Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health - Early Intervention in Psychosis Specialism
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- 6 months (Fixed Term Contract)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm)
- Job ref
- 363-CH7146442
- Employer
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Vivienne Cohen House
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £54,320 - £60,981 per annum Inc HCAs
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Practitioner (Social Worker)
Band 7
ELFT has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for mental and health care, innovation and improvement. So it is a very exciting time for you to come and work for us. Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job overview
EQUIP provides an assertive and responsive service to adults aged 18 – 65 for up to 3 years during their recovery from a first episode of psychosis. The service covers the City of London and London Borough of Hackney. Emphasis is placed on maximising wellbeing and on social, psychological, physical and educational/vocational recovery. The team works to standards set for early intervention in psychosis teams and participates in the annual National Clinical Audit on Psychosis. The team also works closely with the early detection team, HEADS UP, which provides support to those who are at risk of developing psychosis, and actively connects with local community groups in order to improve detection rates of this group.
Main duties of the job
The Senior Practitioner role within the Service provides clinical leadership to EQUIP staff, ensuring that the service provided is high quality and person-centred. Each Senior Practitioner will provide professional and line management supervision to Band 6 nursing and/or social work staff, as well as carrying a small caseload of complex cases. They will participate in a duty senior rota, including chairing the daily RAG meeting, providing support and guidance to duty workers and other members of the MDT, and participating in allocation of work. They will also chair the clinical, and other, meetings as required. They will provide support to the Operational Lead in providing day-to-day operational management, contributing to the development of policy and practice, and deputising for the Operational Lead as required. It is intended that the service will devleop 2 geographically aligned sub-teams, each co-led by 2 senior practitioners.
Working for our organisation
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To form effective working relationships with:
- Patients, their networks and carers
- Operational Lead & other members of the MDT
- Colleagues within the Early Intervention inpatient ward
- Colleagues within the Neighbourhoods, Assessment and Complex Needs Services
- Partner agencies, including primary care services, local authority services and voluntary agencies
- Colleagues within other services, such as the Crisis Pathway and Inpatient Services
- Staff in other NHS Trusts
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Relevant professional registration (RMN, Social Work, Occupational Therapy)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
- First or master’s degree level or evidence of study toward qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial experience of providing secondary community mental health care
- Experience of multi-disciplinary working
- Experience of supervising and appraising staff
Desirable criteria
- Experience of deputising and leading an MDT in the absence of the manager
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of the presentation of mental health problems in adult mental health secondary care
- Knowledge of current best practice within early intervention in psychosis services, in order support to adults recovering from a first episode psychosis as well as other mental health issues, and of At Risk Mental State
- Understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act 1998, Care Act 2014) and policy (e.g. safeguarding children, safeguarding adults)
- Understanding of the principles of collaborative working and care planning, ensuring clients and families are as fully involved and participative as is possible
- Understanding of the principles of clinical governance
- Understanding of clinical audit and research in Mental Health Care for adults and in first episode psychosis
- Knowledge of equal opportunities policies and practice and how they affect staff and service users
- Understanding of working across organisational boundaries
- Ability to undertake mental health assessments in a professional and sensitive manner
- Ability to communicate with service users, families/ carers and colleagues across agencies effectively
- Ability to negotiate and lead across professional boundaries
- Ability to identify best practice and develop action plans to resolve poor practice
- Ability to challenge traditional methods of practice in a constructive manner
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Susan Sturdy
- Job title
- Operational Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07769 557 072
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