We\'re looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.

So what can we offer you in return?

We\'re an organisation which puts people first. We\'ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We\'ll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we\'ll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you\'ll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don\'t forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner to join the new Single Point of Access (SPOA) in West Sussex.

The SPOA is designed for children, young people, their families, carers and relevant professionals to ensure that they can access the most appropriate emotional wellbeing, mental health support and intervention which meets their needs at the earliest possible stage and with the minimum delay.

The SPOA aims:

• An integrated aligned and co-ordinated service is in place
• More CYP have access to appropriate mental health services first time
• More CYP have positive experiences of care and support
• Time taken to receive treatment and support is reduced
• Improved data collection and evaluation of CYP’s outcomes

Main duties of the job

Main duties of the job:

• Offer high quality screening of referrals, discussing with referrers as required and ensuring they receive an appropriate and clinically sound response.
• To direct children and their families to the most appropriate service in order to meet their emotional and mental health needs.
• The SPOA clinicians will also be required to undertake risk assessments, ensure appropriate signposting for referrals that do not meet the criteria for services within the SPOA, with clear written responses containing a rationale for the decision, liaise with agencies receiving referrals from SPOA, identify opportunities for support whilst waiting for the referral to be processed and respond to any queries or concerns from professionals / parents.
• To decide on an appropriate course of action alongside other professionals involved, providing advice, support and knowledge of appropriate resources for the emotional well-being and mental health of children, young people and their carers.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across West and East Sussex and Brighton & Hove.

West Sussex CAMHS services build on CYP-IAPT learning. Users of our services help shape continuing service transformation with their lived experience.

Supported by our Clinical Academic Groups (CAGs), we work to put research, innovation and learning into practice. We offer a career, not just a job, in a team and a Trust committed to delivering the best possible care to the community and to supporting the wellbeing of our staff, who are our greatest asset.

Working in Sussex:

• Travel easily between coast and stunning countryside
• Easy access to Brighton, London, Gatwick and Heathrow

We encourage flexible working. We know that a positive work/ life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, home-working, part time hours, flexible start/ finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we\'ll do our best to make it happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Skills and experience in screening referrals is desirable.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency SPOA team ensuring that referrals are screened swiftly and referrers are contacted and informed of referral outcomes.

Please refer to Job description for further responsibilities.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registered professional Qualification
• Evidence of post Registration Training
• Completion of mentorship course or equivalent

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience supervising staff and students
• Knowledge of interventions specific to service area
• Awareness of Trust Policy and Values
• Knowledge of managing and working with people with complex needs
• Able to effectively manage risks
• Able to formulate individualised care plans
• Lived experience of mental illness

Communication/interpersonal

• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Communication effectively with other parties (carers, relatives, other professionals etc
• Work effectively with other services
• Able to work to service objectives

Management/organisational

• To have a good knowledge of service objectives
• Able to manage and delegate tasks
• Able to lead clinical discussions
• Provide supervision to staff
• Work well within a team

Skills/values

• Able to work well under pressure
• Able to prioritise caseload
• Able to deal with incidents effectively
• Able to travel between sites
• Awareness of human rights
• Flexible and punctual
• Non-judgemental

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children\'s social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name BRYDEN-PITT, Amanda Job title SPOA Team Lead Email address amanda.bryden-pitt@spft.nhs.uk

Additional information

Please contact via e-mail in the first instance.