Flexible
Southend-on-Sea, England, UK
Posted 1 year ago
Applications have closed.

Job summary

The Southend Rough Sleepers Mental Health Team (RSMHT) provides specialist assessment and interventions for rough sleepers within Southend. The people who access the service typically have complex needs, often with concurrent drug and alcohol use. The team works with people rough sleeping on the streets in Southend, people residing in supported accommodation provided by the local rough sleepers network as well as people in temporary accommodation as part of a housing rough sleeper’s initiative. It is notable that the people the RSMHT work with often find engagement and building sustainable working relationships challenging, usually as a result of significant trauma histories. The team therefore works from settings across the local rough sleeper’s network, collaborating closely with charities and soup kitchens (ie. HARP, SVP, OneLove, Aspirations). The team also liaises closely with the local Recovery and Wellbeing Team and drug and alcohol services to offer additional input alongside existing mainstream support where this can lead to improved outcomes. It also ensure people’s holistic needs are met through close networking with colleagues in physical health services. The RSMHT aims to work with people to improve safety, hopefulness, maintaining tenancies and investing in lives worth living.

Main duties of the job

As a result of new mental health transformation funding we now offer a service aimed at offering homeless people advice and treatment to tackle underlying mental ill health.

More than half of everyone sleeping on the streets lives with a mental health problem and nearly four in five people living without a roof over their head experiencing childhood trauma, but vulnerable rough sleepers can often face a ‘revolving door’ where they receive treatment and support, only to end up back on the streets.

The team brings together different professionals to co-ordinate treatment and support with other local organisations, joining up care with existing outreach, accommodation, drug and alcohol and physical healthcare services.

The post holder carries responsibility for the assessment of care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care for service users who are referred to the Southend Rough Sleeping Mental Health Team for Assessment/Treatment

The post holder will also have an outreach focus, working directly with identified individuals across the City who are rough sleeping and facing barriers to access Mental Health services. The post holder will be the lead for supporting individuals from a rough sleeping background into sustainable and effective treatment and support, with a focus on working in partnership to eliminate barriers to access.

About us

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

o Season Ticket Loans

o NHS discounts for staff

o Excellent Training facilities and opportunities

o Buying and Selling annual leave scheme

o The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas

o Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work

o Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment

Date posted

13 November 2022

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£41,659 to £47,672 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

364-A-5224

Job locations

The Taylor Centre

Southend

SS0 0RY

Job description

Job responsibilities

To establish and maintain effective individualised care by: Undertaking assessment of risk and formulating care plans to manage and minimise risk for identified individuals that are sleeping rough, or have recently been supported by the RSMHT into temporary or secure housing. There should be a shared care plan and desired outcomes agreed with the client, as well as addressing immediate needs in relation to mental and physical health and alcohol/drug use, the plan should address urgent social care needs, with a focus on specific areas of vulnerability/risk.

Planning, implementing and reviewing short term interventions designed to meet assessed needs, tailored to individuals with the additional complexities that rough sleeping can bring.

Providing advice and information to service users, their carers and their families in order to alleviate distress and work in partnership, as far as possible, with all the available support systems.

Providing clear, accurate and concise documentation of the service users care considering the impact of trauma of the reality of homelessness and offer and facilitate flexible appointment times and some tolerance around missed sessions.

Using the Mental Capacity Act to assess the mental state of clients if there is evidence that the client may lack mental capacity to make the decision because of a known/suspected mental health problem, learning disability, brain injury or dementia, even after as much help as possible has been given to them to understand the decision.

Offer expertise associated with medication adherence where prescribed, in close conjunction with the team Consultant Psychiatrist.

To participate in the initial assessment of potential clients ensuring that their physical/psychological, nursing and social care needs are taken into account at all times – all contact should be conducted with compassion and convey optimism and belief in the possibility of recovery

To participate in targeted outreach as part of a multi-agency team in order to find the most effective ways to engage and support rough sleepers into treatment where necessary. Given the well-known links between developmental trauma, emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties, to be alert to how the past impacts on the present in terms of behaviour when carrying out assessments. For example, where someone is rejecting of services, to consider whether their behaviour is indicative of a learnt survival response and past trauma.

To participate in team meetings, initiating and discussing new methods/models of care and participate in the introduction of research or trails within the area.

To seek to establish a therapeutic relationship with individual clients and deliver care that reflects the views, needs and priorities on the client

To provide significant data governing client care and treatment by:-

Participating in informal or formal case conferences and discussions

Maintaining a secure system of record keeping and information exchange

Establishing regular written reviews of progress

Ensure that information is recorded on the client information database.

To ensure effective and confidential communication between all care professionals.

To ensure that effective communication takes place especially when clients are admitted or being prepared for discharge from hospital and that all appropriate agencies are informed, so that follow up care can take place. This includes A&E attendances and contacts with the local Mental Health Liaison Team. In the case of admission to a mental health ward liaison with the local mental health teams will also be facilitated.

To advise the manager and Professional Nursing Advisor on all breaches of nursing professional conduct as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Councils.

To liaise with the Manager to ensure that all Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust policies and procedures are communicated, implemented and developed within the area.

To participate in professional supervision on all allocated cases.

To take on clinical work commensurate with experience and skills, in discussion with supervisor, and senior staff. To take referrals from and work collaboratively with, the Senior Rough Sleeper Navigator at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Where ongoing mental health support is required, the Community Mental Health Practitioner will help to ensure that mental health support required does not stop once an individual is accommodated. To liaise and work in partnership with the Rough Sleeper Initiative Partnership led by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, which includes local homelessness groups and services, the voluntary sector, the Job Centre and Drug and Alcohol Treatment provider maintaining a close relationship for the benefit of our mutual client group. Out of hours and weekend working may be required according to the needs of the service. Any other duties as appropriate to the grade as may be requested.

ADMINISTRATIVE/MANAGERIAL DUTIES

In liaison with the Team Manager, to set objectives for the delivery of care within the area and to devise ways of implementing and monitoring these, with a focus on Rough Sleeping individuals. To participate in the multi-disciplinary decision making progress, team building and team maintenance. To review at regular intervals with the Manager, the overall nature of the caseload, work methods and techniques and evaluating clinical practice as a whole. Provide accurate returns, statistics and reports as required by the Managers and members of the Community Team. In co-operation with the Manager, to report incidents such as complaints/accidents and that appropriate documentation is completed and returned to the Manager as soon as possible following the incident.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

In association with Anglia University and the Team Manager, ensure the learning environment for all nurses in training is appropriate and that teaching areas comply with the E.N.B. Regulations. To provide support and supervise more junior staff in identifying training needs and actively participating in staffing development programmes. To be responsible for updating own knowledge of contemporary interventions and techniques. To contribute towards Team Education and Development providing opportunities for exchange of ideas, experience, techniques and interventions. To use research findings when designing care programmes and to develop an awareness of the significance of nursing research practice. Have a knowledge/understanding of the legislation likely to be encountered as part of the role of the Community Mental Health Nurse e.g. Mental Health Act 1983; Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; Access to Information Act 1986; Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. To develop highly specialist knowledge related to working with rough sleepers, including best practice guidelines developed nationally and internationally.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

In addition to the above duties you will also be expected to perform the below key activities in line with your job role;

Complete mandatory training in line with Trust policy and procedures To participate in the staff appraisal process and to undertake for any staff you manage To keep yourself updated on all matters relating to Trust policy To provide management supervision where appropriate You will be expected to work collaboratively with key partner organisations, service users, carers, clinicians and other practitioners within the multi-disciplinary team in delivering services; providing a 7-day a week, 24-hours a day service for 365 days a year working shifts, where appropriate and operationally required.

Job description