Primary Care Mental Health Triage Practitioner

Dorset HealthCare; Christchurch; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Part time

Job summary

Dournemouth East Collaborative Primary Care Network (PCN) is recruiting a first contact Mental Health Triage Practitioner to triage patients who contact their Practice with mental health as a primary concern. This is a telephone-based role focusing on focused assessments and facilitating access to the right service.

You will work with the PCN Mental Health team, MH lead GPs, and reception staff to reduce response times, minimise inappropriate referrals, and help patients engage with community

Qualifications

• First contact mental health triage experience desirable.
• Telephone-based assessment skills preferred.
• Good collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Act as a 'first contact mental health triage worker' using a person-centred approach to undertake focused assessments via telephone.
• Signpost to community and specialist mental health services.
• Collaborate with PCN staff, MH Practitioners and GPs to coordinate patient care.
• Navigate patients to appropriate interventions and services across the community system.
• Support patients to engage with recovery and social inclusion initiatives.

Job description

You will be working within Bournemouth East Collaborative Primary Care Network (PCN) as a first contact Mental Health Triage Practitioner, to triage Patients who contact their Practice with Mental Health as a primary concern.

The purpose is to offer a focused telephone triage assessment to determine the next steps for the patient and provide facilitated access to the relevant service and, where relevant, connect the patient to valued community resources.

You will work as an integral part of the PCN Mental Health team alongside the Mental Health Practitioners and MH lead GPs and develop close working relationships with Reception teams, GP's and other staff within the PCN, and be a valued member of the primary care team.

The aim of the role is to reduce response times for the patient, to reduce inappropriate referrals and to reduce pressures on GPs. You will accurately and efficiently manage all administrative processes in a timely manner, using PCN systems.

We would consider part time working from 24 hours per week up to fulltime 37.5 hours per week.

This role is based at Southbourne Surgery . However, you may be required to travel between PCN/DHC sites.

Main duties of the job

• To act as a 'first contact mental health triage worker', using a person centred approach, undertake focused assessments, where appropriate, and utilising the PCN Mental Health pathway. This is a telephone based role.
• To support people in primary care settings, working in a collaborative and multi-agency way to meet the needs of people with a range of mental health needs.
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals, both internal to, and external from, the PCN where appropriate.
• To offer mental health signposting for people presenting to their practices with a range of mild to moderate mental health needs.
• To offer navigation to a range of specialist mental health support across the community system to ensure that, once assessed, each person receives the best possible care in the right place at the right time by the right supporting service (Access Wellbeing, Help and Care, Steps2wellbeing, Dorset Mind services, Counselling, GP, etc).
• Ensure that patients have high quality information and are signposted to interventions and appropriate clinicians/organisations to support them in their health and wellbeing and to motivate them to engage with their recovery.
• To promote the concept of social inclusion, early intervention and recovery and ensure this underpins the direction of well-being activities.

At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost800,000 people.

We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.

Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to create healthier lives, empowered citizens and thriving communities.