mental health counselor Christchurch, England
Job description
JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER (6mth/locum contract) REPORTS TO: CLINICAL DIRECTOR (Clinically) HMC BUSINESS MANAGER (Administratively) HOURS: To be agreed LOCATION: CHRISTCHURCH PRIMARY CARE NETWORK DATE: 25/7/23 VERSON: V2 CONTEXT FOR THE ROLE: Across many Primary Care Networks in England, enhanced provision for Mental Health Services to be incorporated into GP Practices is being facilitated, by funding for Mental Health Practitioner roles becoming available. Christchurch Primary Care Network (PCN) is one such PCN that has taken the initiative in developing a PCN Mental Health Team, with the first Mental Health Practitioner being in post since May 2021. Since that time, the Christchurch PCN Mental Health Team has significantly developed and is now comprised of one Team Coordinator, two qualified practitioners from Social Work/Counselling/Occupational Health backgrounds a Mental Health Triage Practitioner (employed by MIND but embedded in the Christchurch PCN Mental Health Team) and one Mental Health Social Prescriber. The current advertised position is on a short term/locum basis for an initial period of 6mths, but may be extended beyond that period.
The post holder will be employed by Highcliffe Medical Centre and work across the GP practices within the Christchurch Primary Care Network (PCN). These include, Highcliffe Medical Centre, Farmhouse Surgery, Christchurch Medical Centre and Stour. The role involves working with these GP practices and their multidisciplinary teams across the PCN, to ensure that all patients receive appropriate mental health support within Primary Care. The remit of the team is to support patients who may not be appropriate for support from Steps2Wellbeing, but who also do not meet the eligibility criteria to warrant CMHT support.
Practitioners in the team currently offer 1:1 support in the form of psychological therapies rooted in CBT, Humanistic/Psychodynamic/Integrative counselling, Occupational Therapy Approaches, Systemic Approaches. Group work is facilitated via a weekly Psycho-Educational/Process Group. Systemic input is offered to families/parts of families where appropriate. Advocacy, care coordination and general support are offered through linking with safeguarding agencies, specialist support, secondary MH care, police, housing and other providers.
The successful candidate is likely to come from one of the following professional backgrounds: Psychotherapists/Counsellors, Psychologists, Social Workers, Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists, HI/LI CBT Therapists, Masters Clin Psych All applicants must be able to demonstrate training & competence in at least one specific modality appropriate to support patients within Primary Care who present with mild to moderate mental health difficulties. JOB SUMMARY: The role of The Mental Health Practitioner will involve triage, assessment, treatment and other ongoing support of patients identified to be experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. The role also includes referral and signposting patients to other relevant community resources such as Steps2Wellbeing, Community Mental Health Team, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service and voluntary agencies that may be able to offer appropriate mental health support to patients registered within the Christchurch PCN. Interfacing with these agencies may also be a feature of the role.
Care may be stepped up to secondary/specialist agencies and/or stepped down to Primary Care, all of which may involve input from the successful candidate. The role will be to support patients aged 16 or 18yrs upward (depending on the candidates skillset) who may present with the following (non-exhaustive): anxiety depression trauma loss issues arising from adverse childhood experiences adjustment difficulties identity difficulties OCD type presentations Health Anxiety type presentations DSH Patients presenting with EUPD type traits that either do not meet the diagnostic threshold or who are not currently under the care of CMHT Patients who may be experiencing some degree of suicidal thinking/behaviour, but whose level of intent/risk is not sufficiently high to warrant the intervention of secondary services Where appropriate, the postholder will work closely with colleagues in specialist community mental health services/voluntary services, to ensure smooth transitions between teams/services, participating in multi agency support where appropriate. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES: Clinical: Screen, triage, assess and offer therapeutic interventions/care plans for those presenting with MH issues who have been referred by clinicians within Christchurch PCN Provide ongoing support including psychological/therapeutic, evidence based interventions from an integrative approach or one or more specific modalities eg. CBT/REBT, Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy, DBT, Psychodynamic/Humanistic Counselling/Psychotherapy, MBCT, CAT or Systemic Approaches.
To be able to effectively apply one or more of the above modalities within the context of Primary Care. Competence in specific, time limited evidence-based approaches, would be an advantage. To identify and support patients to transition to secondary care and develop care plans and prepare people for step down. To signpost patients to community resources.
To identify, monitor and manage risk/safeguarding issues from a mental health perspective and to communicate/joint work with partner agencies to address and mitigate risk/safeguarding concerns. To keep accurate, contemporaneous clinical records (either electronic or written) where necessary
