Job description

Job responsibilities

The Trainee Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner will:

• attend all elements of the training programme of study and progress successfully through assessments of competence and attainment
• work in an older adult community mental health service when not completing the programme of study
• develop and practice psychologically informed interventions under supervision, working directly with older adults in the community
• support collaborative care planning, alongside other members of the multi-disciplinary team
• work closely alongside a team of mental health professionals to deliver a set of brief wellbeing-focused psychologically informed interventions - not therapy - for example:

o Behavioural Activation and Graded Exposure using the GOALS programme

o Problem-solving

o Improving sleep

o Recognising and managing emotions

o Confidence building

o Managing Worry

The Trainee Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner will be required to:

• Demonstrate the ability to work at degree level
• Have experience of work interacting with the public, working as part of a team, analysing complex information and communicating effectively
• Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain empathic, supportive relationships with older adults in significant distress, their families and carers

This is a training role within older adult community mental health services. The post-holder will be enrolled in a graduate certificate or postgraduate certificate training delivering the national curriculum for Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners. Once successfully enrolled, the post-holder will attend all elements of the programme of study and progress successfully through assessments of competence and attainment. Until enrolment, and in the remaining part of the week during training, they will work as a trainee in the service, under close supervision and regular course assessment of practice competence. They will work within the limits of their experience and assessed competence for their stage of training:

To work alongside service users, families, carers and multi-disciplinary team members to co-ordinate care, supporting collaborative decision-making about care and treatment.

To deliver a set of wellbeing-focused psychologically-informed interventions, aligned to cognitive-behavioural principles, based on the best evidence available, that address problems often experienced by people with severe mental health problems.

To work within the limits of level of training and experience as a developing practitioner, taking on clinical practice appropriate to assessed levels of competence and stage of training. The post-holder will work as a trainee under close case management supervision from a suitably qualified professional to provide high quality collaborative care planning as a member of the multi-disciplinary team, with a level of autonomy matched to level of demonstrated competence and stage of training. The post-holder will work under close clinical skills supervision from an HCPC registered clinical / counselling psychologist, BABCP accredited cognitive behavioural therapist or Senior MHWP to provide specified psychologically-informed wellbeing-focused interventions, with a level of autonomy matched to level of demonstrated competence and stage of training.

Reasonable Adjustments

It is important to note that completing the MHWP training programme while working within NHS secondary mental health care can be challenging, and thus it is important that trainees are prepared for the challenges of the programme. While the education provider and clinical placement will provide reasonable adjustments, neither course content nor the format or pass threshold of clinical competence assignments can be changed. Potential applicants are welcome to contact the education provider for advice.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Batchelors degree at 2:2 in any subject for entry to Postgraduate route OR Evidence of ability to study successfully at academic Level 5 for entry to the Graduate Certificate route.
• Enrolled/willingness to enrol on a programme of study for a graduate certificate (Level 6) or postgraduate certificate (Level 7)

Experience

Essential

• Experience of work interacting with the public
• Experience working as part of a team
• Experience of analysing and communicating complex information verbally and in writing

Desirable

• Lived experience of mental health issues/difficulties
• Experience working with the Older Adult population or those who have caring responsibilities

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

• Able to assist/contribute in assessment and formulation with client group including of risk
• Able to assist in planning and delivering psychologically-informed interventions to meet people's health and wellbeing needs
• Able to establish and maintain empathic, supportive relationships with people in significant distress or who are cognitively impaired, their families and carers
• Able to receive, understand and communicate confidential client information of a sensitive and often complex nature, including discussing care with family members within boundaries of confidentiality.
• Able to communicate in a sensitive and reassuring manner, with empathy, and where appropriate reassurance.

Abilities

Essential

• Able to deal directly with distressing or emotional circumstances when they arise.
• Able to plan and deliver interventions with a variety of service users presenting with mental health difficulties, their families and carers and the clinical team, on a daily basis.
• Able to deal with conflicting demands in an unpredictable work pattern.
• Able to concentrate on specific activities for up to an hour at a time.
• Able to work flexibly and adapt to each person as appropriate to their needs in a variety of settings.

Working Conditions

Essential

• Right to work in the UK/Home Fees Status
• Able to work in a variety of adult community mental health settings which may often include unpleasant working conditions such as verbal aggression or high levels of distress.
• Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Trust working in a trauma informed way, promoting social inclusion and challenging stigma.
• Ability to travel across sites in good time and in a punctual and flexible way across hours of work when required

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.

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Older Adult Community Mental Health Teams in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon

91 Granville Park, Lewisham

London

SE13 7DW

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)