Job overview

The post holder will be required to support the delivery of care currently in the form of New Models of Care, enabling the service to meet the London Wide service specification standards for Prison Healthcare.

The post holder will work with the team lead and therapies lead to ensure the team work to an agreed operational policy, offering a high standard and integrated triage, assessment and intervention for individuals within our prison settings who are presenting with mental health problems in line with the New Models of Care. The post holder will ensure that all patients are seen, receive a mental health triage, risk assessment and safety plan and to establish any immediate and ongoing health needs. As an Early Days in Custody Senior Practitioner, you will be innovative, bringing fresh ideas and solutions to the challenges of providing healthcare in a prison. You will be responsible for identifying those with mental health concerns including those in mental health crises and referring them on to the appropriate team.

The post holder will be required to carry out triage and comprehensive assessments and be able to produce effective care plans that are recovery focused and seek to minimise risk. The post holder will have an excellent understanding of risk assessment and management and be able to share this knowledge with colleagues and others involved in the patient’s care in order to minimise risk. 

Main duties of the job

 To conduct ongoing assessment of the impact of prescribed medication on individual patients both in terms of therapeutic and untowards effects. Manage time and resources to provide a safe and effective high quality of care. To maintain accurate and up to date patient records ensuring confidentiality is kept at all times. Prepare accurate written reports following assessment in line with quality standards, and make referrals to other professionals as appropriate. Liaise with inpatient services of both the forensic and general mental health teams. Assist with clients under the care of the locality mental health teams. Initiate and promote forensic, general mental health and community initiatives in order to raise awareness and understanding of forensic/mental health issues. To participate in the provision of the services that are sensitive to the needs of the individual, paying particular attention to their ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Provide expert advice, underpinned by research evidence, to others regarding the management of care, and to demonstrate specialist knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by MHA 2007). To work in partnership with an independent medical prescriber, as a supplementary non-medical prescriber, within the designated area of practice. Following training and a period of actively prescribing as a supplementary prescriber, to work as an independent non-medical prescriber, within the designated areas of practice. 

Working for our organisation

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:  

1.  We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all
3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
4.  We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology. 
   

Why NLFT?

• We develop and retain our staff through leadership behaviours and managers programme and many more opportunities.
• We promote flexible working and support staff with a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
• NHS Discounts, generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme
• Excellent internal staff network

The post holder will be aligned with our Values:

• We Are Kind
• We Are Respectful
• We Work Together
• We Keep Things Simple
• We Empower
• We Are Proudly Diverse

In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.