Mental Health Advisor

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust; Oak Tree; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Mental Health Advisor to support the national NHS 111 service. You will be the first point of contact for callers in mental health crisis, providing reassurance and basic information while directing to appropriate services.

Training will be provided for crisis management and system use. You will work within a supportive team, covering a 7-day service, and engage with local crisis teams to ensure timely access to care for patients and

Qualifications

• NVQ 3 in Care or related qualification; commitment to progress toward qualification if not yet achieved.
• Previous patient care experience is required or preferred.
• Experience with shift patterns including evenings and weekends is desirable.
• Initial complaint handling experience would be an advantage.
• Ability to prioritise and manage own workload; strong literacy and numerical skills.
• Excellent IT skills and strong interpersonal communication.

Responsibilities

• Be the first point of contact for people in mental health crisis via NHS 111 (press 2).
• Provide reassurance, basic health information and guidance to callers.
• Refer callers to appropriate mental health services or escalate to crisis teams as needed.
• Collaborate with partner agencies to support patients and ensure safe, timely access to care.

Skills

NVQ 3 in Care

Customer Care

Business Administration

Previous patient care experience

Shift work including evenings/weekends

Complaint handling

Prioritisation & workload management

Literacy & numeracy

IT skills

Interpersonal skills

Mental health awareness

Job description

Do you have excellent listening skills, enjoy solving problems and genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of others supporting people in mental health crisis? If so, come and join our Mental Health advisor team! We are launching the national 111, option 2 for mental health and the role of Mental Health Advisor may be the perfect fit for you! Our new 111 press 2 for Mental Health service will support patients in crisis across the Durham Tees Valley area to be able to access mental health care by calling the NHS 111 number then pressing option two. Patients will then be able to talk to a mental health advisor and if needed with the Mental Health Crisis Line, Community mental health teams or mental health hubs throughout the area. As an NHS 111 press 2, Mental Health Advisor, you will be the first point of contact for people who are struggling with their mental health. You will provide reassurance and comfort. You will provide basic advice and health information to patients calling 111, supporting callers to access the appropriate level of care. This is a job where you can truly make a positive impact. It will challenge you and help you grow as a person. You will need to be resilient, to think on your feet and be quick to adapt to changing situations. You will need to be empathetic and patient, able to understand and connect with people who are going through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. You will be part of a supportive and encouraging team that is constantly learning and growing, and you will be given opportunities to develop new skills and take on new challenges. You will work collaboratively with partner agencies to support patients who need onward support and will be able to refer directly into secondary care services such as local Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams for those who need an urgent assessment. This will ensure there is an easier, smoother way for patients to get support for their mental health. You will work as part of a team of people who have a passion for helping those in crisis, where no two days are the same. Experience within mental health or customer service setting is desirable however you do not require any medical knowledge, and full training in managing calls, supporting patients during a crisis and the use of our systems will be provided. As a Mental Health Advisor for Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust you will be the first contact for patients, carers, professionals and other callers who are contacting services with an urgent mental health need, 24hrs a day, covering a 7-day service. You will use screening pathways to record patient demographics and clinical information to assess their condition and ensure that they are directed to the most appropriate healthcare professional or service to support callers to access the appropriate level of care. You will be compassionate in meeting the needs of patients and their carers and will, at all times, promote a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities. You will ensure that calls that are received are appropriately assessed to ensure that callers are directed to the most appropriate health care professional. You will deliver high quality, safe and clinically effective healthcare over the telephone following appropriate pathways, communicating effectively with callers in critical situations or about areas of concern.

• NVQ 3 in Care, Customer Care or Business Administration or commitment to work towards, Qualification or experience in Customer Services
• Previous experience of patient care
• Experience of working shifts patterns including evenings and weekends
• Initial complaint handling
• Working with demanding targets, Previous experience of patient care, Previous experience of working with people with mental/social health needs or learning disabilities, Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to prioritise and manage own workload
• Enhanced literacy skills
• Numeracy skills
• Excellent IT skills

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for. We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health. We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it. We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.