Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

The post holder will be a qualified Approved Mental Health Professional and will be responsible for patients allocated to them via the Health Based Place of Safety (HBPoS) and will assess, manage, plan and deliver care, including being professionally and legally accountable.

The post holder will undertake statutory assessments under powers of the Mental Health Act 1983 as amended 2007 and The Mental Capacity Act 2005, which can lead to the deprivation of liberty of the individual. To be able to explore creative and imaginative personalised alternatives to hospital admission using a social perspective on mental disorder and mental health needs and have regard to the implications of mental disorder for patients their relatives and carers

Main duties of the job

• Undertake and co-ordinate assessments under the Mental Health Act as an Approved Mental Health Professional and make applications for admission/Supervised Community Treatment, in accordance with the outcome of the assessment. Where appropriate make applications to court under Section 135 and Section 29 of the Mental Health Act. 

• Be responsible for ensuring that assessments (including those elements undertaken by other staff) comply with the requirements of the Mental Health Act. 

• Advise colleagues on the potential use of the Mental Health Act. 

• Advise both the patient and the nearest relative on the legal aspects of the process of assessment under the Act. Inform/consult with the nearest relative on the outcome of the assessment.

• To interview and assess a person removed to a place of safety or moved to another such place (s136/135).

• To be responsible for providing accurate records of information required by the Trust for audit purposes.

• To employ professional curiosity in your day-to-day role and act upon any findings appropriately.

• To work in collaboration with the Integrated Crisis Assessment Hub to support the patient flow to and from the Health Based Place of Safety or Emergency Departments

• To work jointly with Integrated Crisis Assessment Hub (ICAH), Duty SHO, Specialist registrar, with the assessment of patients on Section 136MHA (1983), analyse risk to patients and implement agreed plan of care.

Working for our organisation

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,551 to a maximum of £5,735 pro rata for part time).

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more details regarding the role of the Approved Mental Health Practitioner for the Health based Place of Safety (HBPoS) and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

BA/BSC in a relevant subject social work, Mental health Nursing To be a Social Worker/mental health Nurse/Occupational Therapists or Clinical Psychologist and Registered with a regulatory body HCPC/NMC or Social Work England AMHP Qualification Evidence of commitment to Continuing Professional Development

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant experience of working as a qualified Social Worker/Mental Health Nurse/Occupational Therapists or Clinical Psychologist Practicing AMHP working with people with Mental Health problems and their carers Experiencing of working with internal (MDT) and external stakeholders (Police, Local authority, third section organisation) to provide the best care for the patient Experience of working within complex situations and casework

Desirable criteria

Experience of working within an NHS setting

Knowledge

Essential criteria

An awareness of NHS priorities Demonstrable understanding of current key policy initiatives that promote health, social inclusion, independence and prevent the unnecessary admission of older people and/or children into hospital/institutional care. Expert knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 and 2007 amendment and Mental Capacity Act 2005 To have a comprehensive knowledge of the theoretical and legislative framework which underpin the Mental Health Code of Practice Understanding and application of the Care Act 2014 Knowledge of Children and safeguarding legislation and policies

Skills

Essential criteria

Able to write concise and accurate reports, maintain records in accordance with statutory requirements and current records policy Excellent ICT skills Able to work well under pressure and produce quality work within short timescales Able to demonstrate via their practice an understanding of and respect for individuals’ qualities, abilities and diverse backgrounds Able to assess and evaluate needs and risks in complex situations; to formulate appropriate plans and to work proactively with users and their carers to co-produce and meet agreed objectives

Desirable criteria

Able to champion evidence-based practice.

other

Essential criteria

To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area

Benefits

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:

A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.