Community Mental Health Transition Practitioner

NHS; St Helens; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job description

Community Mental Health Transition Practitioner

Req#: C9350-25-0572?language=en&page=116&sort=publicationDateDesc

Job summary

Mental Health Recovery Team/CMHT are looking to recruit a band 6 Mental Health Transition Practitioner to support transition for young adults 18-25, into the CMHT/Recovery Team and connect the young adult to their chosen pathway and interventions.

The successful applicant will engage the young adult, carer and referrer prior to referral, where possible, and support the young adult to make informed decisions around their treatment plan and transition. The Transition Practitioner will strive to achieve the transition standards identified by NICE and will ensure the Mersey Care principles of transition are promoted.

The Transition Practitioner will become an integral member of the Community Mental Health Team/Recovery Team MDT, whilst working closely with Children and Young People services and developing a good working relationship with services across the wider system, who are also supporting 18-25 transition throughout primary care and VCFSE's.

Main duties of the job

The Transition Practitioner will work within the CMHT/Recovery but will display initiative and flexibility to support all potential referrals of young adults, 18-25 years of age. They will support young adults for a limited time period, until the young adult has successfully achieved their transition goals and begun treatment within the team. They will act as their keyworker for this period of time, helping the young adult to navigate a complex mental health system and will support in being a point of contact for the young adult and carer.

The Transition Practitioner will regular analyse the performance against the transition standards to understand where quality improvements can be made and to help shape the role across Community Mental Health Services.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Date posted

23 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-MHC7154154

Job locations

Harry Blackman House

Marshalls Cross Road

St Helens

WA9 3DE




Job description

Job responsibilities

The Community Mental Health Transition Practitioner will support transition for Children and Young People, aged 18-25, from Mersey Care Children and Young Persons Services (CYPS) and Alder Hey to Adult Community Mental Health Services. The post holder will also ensure the principles of transition are applied when transferring between other Adult Mental Health (AMH) service lines i.e. Inpatient/Urgent Care to Community Mental Health services.

The Community Mental Health Transition Practitioner will become an integral member of the Community Mental Health MDT, whilst also working closely with CYP Services and local communities to understand and provide a seamless and consistent offer within the wider system.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:To oversee the implementation of National Institute for Health and Social Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Statements for transition for children and young people, aged 18-25, between CYP to AMHS and AMHS to AMHS services.Young people who will move from children to adults services start planning their transition with health and social care practitioners by school year 9 (aged 13 to 14, or immediately if they enter childrens services after school year 9.Young people who will move from children to adults services have a coordinated transition plan.Young people who will move from children to adults services have an annual meeting to review transition planning.Young people who are moving from children to adults services have a named worker to coordinate care and support before, during and after transfer.Young people who are moving from children to adults services meet a practitioner from each adults service they will move to before the transfer.Young people who have moved from children to adults services but do not attend their initial meetings or appointments are contacted by adults services and given further opportunities to engage.To oversee and implement the principles of transition as identified below:Transition support should be person centred and ensure they are an equal partner in the planning of their care choosing pathways which meet their needs.Transition support should be strength based and focuses on what is positive and possible for the young adult and their carer/family.Assessment and planning should focus on goals with the young adult, which may include education and employment, community inclusion, health and well-being and housing needs.Carers and families need to be at the centre of transition planning, but it is important to ask the young adult how they would like their carer/family to be involved in the transition.Transition should be based on need not age.Ensure transition support is developmentally appropriate and considers the persons maturity, cognitive abilities, psychological status, long term conditions, social and personal circumstances, caring responsibilities and communication needs.Where the young person is autistic and/or has a learning disability along with a co-morbid mental health need, the transition processes and associated assessments and interventions should be reasonably adjusted to meet the young persons needs.Young adults absolutely should not be forgotten or forced to begin the assessment/transition process again. Young adults may need to be able to dip in and out of services there needs to be flexibility and understanding in the system for did not attend (DNA).Health and social care services should work together in an integrated way to ensure smooth transition, avoiding the proliferation of separate plans for specific sectors.Consideration of special education needs and education health care plans.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Community Mental Health Transition Practitioner will support transition for Children and Young People, aged 18-25, from Mersey Care Children and Young Persons Services (CYPS) and Alder Hey to Adult Community Mental Health Services. The post holder will also ensure the principles of transition are applied when transferring between other Adult Mental Health (AMH) service lines i.e. Inpatient/Urgent Care to Community Mental Health services.

The Community Mental Health Transition Practitioner will become an integral member of the Community Mental Health MDT, whilst also working closely with CYP Services and local communities to understand and provide a seamless and consistent offer within the wider system.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:To oversee the implementation of National Institute for Health and Social Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Statements for transition for children and young people, aged 18-25, between CYP to AMHS and AMHS to AMHS services.Young people who will move from children to adults services start planning their transition with health and social care practitioners by school year 9 (aged 13 to 14, or immediately if they enter childrens services after school year 9.Young people who will move from children to adults services have a coordinated transition plan.Young people who will move from children to adults services have an annual meeting to review transition planning.Young people who are moving from children to adults services have a named worker to coordinate care and support before, during and after transfer.Young people who are moving from children to adults services meet a practitioner from each adults service they will move to before the transfer.Young people who have moved from children to adults services but do not attend their initial meetings or appointments are contacted by adults services and given further opportunities to engage.To oversee and implement the principles of transition as identified below:Transition support should be person centred and ensure they are an equal partner in the planning of their care choosing pathways which meet their needs.Transition support should be strength based and focuses on what is positive and possible for the young adult and their carer/family.Assessment and planning should focus on goals with the young adult, which may include education and employment, community inclusion, health and well-being and housing needs.Carers and families need to be at the centre of transition planning, but it is important to ask the young adult how they would like their carer/family to be involved in the transition.Transition should be based on need not age.Ensure transition support is developmentally appropriate and considers the persons maturity, cognitive abilities, psychological status, long term conditions, social and personal circumstances, caring responsibilities and communication needs.Where the young person is autistic and/or has a learning disability along with a co-morbid mental health need, the transition processes and associated assessments and interventions should be reasonably adjusted to meet the young persons needs.Young adults absolutely should not be forgotten or forced to begin the assessment/transition process again. Young adults may need to be able to dip in and out of services there needs to be flexibility and understanding in the system for did not attend (DNA).Health and social care services should work together in an integrated way to ensure smooth transition, avoiding the proliferation of separate plans for specific sectors.Consideration of special education needs and education health care plans.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree level training or equivalent
• Professional registration i.e. NMC, Social Work England, Occupational Health and Care Professions Council
• The practitioner has acquired at least one years additional post-registration knowledge and experience, allowing them to be autonomous in their practice
• The practitioner had developed knowledge and skills to enable them to teach and educate other professionals

Desirable

• Evidence of CPD and working towards master level qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Experience of providing care for people with mental health difficulties within a secondary care environment and working as a care co-ordinator/key worker
• Experience of working autonomously and recognising professional limitations
• Experience of developing and implementing collaborative care plans
• Experience of developing risk formulations and managing risk accordingly
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team and contributing to an MDT approach to care delivery
• Experience of supporting families and carers
• Experience of supporting and mentoring students and other junior members of staff
• Experience of utilising a problem-solving approach and implementing quality improvement ideas
• Evidence of keeping up to date with relevant literature and evidence based practice
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
• Knowledge and experience in safeguarding children and/or adults

Desirable

• Experience of working with external partners with the wider system
• Experience of working across CYPS and AMHS
• Experience of working as a transition practitioner

Skills

Essential

• Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation
• Ability to work independently and also as part of a team
• Ability to engage service users and carers and work collaboratively to develop and implement a transition plan
• Ability to utilise appropriate measuring tools and generate/review associated reports
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to identify and implement risk management strategies
• Ability to provide education/training to relevant stakeholders

Values

Essential

• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Respectfulness
• Enthusiasm
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Strong customer service belief
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree level training or equivalent
• Professional registration i.e. NMC, Social Work England, Occupational Health and Care Professions Council
• The practitioner has acquired at least one years additional post-registration knowledge and experience, allowing them to be autonomous in their practice
• The practitioner had developed knowledge and skills to enable them to teach and educate other professionals

Desirable

• Evidence of CPD and working towards master level qualification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Experience of providing care for people with mental health difficulties within a secondary care environment and working as a care co-ordinator/key worker
• Experience of working autonomously and recognising professional limitations
• Experience of developing and implementing collaborative care plans
• Experience of developing risk formulations and managing risk accordingly
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team and contributing to an MDT approach to care delivery
• Experience of supporting families and carers
• Experience of supporting and mentoring students and other junior members of staff
• Experience of utilising a problem-solving approach and implementing quality improvement ideas
• Evidence of keeping up to date with relevant literature and evidence based practice
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
• Knowledge and experience in safeguarding children and/or adults

Desirable

• Experience of working with external partners with the wider system
• Experience of working across CYPS and AMHS
• Experience of working as a transition practitioner

Skills

Essential

• Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation
• Ability to work independently and also as part of a team
• Ability to engage service users and carers and work collaboratively to develop and implement a transition plan
• Ability to utilise appropriate measuring tools and generate/review associated reports
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to identify and implement risk management strategies
• Ability to provide education/training to relevant stakeholders

Values

Essential

• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability
• Respectfulness
• Enthusiasm
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Strong customer service belief
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Harry Blackman House

Marshalls Cross Road

St Helens

WA9 3DE




Employer's website

https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Harry Blackman House

Marshalls Cross Road

St Helens

WA9 3DE




Employer's website

https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.