MHST Senior Clinician

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To work as part of an existing team delivering mild to moderate mental health support across Norfolk and Waveney: The Mental Health Support Team (MHST). MHSTs are based within schools, ensuring children and young people receive faster access to earlier mental health support. You will be one of the key members in the running of this service, and when necessary and appropriate deputise for the Clinical & Team Lead. To provide assessment of health, development, and biopsychosocial needs in an educational setting, and provide a risk assessment of children and/or adolescents presenting with a wide variety of mild to moderate mental health and social needs.

Work creatively with the Clinical & Team Lead and other members of the team to create training packages for teachers and support and awareness sessions for young people and parents/carers.

Support the team to plan and organise activities, prioritise and assist other members of the team to coordinate the care of the children and/or adolescents in the schools.

Complete psychosocial formulations to inform care planning.

To provide consultation as required to other professionals (such as teachers and family workers) around mental health issues in children and young people in schools.

To provide consultation as required to young people around their mental health difficulties.

To provide consultation as required to parents around the mental health difficulties of their primary school aged children.

To offer interventions such as CBT, solution focussed work, guided self-help and group support to children and young people within an educational setting.

To enhance emotional wellbeing and to promote or build resilience in children and young people through educational workshops, assemblies and PSHE lessons.

To deliver psycho education and support to parents/carers and teachers.
Supervise and manage other members of the team, including Trainee EMHP’s, through the delivery of CBT-informed supervision.

To oversee the formulation of treatment and management plans for schools, parents, children and young people being supported by the EMHPs using a range of specialist psychological interventions appropriate to the service in individual and group and group contexts.

To work with the team and stakeholders to determine how delivery of care will need to be altered in the different settings dependent on need (For example, to consider the provision required for special schools).

To produce accurate records, reports and observations as required

To refer on, or signpost, to appropriate specialist agencies.

To liaise closely with other professionals including colleagues in the Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service, GPs, Paediatricians, Specialist CAMHS, school counsellors, Children’s Services, and other voluntary agencies.

To measure outcomes for all interventions.

To contribute to team multi-disciplinary working.

To support the roll out of further MHST’s within Norfolk and Waveney.

Demonstrate appropriate understanding of the legal and ethical issues in providing mental health care to children and/or adolescents.

Demonstrate an understanding of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and the Care Act. The post holder will also have an understanding of the Safeguarding Children and Child Protection procedures.

The post-holder will be required to work with young people whose behaviour is personally challenging and deal with frequent exposure to highly distressing or highly emotional circumstances.

To present findings and outcomes of the implementation of the MHST and support the in the continual improvement of the team and roll out of subsequent teams. 

Communication

 As the post holder will be working within the community, they will establish and maintain positive relationships with professionals, agencies, charities and teams who also provide services to children and/or adolescents in the community. These relationships are a key part of the role in which you will be representing East of England Community & Heath Care Trust.

 Be able to clearly and effectively communicate both clinical and non-clinical information with those receiving care, their families/carers and with other professional colleagues as appropriate.

The post-holder will be able to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, self-awareness and empathy in all communications.

Develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues within all agencies in order to benefit the child and/or adolescent and the service.

Represent the team at meetings as delegated by the Clinical Lead and contribute effectively to the meeting agenda.
Key communication:
a.    MHST colleagues, including the Clinical Lead, other MHST Senior Clinicians, Senior Wellbeing Practitioners, EMHP’s and administrators. 
b.    School partners, including Head Teachers, Mental Health Champion/Lead, Teachers, SENCO’s and Teaching Assistants. 
c.    Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service Clinical Lead and Team Leads, including Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner and Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioners. 
d.    CAMHS colleagues, including the Service Manager and SPA Clinical Lead 
e.    Social Care and Early Help Colleagues. 
f.    SEND colleagues, including Specialist Teachers and Educational Psychologists
g.    Other Managers and Clinical Staff.
h.    Staff during supervision.

Budgetary Responsibility 

Authorised signatory. 

People Management

Line Manage and Clinically Supervise junior members of the team.

Assist the Clinical & Team Lead with recruitment and selection, as required.

To participate in regular managerial and clinical supervision.

To attend and participate in training, supervision and the appraisal process, to ensure professional development and competence.

Ensure that all policies applicable to Children and Adolescents Mental Health Services are implemented as far as it is within their ability, contributing to developing new processes and procedures within the MHST’s.

Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process.

Research & Development Activity 

To lead and participate in regular audits, quarterly reporting, and research projects for the improvement of the team’s clinical practice.

To collaborate with other team members in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
Clinical and Practice Governance.

Participate fully in providing quality care in line with local and national guidelines e.g. NICE Guidance & Quality Standards relating to children and/or young people with mental health difficulties and social care difficulties.

Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.  

The post holder must adhere to the  East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust risk assessment and risk management processes.

The post holder must adhere to East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust infection control policies and procedures.

It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with the relevant professional body and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.

Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust.

Provide patients and their families/carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.  
Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis.

The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.

The post holder must participate in clinical and other audits as required.

General

Safeguarding people responsibility

Safeguarding children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect is a collective responsibility.

There is an expectation that all staff develop and maintain their role relevant East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust safeguarding people competencies and comply with local safeguarding partnerships practice. Alongside these employees who are registrants are reminded of their professional duty of care.

Safeguarding means protecting a citizen’s health, wellbeing and human rights; enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It is an integral part of providing high-quality health care.

Those most in need of protection include:

Children and young people

Adults at risk, such as those receiving care in their own home, people with physical, sensory and mental impairments, and those with learning disabilities.

The post holder must at all times carry out their duties with regard to East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

To be aware of the responsibilities of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment for patients, visitors and staff.

All post holders must adhere to the code of conduct on confidentiality and be aware of and adhere to all  East of England Community & Heath Care NHS Trust policies and procedures.