Crisis Response Operative

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust is recruiting for a Crisis Response Operative to join the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team at Harplands Hospital. The role involves telephone triage, signposting to services, and supporting risk management plans to ensure safe, person-centred care.

The post requires a Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care, strong communication skills, and the ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team in a fast-paced crisis setting.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent.
• Experience in health and social care, preferably mental health.
• Ability to communicate clearly by phone and in writing.

Responsibilities

• Undertake an initial triage assessment for individuals accessing the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.
• Assist in developing and delivering safety plans in collaboration with the team.
• Identify appropriate interventions to support individuals in crisis.
• Engage with service users to enable effective decision-making for safety.
• Complete referrals to appropriate services.
• Operate within a 24-hour rota to provide a comprehensive crisis service.

Skills

Telephone skills

Communication skills

Team working

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Lorenzo (Patient Clinical Systems)

Job description

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

Crisis Response Operative

The closing date is 17 November 2026

We are looking for an experienced, passionate and motivated professional to join our Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) at the Harplands Hospital. If you are compassionate, empathetic, want to make a difference and can provide a safe, encouraging and sensitive approach we want to hear from you.

At CRHTT we want to ensure we deliver a service which is responsive to the needs of our service users. We strive to provide the highest quality care at someone's first contact with the service and to continuously improve access to services for those experiencing mental health crisis, and this post is pivotal in achieving this. The post involves working with people of all ages (Children and Young People, Adults or Older People) experiencing a mental health crisis and carrying out a telephone triage to determine a person's presentation and their needs and risks.

We offer and encourage the opportunity for informal discussions prior to applying for the post and welcome applicants to come and visit the Crisis Care Centre to see the amazing team you could be part of.

*** Please note sponsorship is not available for this post ***

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be part of a multi-disciplinary team within the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team, primarily receiving calls, processing enquiries, and facilitating the triage of people referred into the Single Point of Access / Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team.

For those individuals in crisis, they will undertake an initial triage assessment and work with individuals tosupport risk management and safety plans (this includes receiving and triaging NHS 111 referrals).

They will support Mental Health Practitioners in the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team inassessments, care planning and evaluation of individualised care plans to ensure a high-quality service isprovided.

The role will also include signposting and referring to appropriate services, assisting individuals with mentalhealth needs to navigate and access specialist health, social care and community services that will supportthem in their individual recovery journey. There is an expectation that the post holder will build strong linkswith voluntary and third sector and other partner agencies to collaboratively support the needs ofindividuals.

About us

As a Trust we remain bold and ambitious with plans for both service and system collaborative transformation over the coming years to improve the health and wellbeing of our local people through high quality care.

We pride ourselves onensuring our team has their wellbeing put first and as such provide a range of wellness opportunities including flexible working.

We are committed to the Greener NHS national ambition to becoming the world's first 'carbon net zero' national health system by 2045 (Greener NHS (england.nhs.uk). As part of this, sustainability is embedded in our strategy as one of our four key enablers. In order to deliver on this commitment, we recognise that we need a workforce that is as passionate as we are about achieving these goals, for the benefit of our service users, workforce, local communities and the planet alike.

The Trust is committed to ensuring that a diverse workforce is representative and inclusive at all levels. We would very much welcome applications from all under-represented groups including women, people with disabilities, people from global majority backgrounds, and those from the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities.

The Trust is committed to the Step into Health scheme and actively encourages applicants from the Armed Forces Communities to apply.

Job responsibilities

1. To undertake an initial triage assessment for individuals who access the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team.
2. To assist in the formulation and delivery of safety plans working in a collaborative way.
3. To identify appropriate interventions to ensure individuals are appropriately supported.
4. To engage with people who are in a crisis situation and enable effective decision-making to ensure safety.
5. To complete referrals to appropriate services.
6. Respond when required in a timely manner to be part of a place-based response to meet the needs of theindividual in crisis.
7. To undertake any duties deemed relevant by the Operational Team Manager, Clinical Coordinator or DutyLead.
8. Responsible for undertaking elements of a holistic assessment over the telephone, under thedirection of Mental Health Practitioners. Responsible for regularly working with service-users overthe telephone to negotiate and review existing plans to address identified needs under thesupervision of Registered Professionals.
9. To seek advice from Mental Health Practitioners as necessary and elevate the call to a Practitioner asnecessary according to risks.
10. Regularly reports and effectively communicates Service Users health status and care aims in carerecords and verbal reports to Mental Health Practitioners and other members of the multi-disciplinaryteam.
11. Signpost to appropriate agencies that can meet the needs of the individual including benefits and welfarerights.
12. To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings, providing feedback following contact with the Crisis Line.
13. Communicates with Service Users and carers, all members of the multi-disciplinary team and staff inexternal agencies using a variety of methods including Information Technology.
14. Relates appropriately with Service Users, carers, colleagues and others at all times maintainingprofessional boundaries.
15. To maintain and develop a resource database.
16. To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of the duties of the service.
17. To work within a 24-hour rota system ensuring a comprehensive service to callers to the Crisis Resolutionand Home Treatment Team.
18. To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service, as required.
19. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
20. To utilise IT databases, telephony system in accordance with the operational policy.
21. To assist in the design and implementation of audits to support the development of the service, along withdata collection and analysis.
22. At all times ensures that own actions, support the equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities ofindividuals.
23. Identifies, minimizes and reports risks of danger, harm and abuse to senior colleagues.
24. At all times minimizes risks to self and others by undertaking safe working practices.
25. At all times works within agreed and established Trust policy and operational procedures.
26. Works with other Trust services to promote seamless service-user person centred care fromreferral/admission, to transfer and discharge on identified care pathways.
27. Works in partnership with Service Users to assist them in identifying activities that are meaningful tothem and that support agreed health outcomes.
28. Regularly supports Service Users to access a range of activities and services to maintain theirindependence and promote their health and wellbeing.
29. Regularly provides advice and guidance to Service Users promoting healthy activities and lifestylechoices.
30. Regularly provides information, support and guidance to Carers, Friends and Relatives of serviceusers, maintaining appropriate confidentiality.
31. Reports concerns about junior staff members work performance to Clinical Leadership Team orOperational Team Manager.
32. At all times takes responsibility for own personal and professional development and supports thedevelopment of colleagues, students, trainees and volunteers.
33. Regularly accesses and makes use of supervision and provides supervision to other staff members (Band 3 Health Care Support Workers) within the team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or equivalent and willing to undertake additional qualifications in Health and Social Care. ? A clear understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities and antidiscriminatory practice

Experience

• Previous customer care experience. ? Able to work within a Team environment and contribute effectively to Team / Service development. ? Experience of working within a health and social care environment with a focus on mental health. ? Experience of partnership working with service users carers and other agencies.

Knowledge

• Good written and verbal communications skills. ? Excellent telephone skills. ? Knowledge of using Microsoft Word and Outlook. ? Use of Patient Clinical Systems i.e. Lorenzo. ? Ability to maintain information in a confidential and secure manner. ? Ability to work within deadlines and under pressure Excellent typing skills and ability to type with precision and speed. ? Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and implementation of antidiscriminatory practice. ? Demonstrate an understanding of care plans including risk management planning and safety plans. ? The ability to communicate complex and sensitive information where barriers to understanding may exist for example requiring empathy and reassurance. ? The ability to make judgments involving a range of facts or situations requiring analysis and comparison of a range of options, including skills for assessing individuals on the phone

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.

Employer name

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust