Community Connector – Mental Health Professional (Dorking)

Job Summary

Job title: Community Connector – Mental Health Professional

Service:  General Practice Integrated Mental Health Service (GPIMHS) – Surrey Heartlands

Location: Dorking, Surrey

Hours: Full time: 37 hours per week – with occasional out-of-hours and or/weekend work. TOIL will be given

Salary: £28,560 pa

Organisation: Mary Frances Trust – Community Connections

Closing Date: 12 June 2022

Project

NHS England recently announced a new transformation fund to be allocated to pilot sites within 12 Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships/ Integrated Care Systems across the country to test new and integrated models of primary and community mental health care. Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership was one of these successful pilot sites.

This has led to establishing the General Practice Integrated Mental Health Service (GPIMHS) within Surrey.

The General Practice Integrated Mental Health Service includes extended appointments with mental health experts from the NHS, social care and specialist third sector organisations, plus access to therapies, physical health checks and pharmacists, as examples of just some of the wider expertise patients can access in their local GP practice and in the community under new ways of working.

Patients are able to explore the situation affecting their wellbeing – whether that is an ongoing mental or physical health problem, loneliness, debt, or other issues. They can then be guided to appropriate resources that may help, including talking therapies, benefits advice, or an introduction to a local community group.

The role of the Community Connector is fundamental to the developing of these innovative new teams and mental health services based within networks of GP Practices (Primary Care Networks – PCNs). The role supports the ongoing development and mobilisation of integrated primary care mental health services.

Job Purpose

Providing a primary care mental health service within this context refers to:

• First level of intervention
• Ease of access
• A multidisciplinary approach working a range of professionals across PCN’s inclusive of GP’s, Practice nurses, Mental Health Practitioners, Pharmacists and Clinical Psychologist.
• Coordinating and supporting patients to access to a wide range of community services and resources including social care, housing, family, debt and employment counselling that support maintaining good health and wellbeing

Overall, the primary care mental health will:

• Be the first port of call for GPs in seeking support for managing their patients with mental health presentations.
• Provide and promote early triage, assessment and formulation of need and care plans, to inform treatment and/or onward bridging to community resources
• Support and improve access to evidence based interventions for people with serious mental illness.
• Helping people to focus on achievable goals and access local community resources.
• Provide brief therapeutic interventions
• Support completion and delivery of actions identified in physical health checks for people with serious mental illness.

Key Responsibilities

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team located in primary care:

• To work jointly with the Mental Health Practitioner in conducting assessments, including risk assessment, and to work with patients to support them in identifying their socially determined needs and goals, provide self- management tools and facilitate the development of personal support plans.
• To provide a range of motivational and structured psycho-social interventions.
• To promote independence through an enabling asset-based approach that draws on individuals’ strengths, preferences and ‘natural’ support networks.
• To establish effective working relationships with a range of agencies to facilitate a ‘joined up’ approach to support plans.
• To liaise with, develop and maintain good relations with GPs, practice managers and other health practitioners across mental health and physical health pathways and wider support networks.
• To provide continuity throughout recovery; engaging the patient with key services such as Safe Havens, accessing CMHRS, and providing support for those engaged with and leaving CMHRS, and linking into local wellbeing services and activities.
• To co-ordinate and support patients to access a range of community services such as wellbeing services, housing providers, family and carer support services, debt and employer advisors where appropriate.
• To assist with community resource mapping exercises and maintain a database of community resources; map where there are gaps in provision across the PCN and wider geography and work with other VCS organisations to develop resources where most needed.
• To promote and support (where necessary) advised follow up actions from physical health checks for people with serious mental illness.
• To support patients to engage with local peer support workers and volunteering services.
• To support and supervise any peer support workers linked to PCN
• To work with the service to identify opportunities to expand provision particularly in local communities where there is a lack of service provision identified.
• To broker and establish new partnerships between public and voluntary sector agencies to enhance service delivery and access to services.
• To develop and sustain professional relationships with service users, partner agencies and appropriate external agencies.
• To complete locally agreed quality outcome measures, with patients and to undertake regular reviews.

General terms of reference:

In carrying out the above duties the post holder will:

• Work flexibly across operational sites as required which will include evening and weekend work.  The post is full time for 37 hours a week – some weekend or evening work may be required.
• Work within the policies and procedures of the GP practices/PCN the worker will be based in.
• To accept responsibility for their own personal safety and to encourage the patients to adopt safe practices both for themselves and others with whom they associate.
• Work to Surrey Safeguarding policy and practice.
• Ensure all records are maintained in line with all Governance arrangements and GDPR.
• Work within the host organisations policies and procedures at all times, paying particular attention to Information Governance, confidentiality and health and safety.
• Seek to improve personal performance, outcomes, contribution, knowledge and skills.
• Participate in team meetings, appraisal, workforce development and supervision processes.
• Keep abreast of developments in services, legislation and practice where appropriate.
• Contribute to maintaining safe systems of work and a safe environment.
• Represent the host organisation at external agencies and support the values, workings and ethics of the host organisation approach to client work.
• Ability to travel within the local area

Equal Opportunities Statement

We acknowledge the unique contribution that all host organisations employees and patients can bring to our organisation in terms of their culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, age, religion or belief and any physical disability or history of mental health or additional problems.

All appointments and promotions are based on merit and no job applicant or employee will be treated unfairly or discriminated against. All staff have equal access to staff development.

Any member of staff who breaches this policy may be subject of grievance and/or disciplinary procedures.

This post is subject to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level. Please note past drug and/or alcohol or criminality history will not necessarily discount you from undertaking this role.

Amendments: This job description accurately reflects the present position; it may be amended and reviewed.  Any change will be made following a period of consultation.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential:

A diploma or degree in appropriate subject i.e. counselling, psychology, social work, probation, mental health, Health and Social Care (level 3) NVQ’s level 3+ and/or a minimum of 2 years community experience of drug or mental health work.

REGISTRATION

Desirable:

If holding a professional qualification to maintain up-to-date professional registration i.e.  BACP, HCP, BPS (or recognised equivalent)

GENERAL

Essential:

• Ability to travel within Surrey and local area if required.
• Ability to work flexibly across operational hours and evenings and weekends, where required
• To work co-operatively as part of a multidisciplinary team (statutory and voluntary) from a service hub in one of 3 locations and to travel to and from a number of different locations on a daily basis.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Essential:

• An understanding and ability to work to the confidentiality, consent, information sharing and safeguarding policies of the integrated service.
• Good communication and written skills and a commitment to accurate and confidential record keeping
• Ability to interact effectively with the client group, colleagues and other professionals whilst retaining clear boundaries.
• Able to break down stigma and barriers associated with working with the client group.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the issues and needs of the client group.
• Knowledge and understanding of community working, lone working, and ability to maintain safety whilst working in the community.
• Ability to work to all the policies, procedures and standards of the Service and joint working arrangements with key partners.
• A good understanding of personal limitations, ability to identify when to seek advice and support, and deal with issues which may provoke strong emotions in an objective and professional manner i.e. child protection.
• Ability to manage any challenging behaviour, anger and verbal aggression from patients.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Essential:

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, use of email, Outlook, and basic excel skills.
• Ability to enter data onto a database as required by the Service.

About Us

Background:

Mary Frances Trust (MFT) is a Charitable Company established in 1994 by carers, people accessing mental health services and professionals to support people experiencing mental health issues. It is a non-medical service set up to address the social consequences of mental ill-health on the lives and well-being of mental health service users.

These include the following:

• low self-esteem and self-confidence (compounded by the negative attitudes in our society towards those with mental health problems)
• social isolation and exclusion from many areas of community life (including leisure, volunteering and education)
• low income because of long term reliance on Benefits (Mental Health service users have the lowest rate of employment of any group of disabled people)
• poorer physical health and reduced life expectancy compared to the general population.

The social model MFT works within is based on three principles:

• Membership of a caring and supportive community.
• Active and voluntary service user involvement in every aspect of running our organisation (this includes day-to-day activities and monitoring, reviewing and co-producing projects and services)
• Equal and respectful relationships between staff and service users.

MFT are commissioned by Surrey County Council and Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group to provide leadership for Community Connections Mental Health Services in Mole Valley, Epsom & Ewell, East Elmbridge, and Banstead. We are also to be contracted to provide services within West Elmbridge.

Surrey Community Connections services are open access services, delivered by the third sector, to support people (aged 16 and over) with mental health needs to stay well in their communities. The services promote social inclusion, community participation, mental wellbeing, and recovery by connecting people to ‘mainstream’ activities in their community by offering a variety of group activities and one to one support.

How to apply

To apply for this role, click on the Apply Now link below and fill in our Online Application Form. Thank you!

If you are having difficulties accessing our Online Application Form, please email Kerry, our Administration Officer, at kerry@maryfrancestrust.org.uk who will send you a Word version for you to email back to Glyn at glyn@maryfrancestrust.org.uk

Apply now

Share