coordinator/CPN Name (Post holder): Signature:.. Date Name (Line Manager): Signature:.. Date: 7 of 8
Community Mental Health Nurse/Care Co-ordinator Person Specification Essential Desirable Qualification First level registration RMN. Further relevant Post Qualifying Training ie CBT, PSI. Experience Minimum of 2 years post basic qualification experience of working with adults with complex mental health needs. Evidence of MDT working. Knowledge Knowledge of CPA. Understanding of NSF for mental health. Knowledge of Risk Assessment and Risk Management. Provision of mental health and social care within the community. Experience of involving service users/ carers in evaluation/planning and monitoring of services. Care Co-ordination roles and responsibilities. Experience of working with diverse groups ie BME communities. Knowledge of statutory requirements and legislation ie Mental Health Act, Safeguarding, MAPPA. Skills & Abilities Ability to provide comprehensive assessment of individuals with complex mental health needs. Cognitive behaviour therapy skills. Risk Assessment skills. Brief therapeutic interventions. Risk Management skills. Research and evaluation. Ability to demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills. Information and Technology skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Teaching skills. Ability to adapt within a changing environment. Leadership skills. Time Management skills. Ability to work under pressure. Additional Qualities Flexible and adaptable. Able to work as part of a team. Friendly disposition. Other Capability to meet the mobility and geographical requirements of the post. Full UK Driving Licence. Oct 04 8 of 8