Community Dementia Nurse Practitioner inSouth East Essex (Castle Point & Rochford and Southend) inSouth East Essex (Castle Point & Rochford and Southend) PUBLISHED WED 20 NOV 2024

South East Essex Older Adults Community Mental Health and Dementia Services are excited to be able to advertise band 6 Registered Mental Health nursing roles in their successful Dementia Intensive Support Team (DIST). DIST has continued to expand as a service, working both in the community and in Southend University Hospital providing a liaison service in the Acute Trust.

The team is based at the Harland Centre, Westcliff-on-Sea, with office space there and at Southend University Hospital. DIST is part of South East Essex Older Adult's Community Mental Health and Dementia Services providing services across the Castle Point & Rochford and Southend area. The services includes Older Adults CMHT, Locality Teams (Community Dementia Nursing (CDN) , Care Home Liaison Team and comprises of Mental Health Nurses, Associate Practitioners and Allied Health Practitioners.

DIST is an integral part of the service and work jointly with the Acute Trust, Community Health Services, Mental Health, Primary Care, Intermediate Care and other agencies, including social care, Essex ambulance services and third sector originations.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

An awareness of how dementia affects the individual and their families.

Experience of working with people with dementia in community settings.

A background of providing person centered care and have excellent knowledge and/ or experience of working in dementia services.

Skilled leadership with an ability to grow and develop others at all levels of our division.

The ability to offer and provide advice to support the management of decision-making in relation to complex cases.

We welcome you if you are someone who is reliable, has an understanding of anti-stigma in regards to all mental health issues and have the determination to take forward our service in new and innovative ways. In return we offer you training and development opportunities, ensuring that you are well supported through regular supervision and appraisal to assist you in setting realistic objectives.

About us

• To work as a Band 6 Dementia Nurse Practitioner within South East Essex Dementia & Older Adult's Community Mental Health Service . This will be with the Dementia Intensive Support Team, which supports and assists in assessment of needs for individuals with or suspected dementia and supports appropriate care planning to prevent unnecessary hospital admission, advise hospital team members and support early discharge when the individual is admitted, and for the facilitation of hospital discharge.
• The post holder will work with a range of professionals and will have some link into other professional services within the South East. This includes the Single Point of Referral (SPOR), EPUT Community Services and Southend University Hospital in particular. Areas of cover within Southend Hospital will include in-patient services alongside the A&E, AMU and DAU. Through the earlier intervention, there is expectation that the Dementia Intensive Support Team will provide effective and efficient short-term support intervention whereby hospital admissions (including re-admissions) can be lessened.
• The remit of the team and Dementia services is to support people and their carers in their own homes/care homes or alternative community environments during periods of acute illness and/or rehabilitation to prevent hospital admission.
• The staff member will be a valued member of the Dementia Services which includes the Triage & Locality Community Dementia Nurse Specialists , Care Home Team and where appropriate will assist colleagues in practice.
• The post holder carries responsibility for the assessment of care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care for patients with dementia (or suspected dementia) who are within their own home a care home, nursing home or present within Southend University Hospital whether as an outpatient or in-patient.
• In addition, the post holder will be working in close co-operation with hospital, community services, primary health staff, social care professionals and third sector organisations. They will be responsible for helping to maintain standards of care within the Team and actively participate in the training and education of staff as required. They will be expected to work collaboratively with individuals and their carers/family delivering person centred care. In addition, they will also be responsible for ensuring that an integrated service is provided and ensure that good inter-disciplinary working is maintained.