Registered Nursing Associate

North West Borough Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; West Kirby; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Nursing Associate to join the IMHT team at HMP Altcourse. You will work under supervision of a Registered Mental Health Nurse, supporting mental health screening, promotion, and physical health checks while delivering person-centred care within a complex prison environment.

The role requires experience in care settings, ability to engage clients with complex needs, and commitment to high standards of professional practice and learning within a

Qualifications

• Maintain knowledge of the Nursing Associate scope of practice across care settings.
• Maintain ongoing CPD per NMC requirements and revalidation.
• Demonstrate competence in the Nursing Associate role within multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Assist in primary mental health screening for new receptions.
• Contribute to mental health promotion and suicide prevention work.
• Support group activities and health checks as part of care delivery.
• Provide person-centred care and maintain safety, dignity and privacy.

Skills

Communication skills

Clinical skills

Teamwork

Observation

Education

Nursing Associate Training Programme

NMC registration or eligibility

Job description

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnically diverse, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under‑represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex‑armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.

Using AI to support your application

AI can be a useful tool to support the preparation of your application. However, all information submitted must be accurate, truthful and reflect your own skills, experience and achievements. Applications should include personal examples demonstrating how you meet the person specification. Applications that appear mostly or fully generated by AI, without clear personal examples linked to the person specification, may be rejected. For tips and guidance, please refer to our applicant guidance.

Identity verification

Candidates attending interview will be required to provide original photographic identification where available. Where suitable photographic identification is not available, a photograph will be taken at interview for identity verification purposes. Successful candidates will also be required to complete digital identity and right to work checks via TrustID, including facial recognition and image matching technology, to verify their identity throughout the recruitment and onboarding process. Identity verification will also be undertaken on the first day of employment in line with NHS employment check requirements.

Job overview

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is the health provider for the delivery of the Integrated Mental Health Team (IMHT) at HMP Altcourse. The service is designed to support the holistic mental health and learning disability needs of our client group, in partnership with physical healthcare providers and HMPPS colleagues.

HMP Altcourse are both Category B, male only, local prisons, in the Liverpool area.

The service provides individual and group‑based interventions based on the clinical needs of the population. Interventions are individualised, and trauma informed, alongside comprehensive risk assessment and management.

Core aims of the service are to improve mental and psychological wellbeing via a range of interventions, build the development of independent core skills, reduce risk, and advocate for mental health and learning disabilities within the wider prison.

The post holder will be joining a dedicated team of clinical staff from a range of backgrounds and experience. Team members have high levels of skill, passion and enthusiasm (and humour!) and are committed to ensuring the on‑going successful development of the service and the opportunities it provides for our population.

Main duties of the job

We are now recruiting x1 Registered Nursing Associates. The successful candidates will work under the supervision of a Registered Mental Health Nurse and will work alongside and be supported by the wider IMHT.

The post holder will have a key role in completing Primary Mental Health Screens for all new receptions in to the prison in order to identify mental health needs in a timely way. Other key roles and responsibilities will include mental health promotion, suicide prevention work, providing psychoeducation and information on coping strategies, supporting group activity and conducting some physical health checks.

and suicide prevention promotion and awareness on the induction wing, supporting the completion of physical health checks for our mental health population and supporting group work and activity.

The post holder should have some experience of working with individuals with complex clinical and risk presentations including within institutional settings and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. This should include work with clients whose needs may mean that they find it difficult to engage with services.

We are committed to creating an empowered staff team. We strive to be reflective and support of each other which is vital given the challenges this work can entail.

Working for our organisation

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

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

General Duties

Knowledge, training and experience

Maintain knowledge of the scope of practice of the Nursing Associate role within different care settings

Maintain own continuing professional development in accordance with NMC CPD requirements and revalidation, contributing to the formulation of own objectives and personal development plan.

Maintain practical and theoretical knowledge, competence and skills gained during the Nursing Associate Training Programme and maintain all evidence required

Contribute towards developing a culture of learning and innovation, developing high quality learning environments Clinical Responsibilities - Individuals Care

The following list is indicative as tasks and responsibilities will vary depending on the care setting the qualified Nursing Associate is working in.

• Develop understanding of all elements of the nursing process and be able to assist the registered nurse in the on‑going assessment, planning, management and evaluation of care
• Support individuals with all aspects of care including daily living, providing person-centred care and promoting health and independence through awareness raising and care navigation to other professionals as appropriate.
• Demonstrate the principles of safe administration of medicines in line with the trust
• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Nurse Associate Administration of Medicines and in line with trust policies.
• Perform and record clinical observations including pressure, temperature, respirations, pulse
• Undertake clinical tasks including venepuncture, ECGs, cannulation ( following appropriate training and sign off of competency)
• Accurately record nutritional and fluid intake and output as clinically indicated
• Ensure the privacy, dignity and safety of individuals is maintained at all times
• Demonstrate the ability to recognise changing priorities seeking advice and guidance from the Registered Nurse or other registered care professionals as appropriate
• Report back and share information with the registered nurses on the condition, behaviour, activity and responses of individuals.
• Recognise issues relating to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults and report any problems or raise concerns to the appropriate registered care professionals
• Assist in the assessment of and contribute to the management of risk across several areas within the environment where care is being administered
• Assist in the implementation of appropriate action to meet the specific physical, emotional and psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs of individuals and carers
• Assist in the delivery of complex care as prescribed by the registered nurse
• Maintain an understanding of caring for individuals with particular conditions for example dementia, mental illness, learning disabilities
• Develop skills in relation to coaching/teaching individuals/carers/other staff.
• Assist with the implementation and monitoring of clinical standards and outcomes
• Develop a working knowledge of other providers' resources and referral systems to ensure individual's needs are met, within parameters of practice
• Engage in reflective practice including management of self and reflection on own reactions, asking questions and reflecting on answers given
• Demonstrate good understanding of principles of consent and ensure valid consent is obtained prior to undertaking nursing and care procedures
• Demonstrate good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act / Deprivation of Liberties and applies principles to everyday practice seeking advice / guidance from the Registered Nurse or registered care professional as required

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate effectively with members of the public and health and care providers
• Knowledge of when to seek advice and refer to a registered care professional
• Understanding of