Primary care link worker

We have an exciting opportunity to recruit band 7 primary care link workers to work in the Enfield Primary Care Network (PCNs). Successful candidates must be experienced mental health practitioners and have experience of working in a Primary Care and/or Community Mental Health Team setting. The intention is to focus services on local communities and local GP practices to help rebuild and reconnect healthcare teams across the communities they serve. This practitioner role will provide targeted care according to the needs of the population by supporting the PCN clinical strategy.

This is an exciting role for a professional who is proactive and passionate about innovation and providing high-quality care to people who have been identified as in need of mental health support in a primary care setting. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your career and skill set in a highly innovative and creative environment. The post holder will be an experienced professional who acts within their professional boundaries to work and develop within a Multi-Disciplinary Team. The post holder would also have experience of working in a fast paced Primary care setting assessing, formulating and implementing care interventions in conjunction with GPs and other mental health practitioners.

Main duties of the job

The practitioner will access and link with secondary care mental health services and help provide a "bridge" between primary care and secondary care mental health providers. This will make it easier for people accessing services to obtain the help they need. The practitioner will be embedded as part of the Primary Care Network working across member practices where they will be co-located for a proportion of the working week. They will work alongside the multi-disciplinary team and be closely linked to the Enfield Integrated Adult Mental Health Team. They will take the lead in ensuring best practice is delivered across the allocated GP surgeries, provide Triage, assessment, interventions and lead on development and implementation of specialist mental health training in the practice.

About us

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

1. We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.
2. With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all.
3. We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.
4. We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology.

In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information relating to this role.

Person Specification Qualifications and Training

• Professional Qualification in: Mental Health Nursing Or Occupational Therapy or Psychology Social Work.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Experience of using quality improvement methodologies.

Professional experience

• Demonstrable experience at Band 6 level or equivalent.
• Evidence of ability to effectively manage caseloads in the community.
• Experience of delivering training to different disciplines and professions.
• Excellent leadership skills and commitment to the delivery of high-quality services.
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to other teams.
• Experience of working with people who have experienced serious ongoing mental health problems.
• Experience of research based/reflective practice e.g. understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills, attitude and knowledge and develop these by using evidence based practice.
• Ability to make evidence-based decisions in highly complex situations within agreed protocol or guidelines.
• Previous experience of working within primary care.
• Experience of working consultatively with professionals.
• Evidencing of completing and/or supporting clinical research projects and audits.

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of recovery and enablement concepts and theories.
• Ability to demonstrate in depth knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the Code of Practice.
• Knowledge of the process necessary for effective risk assessment and management.
• Ability to demonstrate a creative and flexible approach to staff managing and in delivering a high standard of care.
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care plans to meet needs of clients and managing caseloads.
• Ability to set, monitor and evaluate standards for quality within the service.
• Ability to undertake evidence-based interventions with people suffering from a range of mental health problems.
• Knowledge of and ability to work as part of a multi-professional team as a lead clinician and role model.
• Ability to work effectively in crisis situations to maintain the safety of both staff and client.
• Ability to teach staff and provide advice and support to other agencies / professionals.
• Competent with screening assessment criteria/tools.
• Experience of effective communication with key stakeholders at a variety of levels.
• Training and advanced skills in a specialised approach such as psycho-social interventions, dual diagnosis, personality disorder or assertive outreach.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

GP Surgeries within specified Primary Care Network(s)

£51,883 to £58,544 a year per annum including HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

455-BEH-0041

Job locations

GP Surgeries within specified Primary Care Network(s)