Rapid Response Practitioner

Sussex Partnership Nhs Foundation Trust; Abbots Worthy; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust operates Rapid Response to support emergency services during mental health crises. Roles involve telephone, virtual, or on-scene assessments, delivering person-centred care, and developing onward care plans with a supportive community team.

Practitioners work across Sussex in a 24/7 service, collaborating with Blue Light Line and police to reduce conveyance to A&E and reliance on S136 where appropriate.

Qualifications

• Experienced mental health professionals for crisis support.
• Ability to conduct phone, virtual, or on-scene assessments.
• Skilled in handovers and coordinating onward care plans.

Responsibilities

• Receive information from emergency colleagues and provide clinical advice.
• Offer hear and treat interventions by telephone or attend scene for assessment.
• Complete written records of referrals, interventions and outcomes.
• Advise police on alternative pathways to avoid unnecessary conveyance.
• Lead in clinical areas and provide handovers; liaise with agencies.

Skills

Mental health

Crisis assessment

Communication

Job description

The Rapid Response service was established in November 2024, building on the success of the Blue Light team. We effectively support emergency services responding to individuals experiencing mental health crisis. Interventions are largely delivered in individuals' homes, avoiding unnecessary conveyance to A&E and reducing the use of Section 136 during operational hours.

We provide emergency responders with advice and the option to request on-scene attendance, resulting in more appropriate care and reducing the time emergency services spend managing mental health incidents in the community. We are looking for experienced mental health professionals to work across Sussex. You will be a responsive practitioner who carries out person centred interventions, assessments and develop an onward care plan that can address a mental health crisis. This could be on the telephone, virtually or 'at scene'. Practitioners will be accompanied by a community support worker who can provide basic first aid and assistance by providing support to carers and administrative tasks.

The service operates over 24 hrs, and Rapid Response practitioners currently work a mix of long days 10am-10pm and midday to midnight, 7 days a week.

They work in partnership with Blue Light Line who provide a single point of access to emergency responders giving information and clinical advice ensuring patients achieve the best outcomes and reduce the need for conveyance to A&E and alternatives to the use of S136

Main duties of the job

• To receive information from emergency service colleagues, and give advice and support based on the clinical presentation of a person in crisis, including a self- defined crisis.
• To receive information from emergency service colleagues and based on the clinical presentation of the person offer either a 'hear and treat intervention' by speaking directly to a person in crisis on the telephone, and when appropriate their carers and loved ones. Or if required attend the scene to carry out a face-to-face person-centred holistic assessment and formulate a care plan that addresses the presenting mental health need, and make any referrals required.
• Complete written records that outline the presenting need for each referral, intervention offered and the outcomes.
• When required, using clinical skills and knowledge, advise police colleagues on alternative means of support available to avoid the use of S136, offer least restrictive practice and gain the best outcomes for those in mental health crisis.
• Advise paramedics on alternative pathways to mental health assessment without the need for conveyance to A&E when there is no medical need.
• To have experience of and specialist knowledge on interventions to be able to lead in clinical area.
• To demonstrate excellent communication skills and provide handovers of activity.
• To work in partnership with other agencies to gain the best person -centred outcomes for the individual.

We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

Working in Sussex:

• Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns
• Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London
• With easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow and excellent railway links across the UK there is plenty of opportunity for adventure

We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, in our recent staff survey 82% told us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.