Wellness Navigator

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust; Bracknell; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health services trust in the UK is looking for a candidate to provide mental health support, primarily in the West Berkshire area. The role includes developing individual plans with mental health practitioners, offering follow-up sessions, and maintaining partnerships with community agencies. The ideal applicant should have experience in mental health services and excellent communication skills. This position allows hybrid work options and is part of a supportive and inclusive team environment.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave plus opportunities to buy/sell

Access to learning and career development opportunities

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounts at popular retailers and restaurants

Qualifications

• Experience of working in or with a diverse or multi-cultural community.
• Ability to manage own caseload and time effectively.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with Mental Health Practitioners to develop client support plans.
• Provide follow-up sessions to clients as needed.
• Support engagement in identified plans for mental health.

Skills

Experience in mental health services or studying psychology

Excellent listening and communication skills

Ability to develop therapeutic relationships

Experience with diverse communities

Education

NVQ in health or social care

Honours Degree in Psychology (Upper Second class 2:1 or higher)

Job description

The Berkshire Wellness Hub (BWH) delivers advice and support to individuals experiencing situational problems and/or mental health difficulties across Berkshire. We are primarily a web-based and telephone support service for patients with a variety of mental health related presentations, with dedicated provision for weekly virtual and face to face contacts in all Berkshire localities. This post will predominantly cover the West Berkshire area for drop-in support and we offer hybrid working to facilitate support.

The team will use the Elemental platform to manage support plans for clients, connecting them to appropriate bodies including housing support, financial support, social support and VCSE organisations in order to:

• Facilitate appropriate self-management
• Support recovery
• Facilitate timely intervention to prevent crisis escalation & potential need for secondary care mental health.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work closely with experienced BWH leads and Mental Health Practitioners in the Common Point of Entry (CPE) service to develop appropriate individual plans for signposting to other agencies, where applicable. They may also be responsible for offering some follow up sessions to clients, to support engagement in the plan/s identified in their initial session.

They will contribute towards developing and maintaining the close working relationships with other statutory and non-statutory agencies within Berkshire. With the support of the wider CPE Leadership Team these roles will embed the "helping you help yourself" ethos for all our clients and carers.

The service will operate from 8am to 7pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am-5pm on Fridays, excluding bank holidays. The post holder will be expected to cover 1-2 later shifts per week to cover service hours.

BWH staff will be given operational and line management supervision by senior members of the BWH team, with further clear escalation routes to CPE Leads. There are ample other in-site learning opportunities such as BHFT training packages, peer supervisions and comprehensive individually tailored induction programme.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

• Experience of working/training in mental health services or studying psychology/health studies
• Previous experience in health or social care work
• Experience of working/training in or with a diverse or multi-cultural community
• Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills, including telephone skills
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed. We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to contact: Kelly Jarrett on email: [e-mail] wholl be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

• NVQ in health, social care or relevant subject or relevant experience
• Evidence of vocational training or further study
• Education to GCSE standard or equivalent
• Willingness to undertake relevant training Experience of working in or with a diverse or multi-cultural community
• Experience working/training in mental health services or studying psychology/health studies
• Honours Degree in Psychology (Upper Second class 2:1 or higher)

Previous Experience

• Previous experience in Health or Social Care work
• Demonstrates high standards in written communication
• Worked in a service where agreed targets are in place
• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• Experience of working in or with a diverse or multi-cultural community
• Able to write clear reports and letters.
• Previous experience of working with people in mental health and community settings
• Experience of working in the voluntary sector including in housing, employment or debt services
• Experience of mental health promotion or health campaign work
• Experience of working with refugees/ asylum seekers
• Evidence of taking part in mental health assessments
• Evidence of delivering evidence based psychosocial interventions

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to evaluate and put in place learning from training
• Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills, including telephone skills
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients
• Demonstrates a basic understanding of community mental health services
• Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental well-being
• Demonstrates an understanding of full range of mental health problems and how they may present in Primary Care
• Fluent in languages other than English
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies

Additional Requirements

• High level of enthusiasm and motivation
• Advanced communication skills
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships
• Ability to be self-reflective and use supervision and personal development positively and effectively
• Ability to work under pressure
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
• To work flexibly within and outside of office hours on a shift pattern
• Car driver with ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation
• Able to empathise, be supportive and sensitive to the needs of others as well as being able to cope with distressing circumstances

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.

£28,860 to £31,671 a yearper annum (inc. of HCAS)