Early Intervention in Psychosis Care Coordinator

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Across the whole of the region we provide:

• Adult and older adult mental health services
• Specialist learning disability services
• Mental health services for children and young people
• Community healthcare services for children, young people and families in Dudley

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, with the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.

We currently employ over 3,500 people and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Whatever your role, working in a NHS Foundation Trust, like ours, is a demanding and extremely rewarding experience. Knowing that every day you can help to make a positive difference to someone’s life is a very powerful feeling. We know that our Trust runs on this desire to help and support people, and our Trust vision expresses this. Our vision is to improve health and wellbeing for everyone, especially our colleagues to achieve the best possible work/life balance.

We proudly offer supportive, inclusive and family friendly employment and flexible working policies. We have a wide range of professional services and employee networks to help our colleagues be at their best - and find support if they need it. To find more about our staff benefits, please visit our website: blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and ethnic minority candidates are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Black Country Healthcare we recognise and value all forms of knowledge and expertise, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification or criteria in the job description/person specification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

For further supporting information to help you apply for this role please see documents attached under ‘Additional documents’.

Job overview

Sandwell Early Intervention in Psychosis is looking for a dynamic and client centred nurse, occupational therapist or social worker to join our friendly team. We work with people aged 14- 65 who have experienced First Episode of Psychosis and people who have been identified as having an At Risk Mental State.

If you are looking for a dedicated role within an experienced multi-disciplinary team and love working with people with FEP in a recovery focussed way we want to meet you.

The Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (EIP) is a specialist community mental health team working with young people and adults in the three years following FEP, or those who are deemed at risk of developing psychosis.

EIP adopts an assertive outreach approach and provides individualised, comprehensive, evidence based interventions to optimise recovery, prevent relapse and help individuals and their families to cope with their experiences. In doing so, we aim to improve social, physical, psychological and vocational functioning and reduce the short and long term impact of psychosis in line with the EIP Care Pathway.

We are based in West Bromwich, covering the Sandwell locality. Our standard office hours are Monday - Friday and some flexible working will be considered.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will hold Care Coordinator responsibility for 15- 20 patients who have experienced FEP or have been identified as having an At Risk Mental State. This will include specialist assessment, planning and intervention, including psychoeducation and family work, alongside generic care coordination to promote well being, recovery and empowering person centred practice.

The post holder will participate in the development, delivery and evaluation of Sandwell EIP and will work closely with colleagues in their team as well other agencies. Our MDT consists of nurses, occupational therapy staff, psychology staff, support workers, youth support workers, physical health staff, medics and admin staff. 

As a Care Coordinator within EIP, you will be supported by the Team Manager and Clinical Lead. You will have regular supervision, join in team formulations, and have opportunities to develop skills related to working with people with FEP and At Risk Mental States. 

Working for our organisation

At Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, we're building a high-calibre, diverse and inclusive mental health workforce. One that will give talented professionals like you the opportunity to shape an outstanding service that will transform community mental healthcare and deliver happier and healthier lives all across our communities.

The Trust is rated 'Good' from CQC (Care Quality Commission) and will become the lead provider for mental health services across The Black Country . We have recently invested in newly created clinical divisions and are currently developing new models of integrated primary and secondary care for adults and older adults, as well launching a far-reaching inpatient strategy, working to eradicate dormitories and building new facilities.

This ambitious model is multi-agency and multi-disciplinary, opening the door for you to work in a collaborative and flexible way with partners, service users, carers and their families.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To engage young people who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis/at risk mental state in a sensitive and non-stigmatising way, taking full account of their need to stay connected with the ordinary activities of their lives.

To work with, promote and develop appropriate models of community care i.e. psychosocial, social inclusion, family interventions, solution focused and health assessments.

To lead on the delivery of care that is client focused and culturally competent.

To support the team in achieving the Referral to Treatment Standard and NCAP audit targets.

To work in a client focused way in a variety of non-traditional settings.

To contribute to the assessment of care needs, development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care in the context of the care programme approach.

To contribute to assessment of educational support needs with other agencies.

To provide supervision and leadership to junior members of staff to ensure delivery of programmes of care for patients on their caseload.

To identify, report and act on service deficits, limitations/development opportunities to senior colleagues.

To use clinical judgement to monitor the well being of patients/clients and develop and monitor practice in relation to protecting individuals whose health and well being is at risk

To promote positive health by informing and educating patients/carers on mental health issues and treatments and is responsible for ensuring all staff practice this approach.

To ensure effective communication with the multidisciplinary team, service users and carers about programmes of care both routine and complex.

To develop and promote networking with other agencies including housing, school, employment, leisure and benefit agencies.

To promote and maintain confidentiality in accordance with the Data Protection Act and professional code of conduct.

To ensure and promote service user, carer and relatives involvement whenever practicable throughout the episode of care and clinical practice.

To be conversant and practice within the Mental Health Act 1983 Mental Capacity Act 2005.

To maintain and monitor records in accordance with local policies.

If appropriate to professional role, to administer, store and order medications in line with Trust policy.

Monitor and report to the medical staff the effects of medication and ensure that all staff practice within the administration of medication policy.

To contribute, promote and ensure quality initiatives and audits e.g. clinical audit, essence of care.

To ensure the development of knowledge and ideas and to support and promote evidenced based practice.

To allocate, delegate and supervise the work of junior members of staff as appropriate to their level of ability.

To participate in regular management supervision with the Early Intervention Team manager and attend regular clinical supervision with supervisor.

To ensure that there is an environment conducive to learning and contribute to the development of all members of staff and students on placement.

To receive and conduct PDRs and develop PDP for self and staff.

To work in collaboration with the team manager to support the development of community services.

As a qualified Mental Health Practitioner the post holder will contribute and develop operational procedures for overseeing the co-ordination of the care planning process and the effective supervision of the junior members of the team.

Person specification

Registration

Essential criteria

• Has professional registration
• Experience working in a MH setting

Desirable criteria

• Worked with psychosis previously
• BFT trained
• Care Co experience
• Experience with audit or QI
• Worked in a community health

** Please Note that Internal at Risk Employees will be given preference for this position**

We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward for this vacancy at any time should we receive an overwhelming response of applications. We therefore encourage applicants to apply early if you wish to be considered for this post.

If you do not hear from the recruitment 4 weeks within the advertised closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful at the shortlisting stage. Please ensure that you check your emails on a regular basis for any recruitment updates regarding this vacancy. If you are not successful at the shortlisting stage and would like feedback, please contact the Recruitment Team directly for feedback. 

The salary range quoted is as per NHS Agenda for Change pay structures. This is based on the number of years’ working directly within the NHS at the advertised pay band. Experience gained with other NHS Trusts will apply, but candidates without prior experience working direct for the NHS would normally be appointed at the lowest point unless they can demonstrate the equivalent experience and then be eligible for incremental increases in future years.

Successful applicants for clinical posts up to and including Band 4 are expected to hold the national Care Certificate qualification and will be supported to attain this once in post.

The Trust is committed to equal opportunities, providing opportunities for flexible working and is a non-smoking organisation.

As a Trust we are passionate about Anti-Racism, Disability Inclusion, and LGBTQ+ Equality, and are committed to diversifying our staff team in all areas and at all levels of seniority to better reflect the diverse communities we serve. Therefore, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from people who belong to a minority or marginalised community, including from Black and Asian, Disabled (including hidden disabilities such as Neurodiversity, Mental Health, etc), or Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans or Queer (LGBTQ+) people.    

Furthermore, Disabled applicants have the option of requesting that their application is considered under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS). Please indicate your intention to apply under the GIS in the relevant section of your application. Regardless of whether you participate in the scheme or have shared a disability, you will be provided the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the interview process at each stage of the recruitment process.

Due to the nature of the work some posts may be subject to a Standard Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, through the Disclosure and Barring Service as stipulated under part V of the Police Act 1997. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us; this will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances of your offences.