Care Coordinator/Keyworker/At Risk Mental State Practitioner

Maudsley Learning; London; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team committed to making a difference in the lives of young people at risk of psychosis. This role offers the opportunity to assess and support individuals using evidence-based practices in a collaborative environment. With a focus on recovery and community engagement, you will play a vital role in delivering high-quality mental health care. The organization values diversity and is committed to providing an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. If you are passionate about mental health and eager to contribute to meaningful change, this position is perfect for you. Embrace the chance to develop your skills and make a lasting impact in the community.

Qualifications

• Registered practitioner with experience in early intervention in psychosis.
• Strong knowledge of mental health disorders and intervention strategies.

Responsibilities

• Assess young people at risk of psychosis and provide ongoing support.
• Work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team to deliver care.

Skills

Assessment and management of risk factors

Knowledge of early detection and at-risk mental state (ARMS)

Psycho-social interventions

Communication skills

Experience in community mental health services

Education

Registered practitioner: RMN/SW/OT

Post-qualifying training in early intervention in psychosis modality

Job description

NHS AfC: Band 6

Main area: Mental Health Practitioner Grade NHS AfC: Band 6

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Job ref: 334-CLI-6849273

Site: 190 Kennington Lane, London

Salary: £44,806 - £53,134 per annum inclusive of HCAs

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 24/01/2025 23:59

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to providing high-quality specialist care to our service users and are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021, together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes, and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will have the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported by learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen, and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job Overview

You will be a passionate, enthusiastic, and recovery-focused practitioner who genuinely wishes to make a difference to the lives of young people within the diverse boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. You will assess young people identified as being at increased risk of developing psychosis using the Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental State (CAARMS; training will be provided). You will work closely as part of the MDT to review the assessments and determine if they are accepted onto our caseload. You will be responsible for care, risk assessment/management, and service provision to a caseload of young people. You will engage sensitively and maintain a positive therapeutic relationship with young people and their families/carers, working towards their goals and recovery. You will participate in the duty rota and team meetings (including clinical, business, CPD, and reflective spaces). You will actively contribute to OASIS’s service promotion and community engagement programme where we work with NHS, voluntary and community services to promote positive mental health, challenge stigma, and raise awareness of our service. You will be supported by the MDT, have regular supervision, and be encouraged to develop your practice.

Main Duties of the Job

1. To provide direct case coordination for an identified caseload of clients and deliver appropriate interventions in relation to the needs of the client.
2. To offer specialist assessments in line with ARMSp and deliver presentations in line with our early detection programme across primary and secondary care, charities, youth organisations, and other community groups.

Working for Our Organisation

The Outreach and Support in South London Service (OASIS) is a clinical team providing a specialist service for young adults in south London who are at risk of developing a first episode of psychosis. The team is multidisciplinary and includes psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, OTs, and nurses. The clinical work of the service is closely integrated with a well-developed research programme, comprising work on service development, health promotion, psychopathology, treatment effectiveness, and structural and functional neuroimaging; there are strong working links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) to ensure the effective integration of research and clinical work.

The team works across the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, and Croydon. Our remit is to identify, assess, and treat people aged 14-35 with an at-risk mental state for psychosis (ARMSp). We have an open referral system whereby anyone can contact us to make a referral or ask for advice.

We aim to provide a comprehensive assessment for anyone who meets the criteria for ARMSp within 14 days and to offer holistic treatment and support to clients and carers for up to 2 years, involving CBT, psychosocial support, and regular psychiatric review. We liaise closely with primary and secondary care services to ensure people get appropriate follow-up and offer early detection through an ongoing programme of education to statutory services and community groups.

Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities

1. Assessment: To assess young people using the Comprehensive Assessment of At Risk Mental State (CAARMS) tool and identify with the support of the MDT those who may be at risk of psychosis or other emerging mental health problems.
2. Key-working: To work with clients identified as being at risk of developing psychosis, providing ongoing support and outcome monitoring. To undertake risk assessments regularly, in liaison with all other health professionals and agencies involved.
3. Engagement: To meet service users regularly, responding flexibly when agreeing on the venue, such as home visits, team base, education, work, or recreational establishments to assist with engagement and encourage participation in treatment delivery as well as facilitating independence.
4. Interventions: To provide psycho-social interventions relevant to an ARMS client group. To provide information to help service users make informed choices about opportunities and services available to them and to assist them in obtaining the required services, support, and entitlement. To ensure all interventions are age-appropriate and that care is sensitive to the needs of black and minority ethnic service users. To provide psycho-education to service users. To co-facilitate therapeutic groups with a focus on service user reintegration and social inclusion.
5. Families and Carers: To involve families and carers in treatment plans where appropriate. To ensure services are provided within the guidance of the Children & Families' Act and Care Act. To ensure that the needs of carers are assessed and care services are offered as necessary. To provide families and carers with psycho-education.
6. MDT Working: To work in collaboration with members of the multi-disciplinary team and all other relevant health and social care professionals to assess, develop, implement, and evaluate high-quality packages of client-centred care. To facilitate the progress of service users who require transfer across teams or discharge back to primary care. To maintain and develop liaison with GPs and primary care. To participate in all clinical meetings. To keep the team manager informed of any situation concerning service user or staff health and safety as necessary.
7. Communication: To maintain accurate clinical documentation of designated caseload ensuring case notes are contemporaneous and up to date as per guidance and in line with electronic Patient Journey System (ePJS). To write reports in a timely manner. Ensure effective verbal and written communication with all people involved in the delivery of care. The post holder will liaise with other disciplines and organisations to ensure that all issues affecting service user care are managed and communicated to a high standard.
8. Early Detection Programme: Have excellent presentation skills to engage our local community in raising awareness about mental health and in promoting the service to a variety of audiences.
9. Personal Development: To remain up to date with current/emerging good practice relating to community mental health services in general, and early intervention/ARMS services in particular. To abide by the policies of SLaM NHS Foundation Trust and the relevant local authorities. To keep abreast of all developments pertaining to the provision of community mental health care. To contribute to effective MDT working. To meet regularly with team manager/supervisor for supervision. To remain up to date with all mandatory training requirements.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered practitioner: RMN/SW/OT
• Post-qualifying training in early intervention in psychosis modality

Experience

• Experience of working in early intervention in psychosis/psychosis services/mood and personality disorders/CAMHS
• Experience of working in the community and case management
• Experience of partnership working with the voluntary sector and other parts of statutory services
• Experience of working within a multi-cultural environment
• Experience of assessment and management of risk factors presenting in the individual service user, their community, and surroundings
• Experience of working with clients with an at-risk mental state
• Experience of working with younger adults/CAMHS services

Knowledge / Skills

• Knowledge of early detection and at-risk mental state (ARMS)
• Knowledge of mental health disorders and relevant evidence-based intervention strategies/models
• Understanding of the evidence base that supports early intervention approaches
• Understanding of public health and preventative strategies
• Knowledge of national guidelines for early intervention and prodromal services
• Knowledge/experience of delivering low-intensity CBT informed interventions for depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and/or coping with unusual experiences such as voices and delusions

The Trust is committed to providing services that embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer; we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect, and dignity, and in promoting equality and human rights.

Application Notes

• All applications for this post will need to be made online.
• Read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria.
• The closing date listed is a guide only and the vacancy may close earlier should a sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible.
• Once you have submitted your application, you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs.
• If you do not hear from us within three weeks from the closing date, your application has not been successful.
• Priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees.
• If you are successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process.
• We are a smoke-free Trust.

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

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.