Senior Perinatal Mental Health Practitioner inTorquay inTorquay PUBLISHED 25 OCT 2024

We have an exciting opportunity to join The Torbay Perinatal Community Mental Health Team. We are seeking to recruit a part time (22.5 hours per week) Band 6 Senior Perinatal Mental Health Practitioner to work out of our Torbay Base.

We are a compassionate and welcoming team who are commissioned to work with women and birthing parents pre-conceptually, in pregnancy &postnatally where there are mental health concerns. We have shared commitment to "think family" and consider mum in her family context and always strive to involve family members in their care.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual who is open to learning & developing their skills in perinatal mental health. You will have access to a comprehensive induction, ongoing development within the post from the multidisciplinary team. We have a strong ethos for professional growth and commitment to support additional learning needs.

Our work can be challenging and requires excellent risk management skills and a knowledge of safeguarding protocols ensuring thoughtfulness of the unborn and other children in the family at all times.

We are an aspirational service & actively encourage innovation; joining the wider Perinatal Service as we develop links with midwifery, health visitors and our perinatal colleagues.

Be the best you can be bring your skills, re-set your work life balance and come & work in beautiful Devon.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the role further, please do get in touch.

Our work can be challenging and requires excellent risk management skills and a knowledge of safeguarding protocols ensuring thoughtfulness of the unborn and other children in the family at all times.

About us

The post holder will be part of a multi-disciplinary Community Perinatal Team, contributing to the effective provision of Perinatal Mental Health Services to a caseload of pre-conceptual, pregnant or postnatal women.

To ensure the delivery of high standards of care, in accordance with evidence based professional practice and trust policies. Work within the multi-disciplinary team, with partners, carers, relatives, other services and agencies to promote positive mental health and wellbeing of women.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

• Contribute to the teams engagement with a wide range of stakeholders including women and their families, their partners, carers and other statutory and voluntary sector agencies.
• Impart complex and sensitive information to :
• Women and their families/carers re: assessment, care planning, treatment and review.
• Primary care teams regarding womens care.
• Multidisciplinary teams within maternity services and DPT to ensure the provision of consistent co-ordinated care
• External agencies also involved in the provision of care and support eg: voluntary and private sector, police, social services, housing, Childrens Centres etc
• Relevant community groups.
• Liaise with a wide range of other professionals and agencies.

• Contribute to the safe and effective day to day operations of the service including the handling of clinical enquires.
• Present information some of which may be contentious to women and their families/carers.
• Ensure equality of access to services for all women paying particular attention to diversity issues and women from hard to reach groups

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

• Make evidence based clinical decisions with sound judgement.
• Able to analyse information to reach clinical decisions.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Attend management and professional meetings as directed by their line manager.
• Responsible for planning and co-ordinating own day to day work load in collaboration with the needs of women and their families and the wider needs of the service.
• Plan and organise case conferences liaising with other agencies as required to meet the needs of women and their families
• Ensure that interventions are planned in an integrated and co-ordinated manner particularly where dependent on other external agencies.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

• Maintain a caseload of appropriate clients.
• Responsible for developing care packages including assessing, planning, intervention and evaluation. Ensuring active involvement of women and their families
• Engage in triaging referrals by reviewing and advising on eligibility criteria.
• Provide specialist advice to referrers/other multi-disciplinary staff in relation to the care of the client.
• Participate in all aspects of safeguarding including safeguarding children training to level 4.
• Practice in a way that actively minimises dependency and promotes recovery.
• Communicate information in a way that makes it relevant and understandable for of women and their families, working to the principles of the functions policy implementation guidelines and practice in line with the standards and values set out in them.
• Contribute to the development of standards for the perinatal mental health service
• Aim to uphold the principles and approach of CPA, whether people are formally in CPA or not.
• Work co-operatively with colleagues including accepting staff recent assessment of the client, if the client is transferred to them, in order to minimise the disruption to the client.
• Ensure a duty of care to your patients and clients, who are entitled to receive safe and competent care.
• Womens wishes, feelings, values and beliefs should be taken into consideration as well as the views of the people close to them.
• Take personal accountability for your own practice. This means that you are answerable for your actions and omissions, regardless of advice or directions from another professional.
• Ensure that you remain professionally competent by participating in your own and others clinical supervision.
• Deliver psychological therapy with relevant training and clinical supervision where relevant to the role.

Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation

• Participate in programmes of audit and research within the team and implement the findings.
• Contribute to professional clinical governance arrangements in order to ensure the quality of the service provided.
• Participate in the development of Perinatal Mental Health Services.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources

• Responsible for care of own equipment.
• Where appropriate handles or processes cash or patients valuables

Responsibility for Human Resources, e.g. Supervision, Training, HR Advice and Management

• Provide clinical supervision for a number of qualified staff.
• Periodically co-ordinate the activity of the team and facilitate handover meetings.
• Mentor students allocated to the team.

Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties

• Maintain up to date client records in a timely and accurate manner.

• Contribute to the research developments within the Perinatal Service

Freedom to Act

• Clinical practice is guided by the Community Perinatal Standard Operating Procedures.
• Participate in the Quality Review of Clinical Records.

Review of this Job Description

This job description is intended as an outline indicator of general areas of activity and will be amended in the light of changing service needs.

Equality & Diversity

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce and so we welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Recovery

It is a requirement of all employees to have an understanding of the broad principles of the Recovery Approach and to incorporate them into every aspect of their work in support of the Trusts aim to provide services that support peoples recovery through being holistic and promoting social inclusion, self management, personal autonomy and independence.

Risk Management / Health and Safety

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, ensure that agreed safety procedures are carried out and maintain a safe environment for employees, patients and visitors.

Records Management

The post holder has responsibility for the timely and accurate creation, maintenance and storage of records in accordance with Trust policy.

Clinical Governance, Compliance and Performance

The post holder will be responsible for proving that the Care Quality Commission outcome areas have been met in all registered/related activities for which the post holder is responsible. Where outcomes are not met the post holder is expected to put in place/recommend action to improve. The post holder will proactively seek and engage the support of the governance teams in the Compliance and Corporate Development directorate to gather information as required. The post holder will build an understanding of and adhere to the CQC guidelines as well as the Trusts guidelines on the approach to maintaining CQC registration

Prevention and Control of healthcare Associated Infection

The post holder is expected to comply with Trust Infection Control Policies and conduct themselves at all times in such a manner as to minimise the risk of healthcare associated infection

Smoking

The Trust operates a non smoking policy.

Policies & Procedures

Trust employees are expected to follow Trust policies, procedures and guidance as well as professional standards and guidelines. It is your responsibility to read and familiarise yourself with all policies relevant to your job role.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is part of everyday practice and all Trust employees are required to work in accordance with policies, procedures and professional codes to safeguard people who use our service, their children, families and carers from abuse. Staff must be aware of any children that live with, or have contact with, the person in their care, promoting the Childs welfare and ensuring their needs have been taken into account as part of the overall assessment and practice process, engaging other agencies as appropriate. All staff should have the knowledge and skills to work in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of abuse, be alert to, and take appropriate action in relation to, safeguarding issues. Where staff are unsure what appropriate action to take, they should always escalate their concerns and speak to a senior member staff.