About this role
Job summary
Workways are recruiting 2 Senior Employment Specialists to support people experiencing mental health difficulties to remain in paid employment or explore alternative employment.
These are new posts as part of an expansion of the existing Workways Job Retention team - covering Exeter, East and Mid Devon.
You will involved in developing and providing as service which offers individualised, recovery-focused employment support, helping people identify their strengths, overcome barriers and develop practical plans to achieve their employment goals. You will manage your own caseload, supervise your Band 5 colleagues and work proactively with individuals, employers, mental health teams and partner organisations.
We are looking for someone who can build strong relationships, communicate confidently and sensitively, solve problems and work independently. You will need excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, enthusiasm for vocational rehabilitation and a genuine commitment to helping people sustain meaningful paid employment.
The role involves community-based working and travel across the geographical area.
Join Workways and help people achieve their employment ambitions while supporting recovery, independence and social inclusion.
Main duties of the job
Provide specialist, recovery-focused job retention support to people experiencing mental health difficulties, helping them to sustain paid employment. Undertake specialist vocational assessments and develop individualised care plans, working collaboratively with individuals, employers, health professionals and partner organisations. Provide expert advice to employers on mental health and workplace issues, and develop strong employer networks. As a senior member of the Workways team, provide clinical supervision and support to Employment Specialists, contribute to service development and evidence-based practice, monitor clinical outcomes and deputise for the Team Lead when required.
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communication and Working Relationship Skills
Develop effective working relationships with a range of other agencies who might be better able to help individuals to achieve their employment goals for example, local colleges, training providers and external supported employment services.
Liaise regularly with mental health services workers, users and carers groups and other health related agencies over learning and work issues.
Establish, maintain and nurture employer contacts.
Promote the benefits of employing and supporting people with mental health issues to employers
Support employers, placement providers and learning and work organisations to enable the person using the service to sustain their position. This will involve regular communication with employers and others to provide advice, guidance and training on how to manage a particular situation.
Be available on the end of the phone for advice and support to employers and others as required
Promote and publicise Workways to clinical team and work providers and the wider community by giving talks or presentations as agreed with service manager.
Be able to sensitively deal with confidential and complex information regarding an individuals health and employment history.
Work closely with the person using the service ensuring appropriate, prompt, pro-active and clear communication at all times.
Following DPT policies, respond to requests for general information regarding mental health and employment, this may be from employers, members of the public, the press and so on
Keep the Workways team informed of current work to ensure continuity of work at times of absence.
Work closely with the whole Workways team and cover others work as needed, this may include covering admin duties at times of staff shortages.
Planning and Organisational Skills
Ensure effective use of resources within own work.
Take a lead in agreed aspects of service leadership and development depending on individual development needs and interests and service priorities.
Be responsible for organising and planning own caseload and managing clinical/non clinical time effectively to fit with service needs and demands
Work flexibly to meet individuals needs and this may require some working out of normal office hours.
Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy
At all times work in a recovery-focussed way.
Manage a caseload of people (of no more than 20 people per whole time equivalent worker) who have mental health issues and who wish to retain paid work .
Work pro-actively with the person using the service with the ultimate goal of helping them retain paid work.
Provide specialised vocational assessment for individual applicants to Workways.
Work with the person using the service to explore their areas of strength, development needs, barriers to progression, learning and work needs and so on to draw up a plan of action for their next best step.
Co-write all care plans with the person using the service, then monitor and evaluate these plans in order to measure progress and effectiveness of all interventions.
Regularly review the agreed care plan with the person using the service, seeking to assist them to progress with their employment goals.
Provide interventions to assist the individual in problem solving, confidence building and improving work related skills
Provide, or ensure, support in the work environment for each person using the service to enable them to have the best possible chance of succeeding in the position.
Provide individualised, on-going support and advice to individuals once they have secured employment to assist them in sustaining employment.
Maintain a professional relationship with the people using the service, with all Workways staff, with primary and secondary health staff, employers and with particular attention to confidentiality and maintenance of professional boundaries.
Be able to work with people who have additional needs such as learning difficulties, neuro diverse diagnoses, physical conditions/ injuries or other long term health conditions.
Responsibility for Policy and Service Development Implementation
Ensure up to date knowledge of, and adherence to, the case management approach to job retention.
Keep Workways informed of current VR issues and keep up to date with examples of evidence-based practice and government initiatives and mandates.
Ensure there is easily accessible written and electronic information for all the team and people using the service about relevant local work related support and services.
Be involved in developing local policies
Be involved in developing and co-produce documents of good practice about the employment of people with mental health conditions
Increase engagement of employers through providing
- 1. Support for employers in recruitment & retention of staff with mental health conditions.
- 2. Guidelines for NHS staff in dealing with employers
Network with peers to maintain professional links across the Trust
Responsibility for Finance, Equipment and Other Resources
The postholder may be an authorised signatory with delegated financial responsibilities.
When requested hold a Purchase Card on behalf of the service.
Ensure all resources are used efficiently and effectively, bringing to the service managers attention any areas where this might be improved
Responsibility for Information Resources and Administrative Duties
Maintain up to date and accurate statistics, clinical records, service deficits, training given, outcomes of contact, and any other information needed for the ongoing evaluation of the service.
Freedom to Act
Be responsible for own caseload and decisions made.
Oversee clinical decisions made in the team
Deputise for Team Lead as requested
Any Other Specific Tasks Required
Using the Trusts core training requirements and the Workways team development checklist,
participate in a range of learning opportunities to ensure own skills and knowledge are up to
date.
Have monthly professional, clinical and managerial supervision of work
Have yearly personal development and review meetings and six monthly reviews.
Regularly use IT systems for inputting of data, clinical recording, outcome reporting, excel etc
Assist in reviewing the teams administration processes to ensure they are fit for purpose, raising any areas for concern with the team lead or service manager.
Responsibility for Human Resources, e.g. Supervision, Training, HR Advice and Management
Provide clinical support and supervision to administration staff as required.
Provide clinical supervision to Employment Specialists as requested
Supervise students on placement with Workways
Assist with the induction of new staff
Deputise for team lead at times of their absence
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
- Degree in either occupational therapy, careers guidance, vocational rehabilitation or related subject and/or
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Equivalent experience should demonstrate knowledge, skills, and behaviours aligned with IPS competencies and values:
- a) Employment Support Experience
- b) Mental Health or Social Care Experience
- c) Community Engagement
- d) Transferable Skills and qualities
Desirable
- Evidence of post graduate courses
- NVQ 4 in Advice and Guidance
- Certificate in Coaching skills
- Willing to work towards a specific higher level Vocational Rehabilitation qualification
Experience
Essential
- KNOWLEDGE
- Knowledge of the case management approach to job retention and the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model
- A detailed knowledge of the employment needs and possible difficulties of people who experience mental health problems.
- Comprehensive understanding of mental health conditions
- Understanding of current mental health services
- An understanding of the current research and thinking about vocational rehabilitation services
- Understanding of Recovery principles
- Understanding of practice and principles of risk assessment
- Current awareness of relevant Benefits
- Current awareness of Government employment/training schemes
- Working knowledge of Equality Act
- EXPERIENCE
- Substantial experience of working in a mental health and/or employment specialist role.
- Some experience of helping people to retain work
Desirable
- Working knowledge of employment law
- Good understanding of health and safety at work issues
- Has practised the case management approach to job retention
- Experience of working in a range of jobs
- Experience of public relations and promotional activities
- Experience of running groups/delivering training
- Personal experience of mental health issues
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Address
Workways
West Pilton
Youings Drive
Barnstaple
Devon
EX39 3AG
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)