Community Mental Health Nurse (Band 5 - 6 Post within 12 months)NHS AfC: Band 5

Job overview

We are looking for a proactive, motivated practitioner with a "can-do" attitude to join the City and Hackney Home Treatment and Crisis Team. This is a structured development post. You will start at Band 5 and progress to Band 6 within a 12-month period, once you have shown all the required competencies.

A named supervisor will use a competency framework to set monthly objectives and support your progress. At the end of 12 months, or before if you have met all the competencies, you will meet the service manager to agree your move to Band 6. Development may be extended by up to six months at Band 5 if needed.

You will provide an urgent community response to people in acute mental health crisis. You will carry out face-to-face and risk assessments within 4-hour and 24-hour response criteria, develop crisis and safety plans with service users, carers and families, and act as crisis coordinator. You will also support safe medicines management and discharge planning.

As you develop, you will take part in shift coordination and support students and junior colleagues. You will work closely with primary care, CMHTs, inpatient wards, social care and voluntary sector partners.

The team operates 8:15 am to 9 pm, seven days a week, including long days, early and late shifts, and weekends.

Main duties of the job

• Carry out face-to-face crisis assessments and risk assessments within the 4-hour and 24-hour response criteria.
• Develop crisis and safety care plans with service users, carers and families, using the least restrictive approach.
• Act as crisis coordinator and deliver evidence-based, recovery-focused interventions.
• Support safe medicines management, including administering, supervising and monitoring medication, in line with Trust policy and your professional registration.
• Plan discharge from the start of each episode of care, support early discharge from inpatient wards, and make sure care is handed over safely to CMHTs, GPs and other services.
• Support carers and refer them for carers' assessments.
• Keep accurate records in line with Trust and NMC standards.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team and with partners across health, social care, criminal justice and the voluntary sector.
• Take part in shift coordination as your skills develop.
• Mentor students and support junior colleagues.
• Meet safeguarding, physical health and mandatory training requirements.
• Contribute to quality improvement and the service's key performance indicators.

Working for our organisation

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Job title: Mental Health Crisis Practitioner
• Band: Band 5 development post, progressing to Band 6 within 12 months
• Service: City and Hackney Home Treatment Team
• Reports to: Operational Lead
• Hours: 8:15am to 9pm, seven days a week, including long days, early and late shifts, and weekends

Development pathway
This post offers a supported route to Band 6. Each month, your supervisor will review your progress against a competency framework and agree objectives with you. At the end of 12 months, or before if you have met all the competencies, you will have a formal review with the service manager to confirm your move to Band 6. If you need more time, your development may be extended by up to six months at Band 5. If you still do not meet the required standard after that, you may not progress to Band 6.

Main responsibilities

• Carry out face-to-face crisis and risk assessments within the 4-hour and 24-hour response criteria.
• Develop crisis and safety care plans with service users, carers and families, using the least restrictive approach.
• Act as crisis coordinator and deliver evidence-based, recovery-focused interventions.
• Support safe medicines management, including administering, supervising and monitoring medication, in line with Trust policy and your professional registration.
• Plan discharge from the start of each episode of care, support early discharge from inpatient wards, and hand over care safely to CMHTs, GPs and other services.
• Keep accurate records in line with Trust and NMC standards.
• Work with the multidisciplinary team and partner agencies across health, social care and the voluntary sector.
• Take part in shift coordination and support students and junior colleagues.
• Meet safeguarding and mandatory training requirements, and contribute to quality improvement.

Person specification

Qualifications and training

Essential criteria

• Registered Mental Health Nurse with Valid NMC Pin
• Evidence of continuing professional development (Percetorship)
• Risk assessment and management training, or willingness to undertake it

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in community mental health setting

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working with people with mental health problems in an acute setting
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of managing challenging or aggressive behaviour
• Experience of providing individualised and culturally sensitive care

Desirable criteria

• Experience in a crisis, home treatment or acute mental health setting
• Previous experience as a healthcare assistant or nursing associate
• Experience of discharge planning or supporting transitions of care

Knowledge and skills

Essential criteria

• Shows knowledge of bio-psychosocial assessment and risk assessment
• Shows understanding of person-centred, recovery-focused and least restrictive care
• Shows good written communication and accurate record keeping in the application
• Shows understanding of safeguarding adults and children

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of safe medicines management
• Experience of using electronic patient records, such as RiO
• Awareness of quality improvement methods