Band 4 Associate Physical Health Nurse Practitioner

Avon And Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Nhs Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in Bristol is seeking a Band 4 Associate Practitioner in Physical Health to join their supportive multidisciplinary team. The role involves conducting comprehensive physical health assessments and facilitating health discussions for service users. You will work both independently and as part of a team in various locations across the city, ensuring that the highest standards of care and documentation are maintained. The position offers opportunities for professional growth within a dynamic and reputable environment.

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Opportunities for professional growth

Qualifications

• Must conduct thorough physical health assessments.
• Experience in signposting to health services.
• Ability to maintain accurate documentation.

Responsibilities

• Arrange physical health appointments as per policy.
• Develop and review care plans for service users.
• Provide clear communication with stakeholders.

Skills

Clinical assessments

Effective communication

Ability to work independently

Empathy

Education

Relevant healthcare qualification

Job description

Are you interested in working with individuals that experience metal health difficulties in addition to eating disorders or disordered eating habits? Would you like to work in a proactive, friendly and supportive team of different disciplines? Are you ready for the next step in your career and looking for progression in a dynamic and well‑established team?
Our team brings a selection of skills and knowledge which aim to empower service users to achieve and maintain their recovery. We are a supportive, multi‑disciplinary team with a variety of skills, knowledge and experience. The service promotes a strong learning culture, enabling you to expand your clinical skills and grow confidently within a specialist eating disorder setting.
Our service has recently expanded and is looking for enthusiastic and skilled practitioners who are keen to join our team. If this sounds like what you are looking for, then we want you to apply for this role.
Clinics are located across the city and the role requires outreach visits within the community as well as independent and lone working. As a Band 4 Associate Practitioner in Physical Health, you will conduct comprehensive physical health assessments which include a wide range of physical health observations including venepuncture and electrocardiogram readings.
In addition, you will facilitate a health and wellbeing discussion whereby service users can be signposted and referred to various organisations as necessary – as per NICE and MEED guideline standards and trust KPI'S.
You will work as part of The STEPS multidisciplinary team within the community of Bristol. Physical health clinic locations are located in AWP sites across the city; the team also conduct's home visits. The role requires independent and lone working at times and you will need to be able to get to clinics or home appointments across the city via personal or public transport.
The role will involve conducting physical health and wellbeing assessments, recording accurate documentation of each assessment and taking any action as appropriate within their scope of practice and within the relevant trust policies and processes for the team.

Responsibilities

• Arranging physical health appointments in line with trust policy.
• Developing and reviewing appropriate physical health and wellbeing care plans identifying, organising and signposting to other services or resources as appropriate.
• Providing defined assessments/ interventions/ activities as part of the physical health appointment within your scope of practice and level or responsibility.
• Completing relevant paper and electronic documentation, reports and letters in line with the associate practitioner role and local processes, in a timely and effective manner.
• Provide information, advice and signposting to promote good physical health and wellbeing e.g. Smoking cessation, healthy diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, employment support etc.
• Provide complex and sensitive information to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders (users of services, carers, multi‑disciplinary colleagues, and other statutory/non statutory services).
• Contribute to the safe and effective day to day operations of the service, escalating to a senior member of staff where necessary.
• Provide a high standard of written and verbal communication that is clear and in line with local guidance.
• Role model effective communication: demonstrating empathy, respect, compassion and hope where there may be barriers to understanding.
• Communicate information in a way that makes it relevant and understandable in line with operational guidance.
• Maintain professional relationships with all colleagues to ensure professional standards are met.
• Promote a culture that incorporates Trust values and is recovery focused.
• Must have an awareness and ability to maintain personal boundaries.
• Undertake clinical risk assessments, based on latest empirical evidence and compliant with local policies/ procedures.
• Reporting of exceptions, complaints and gaps in service.
• Assist in data collection for the on‑going evaluation of the service.
• Assist in promotion of the service locally and nationally as appropriate.
• Report any incidents of harm or near miss in line with the Trust's incident reporting policy, supporting appropriate actions that are taken to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.
• To assist with ensuring day to day practice reflects the highest standards of governance, clinical effectiveness, safety and person experience.
• To be aware of the responsibility of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment.
• To comply at all times with the Trust's Safer Governance related policies.
• Seek advice and support from senior colleagues/line manager whenever necessary.
• Ensure good documentation is provided and entered within the appropriate systems of record sharing.
• Assist in planning assessment/appointments for face to face assessment of service users.
• Undertake face to face physical assessments of service users.
• Will conduct lone working as per operational need within guidelines of relevant trust policies.
• To be responsible for the prevention and control of infection.
• Ensure that individual episodes of care are delivered in a timely, effective and integrated manner.
• Create, implement and update care plans or referrals as required.
• Champion service users' rights including: dignity, equality, diversity, choice and respect.
• Provide advice and guidance regarding mental and physical health and wellbeing challenges within scope of practice.
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• Implementation of NICE guidance and other statutory/ best practice guidelines (if appropriate) under guidance from senior staff.
• To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to service provision.
• Participate in programs of audit and research within the team as agreed, implementing the findings.
• Contribute to clinical governance arrangements in order to ensure the quality of the service provided.
• Involvement in the development of local systems and process that ensure the implementation of Trust policies.
• It is the individual post holder's responsibility to manage organisational resources efficiently and to suggest efficiency savings to line management as they arise.
• The post holder has the responsibility to maintain the safe keeping of the organisation's property.
• Help support junior staff with guidance from senior staff.
• Ensure information resources are used to maintain knowledge of Trust, Directorate and Team priorities and safety initiatives.
• To participate in regular supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines and Trust policy.
• Work without direct management and take accountability for your own actions.
• Work within the operational policies and service specifications of the team.
• To participate in the Trust's annual appraisal process.
• To attend all relevant mandatory training as and when required to do so.
• Work cooperatively with colleagues and other professionals.
• Ensure that you remain professionally competent. Take responsibility for ensuring own educational and development/ gaps in practice/knowledge and met, ensuring you are able to perform all elements of your role effectively and safely.
• Maintain an up to date record of continued professional development for your role.
• To participate in local arrangements in order to ensure consistent care to service users across the local geography.
• This is not an exhaustive list of duties / responsibilities, and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties, which fall within the banding of the role, as directed by the team/service manager.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with 'lived-experience' of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities. We are a 'Disability Confident Employer' offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. This includes people with a variety of disabilities and neurodivergent conditions (for example autism, ADHD, sensory, physical and learning disabilities).
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.

About the Trust

AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person‑centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
AWP is committed to support and create a positive research and evidence‑based environment and culture, which can have a beneficial impact on everyone who works for the organisation and the care we provide to those who use our services.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.