About this role
Job summary
15 hours per week (0.4 FTE), fixed-term maternity cover contract for 1 year.
Band 5 Continuing Health Care Practitioner.
An opportunity has arisen for a Continuing Health Care practitioner (Band 5) to join Livewell Southwest within Mental Health Services for 12 months. Experience is essential, successful applicants will have a commitment to strengths based and solution focused interventions and use identified models to work with people to achieve person centred outcomes. This Post is working with Health funded individuals.
This role is working across the organisation, supporting people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical health needs ensuring that there care needs are met.
Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.
Main duties of the job
To provide quality information and advice to people and their carers on the best ways to meet their needs and achieve their stated outcomes and help them to live their lives as independently as possible.
To develop a wide range of skills and knowledge to be able to complete an initial assessment and look at other professional involvement required within discharge to assess team and across Livewell southwest services.
To complete holistic assessments acknowledging the Care Act 2014, for those who are health funded equipment provision and basic therapy advice, following Shared Skills training provided within the team
To have a knowledge of a wide range of services (including third sector) to support people to achieve their identified outcomes.
To take a strength-based approach to referral and assessment.
To undertake non-complex assessments of need and to help people to develop outcome-based support plans.
To recognise and take appropriate action when people are at risk of harm, abuse or neglect.
To assist people in the assessment and support planning process by helping them to assess risks and determine necessary support and contingency plans.
To help people and their carers to identify sustainable contingency plans to help them maintain independent living in emergency and crisis situations.
About us
Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.
As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.
We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.
We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.
Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.
Job description Job responsibilities
Job Purpose:
The post holder will be required to undertake non-complex and proportionate assessments that are evidence-based. The term non-complex is defined as - predictable situations often where the person is motivated to engage and respond to information, guidance, and advice. The person may present a low level of risk to self or others, and the risk can be managed safely. These situations often require short-term interventions, and the decisions require some analysis of different views and factors impacting on the persons life.
Examples could include mental capacity assessments and health and social care assessments of people who have a variety of needs. The post holder is also required to arrange and review the delivery of social care support. There may be situations where the work is complex and on these occasions the post holder will need to seek support from social work colleagues or their line manager.
Decision-Making:
The job involves working within recognised procedures and requires the post holder to use initiative when organising their workload and determining work priorities daily.
You will also be expected to:
Respond independently to problems and unusual situations with access to an Advanced Practitioner and colleagues for advice and guidance.
Deal with any unexpected problems or situations through recognised procedures.
Undertake Independent decision making on handling particular situations and unexpected problems.
Resolve problems or situations which may be complex and not covered by existing procedures.
Use judgement to assess a particular situation and decide the best way forward for resolution, when there is conflicting information.
Raise concerns with an Advanced Practitioner, i.e. in relation to Safeguarding, moving and handling, in relation to the above points.
Accountabilities:
To undertake detailed assessments of care and support needs and reablement goals, with the specific focus of taking a holistic view of the persons needs and considering the options of support available to them.
To undertake reviews of formal support arrangements.
To undertake non-complex assessment of needs.
To undertake non-complex carers assessments.
To help people and their carers to identify sustainable contingency plans to help them maintain independent living in emergency and crisis situations.
To comply with all relevant legislative requirements as well as Livewell policies and procedures.
To recognise statutory responsibilities in respect of providing Community Care services.
Responsibility for providing information, advice and guidance on established Livewell policy and external regulations and/or statutory requirements related to the well-being of people.
Occasionally required to demonstrate duties and provide advice, guidance and support to other employees, students or trainees. Also to provide feedback to the Practice Learning Managers/ Student Supervisors.
Responsibility for accurately inputting information of work undertaken on electronic systems, i.e. Care first 6 and systm1 and also using a number of systems for checking information relevant to the persons needs.
Responsibility to ensure that data inputted onto the system is accurate.
Work in partnership with all other relevant agencies to ensure the needs of vulnerable adults are addressed, e.g. police, NHS.
To recognise the need for other professional involvement within the team and across Livewell services.
Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post.
Physical Effort
Regular travel to service users' homes, residential homes and nursing settings to undertake assessments and reviews.
Occasional moving and handling risk assessment activities and observation of care environments.
Prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking and using display screen equipment when completing assessments and maintaining electronic records.
Mental Effort
Daily requirement for sustained concentration when undertaking assessments, reviewing information, completing reports and maintaining accurate electronic records.
Regular analysis of information from multiple sources to assess needs, identify risks and determine appropriate support plans.
Frequent decision-making and problem-solving, including situations where there may be conflicting information or no clear procedural solution.
Regular interruptions and conflicting demands, such as urgent calls, referrals and changing service priorities requiring frequent reprioritisation of workload.
Emotional Effort
Daily involvement with vulnerable adults and carers experiencing ill health, disability, crisis situations, loss of independence and terminal illness.
Working with individuals who may be difficult to communicate with due to cognitive impairment, mental health issues or communication difficulties.
Regular exposure to safeguarding concerns, abuse, neglect and situations where adults may be at risk of harm.
Managing sensitive conversations regarding care needs, financial implications of care, risk management and future support arrangements.
Occasional exposure to verbal abuse, aggression or challenging behaviour from service users, relatives or members of the public.
Managing conflict and family disagreements whilst remaining professional and objective.
Physical Skills
Standard keyboard and IT skills for maintaining electronic records, producing reports and using multiple information systems.
Ability to accurately complete assessments and record information on electronic case management systems, including CareFirst, Eclipse and SystmOne.
Ability to travel independently across the service area to undertake assessments and reviews.
Visiting people in their own homes may present risks to health and wellbeing, which will require appropriate risk assessment and discussion with managers.
Developed observation and assessment skills when assessing service users' needs, risks and home environments.
Working Conditions:
Most of the work within our team will require the post holder to assess service users within their own environment or a residential/nursing setting.
Serious verbal abuse, aggression and other anti-social behaviour from people and/or members of the public can occur occasionally
Person Specification
Knowledge Essential
Understanding of Adult Social Care and The Care Act 2014. Knowledge of the relevant policies and procedures of Livewell and the Department. Awareness of relevant legislation: Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), Children and Families Act 2014. Human Rights Act 1998, Equality Act 2010. Case law. Knowledge relating to Ordinary Residence, Continuing Healthcare. Equality Act, Carers Recognition & Services Act 1995, and Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (amended 1998). Resources in order to provide advice and information to enable vulnerable adults and carers to make informed choices, e.g. Allowances, access to support. Safeguarding for vulnerable adults and children and young people. Working knowledge and experience of working to address a range of human needs, including personal crisis, disability, ill health. Reasonable awareness of the potential effects of providing regular and substantial unpaid care to a relative, friend or neighbour. Practical and procedural knowledge for a range of tasks related to the service area. Of the policies or procedures relating to at least one other service, e.g. NHS Continuing Health Care; multi-disciplinary assessments.
Experience Essential
Experience of working in a Health and/or Social Care setting, including voluntary work or administrative role.
Desirable
Demonstrable experience of addressing a range of human needs, including personal crisis, disability, ill health.
Skills Essential
Reasonable skills in using PC based applications including Microsoft applications such as Outlook (including calendar), word and excel, on a regular basis Analytical, problem solving or creative skills are required within support planning process for service users Ability to work in partnership with other agencies so that the best outcomes for the service user are achieved Ability to make a judgement on the risk factors to a person (including protection issues). Ability to prioritise those risks and act on the risk assessment. Planning and organisational skills Developed interpersonal skills to meet the needs of people and service requirements. For example, being open and supportive with people but able to seek support as and when required. Ability to resolve situations of conflict, e.g. family disputes. Non-judgemental attitude and abilities to build trust with vulnerable adults. Must have developed listening skills. Effectively communicate verbally with people, colleagues, managers and partners in different agencies in various settings. Developed communication skills to effectively communicate sometimes complex and/or sensitive information both verbally and in writing with people, as well as to provide feedback to professional colleagues. The ability to produce written reports and complete standard recording of service forms and documents, as well as communicating electronically, e.g. email. Ability to participate in learning & development by shadowing more experienced Community Care Workers and Social Workers. The ability to support, advise and give information to assist students on placement in their development, as well as less experienced basic entry band Community Care Workers, as appropriate.
Qualifications Essential
Educated to Vocational Level 3 (NVQ 3) in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualifications or significant equivalent previous knowledge & experience. Good general education to GCSE level or equivalent. Enthusiasm and commitment to developing within an Adult Social Care setting. Experience word processing, MS Office word and excel. Evidence of a consistent pattern of learning and development from education, training and experience. Awareness of the Social Work England / Livewell Southwest Code of Practice and the College of Occupational Therapy, to meet the standards of practice and conduct required of social care workers.
Desirable
NVQ Level 3 and NVQ Level 4 Health & Social Care. Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations including areas not served by public transport.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Livewell Southwest
Address Westbourne Unit
Beacon Park Road
Plymouth
PL2 2PQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)