Job overview

Are you a qualified Mental Health Nurse or Occupational Therapist seeking an opportunity to develop yourself further?

We are seeking a qualified Mental Health Nurse or Occupational Therapist to join the Oxford Early Intervention Service in a varied role. You will be offered specialised training, enabling you to increase your knowledge base and to advance your practice. The role can be challenging at times, due to the sensitive needs and difficult points in the lives of our patients, but you will be rewarded with outcomes that change lives, and you will have the support of a highly motivated and passionate team around you. 

This is an opportunity in a service with a strong team focus. We have regular shared lunches which provides an opportunity to spend some quality time together, as well as weekly meetings which focus on supporting the team in achieving high levels of care. We provide supervision in all areas, including behavioural family therapy. 

The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills, a strong understanding of mental health, particularly psychosis and the impact this can have on an individual as well as their family, friends and carers. You will need to have a good understanding of monitoring risk in the community and an understanding and experience of working with patients who experience psychosis.

Applicants will need the ability to travel across Oxfordshire to see patients within their homes.

Main duties of the job

The responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

• To provide assessment of the care needs of individuals and their families/carers who present with first episode psychosis or at-risk mental states. 
• To develop, implement and evaluate programmes of care to appropriate individuals and their families/carers in the community.
• To manage a caseload of clients with complex needs, up to a maximum of 18 dependent on needs.
• To assess clients/carers needs, using appropriate evidence-based assessment tools. 
• Participate in OEIS duty rota, receiving, triaging and assessing new referrals into the team and providing timely assessment to meet the new referral to treatment times

You will be holding a reduced caseload in the community which entails completing highly complex assessments, including the assessment of risk, identifying needs and develop care plans jointly with patients and carers underpinned by evidence-based practice. 

You will be ensuring and monitoring that evidenced interventions for first episodes of psychosis have been provided within time recommended.

The team is dedicated to providing excellent care and service through evidence-based interventions, research and quality improvement work. We work closely with families and carers as well as other services including social services who may be involved in supporting our patients/clients. The team enjoy having a range of students learning and working with them and have gained consistent positive feedback.

Working for our organisation

Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the “candidate guide to making an application” and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.

As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”

Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

•    Excellent opportunities for career progression
•    Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
•    27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
•    NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
•    Competitive pension scheme
•    Lease car scheme
•    Cycle to work scheme
•    Employee Assistance Programme
•    Mental Health First Aiders
•    Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)
•    Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team