Clinical Team Leader

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 and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already 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 get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with 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 as 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

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Team Leader who can bring energy into the team. You will have excellent assessment and care planning skills to enable you to support both the Nurses and Doctors in carrying out their role.

As the successful candidate, you will have the ability to promote social inclusion and recovery principles in the team's work with service users and carers.

You will thrive in working with people from diverse backgrounds and be able to promote equality of access to service and outcomes.

You will be required to provide datasets, engage in closing and investigating complaints and serious untoward incidents.

You will be part of evaluating service by reviewing, auditing and providing breach reports.

To ensure the national targets for response times are met accordingly.

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for the day-to-day clinical leadership, management, operation and performance of the Mental Health Liaison Team (MHLT), ensuring the service provided is in accordance with the Lambeth Alliance philosophy and objectives, and the Mental Health Strategy of Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.
To be responsible for ensuring that the MHLT functions as an integral part of the borough services and for the establishment and maintenance of effective communication with all relevant personnel and agencies, both internally within the Trust, externally with a range of agencies and in particular with St Thomas' Hospital.

Working for our organisation

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

SLaM employs around 5000 staff and serves a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To be responsible for the effective provision of a high quality administration service to the team.

To ensure that information technology, financial control and Health & Safety are maintained.
To be responsible for the effective staffing of the service through compilation of the eRoster ensuring that staff with the appropriate skill and experience are on duty at all times.
To ensure that arrangements are in place within the team for effective clinical assessment of all referrals, risk management and evaluation, making use of the professional skill mix within the team.
To work collaboratively with the Clinical Service Lead, the Head of Clinical Pathway and CMHT and HTT managers to ensure that the service meets the requirements of the MHA 2007 and CPA.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Mentorship (ENB 998) or equivalent
• Degree in Nursing or relevant field or working towards a degree

Desirable criteria

• Registered Nurse (adult)
• Training in the prevention and management of violence and aggression
• Formal training in risk assessment and management
• A recognised management qualification (e.g. MSc) or evidence of other advanced relevant education

Skills

Essential criteria

• Significant post-qualifying work in mental health services with a sound knowledge of the full range of mental health services, both inpatient and community based.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision and appraisal and management of others
• Sufficient experience of working at band 6 level or above
• Significant post experience of working within Crisis and Liaison Mental health Services

Desirable criteria

• Ability to negotiate and reach compromises in verbal discussions in a manner that inspires confidence and respect from others
• Evidence of audit and research link to age group

Experience

Essential criteria

• De-escalation skills with evidence of training
• Experience of working in liaison services
• Experience of working with other client groups and of using a variety of models and approaches to care
• Experience of conducting psycho-social assessments of patients with multimorbidity, substances and physical health

Desirable criteria

• Experience of conducting audits
• Experience of change management
• Experience of managing conflict

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Sound understanding of how to assess and meet the needs of adults presenting in crisis to emergency departments and medical wards
• Legislation associated with acute mental health care, including MHA, MCA, CPA procedures, Human Rights Act etc.
• Knowledge of risk assessment in mental health work, including documentation of risk
• Ability to make decisions on whether to discharge, refer on or admit service users following a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of risk
• High level understanding of mental health disorders & treatment models relevant to age group

Desirable criteria

• Specialist knowledge and their application into practice for age group
• Skills in applying evidence-based practice

Abilities

Essential criteria

• Ability to negotiate and reach compromises in verbal discussions in a manner that inspires confidence and respect from others
• Ability to build and maintain high standards of professional links and communication channels with a variety of personnel and agencies
• Basic computer skills
• Ability to work effectively in crisis situations and psychiatric emergencies in order to maintain the safety of both staff and service users
• Ability to manage and prioritise own time and clinical demands

Desirable criteria

• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to enthuse others, lead and motivate a team

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that 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. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you 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
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that 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
• That 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
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not been successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be 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
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.