About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join us as the Team Leader for the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) - Neighbourhood 2. We are looking for an experienced mental health practitioner -- nurse, social worker, or occupational therapist.
The team is made up of a diverse MDT, and we offer regular teaching sessions, dedicated space for reflective practice, and opportunities to become a champion in your chosen areas of interest.
You will be leading the Community Mental Health Team to deliver timely assessments, care planning, and evidence-based health and psychosocial interventions to adults in Lewisham with mental health needs. The successful applicant will also oversee key interfaces with partner agencies including Primary Care, Secondary Care, and MIND, ensuring effective service delivery and coordinated discharge planning.
This post forms part of an exciting new pilot providing 24/7 community mental health support, operating 7 days a week from 8am-8pm, designed to deliver higher-quality care, improved accessibility, and better outcomes for our patients.
Main duties of the job
To lead and co-ordinate the work of an integrated neighbourhood Community Mental Mental Health Team ensuring the provision of safe, effective, high-quality community services in line with statutory requirements and local policies. You will directly supervise a muti-disciplinary, multi-agency team of health, social care and voluntary sector professionals operating from a community-based site. You will ensure the efficient and allocation of referrals. You will maintain an overview of the safe and effective work of the team ensuring the continuous flow of service-users through the system. You will ensure and enhance liaison with GP practices to maximise on new and growing links and collaborative working. You will oversee safe working practices and effective agile working directives for the team as a whole.
About us
The Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) delivers a broad range of medical, psychological, and psychosocial interventions in line with NICE-recommended, evidence-based practice. The team is committed to providing culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care, tailored to the diverse communities it serves.
The CMHT acts as the central point of access for adults requiring long-term mental health support, typically for individuals whose needs extend beyond six months or more. The team reviews and triages referrals to work streams tailored to patients' needs foscusing on Dialog and patient needs led service, undertaking comprehensive assessments to identify the most appropriate pathway for each individual. The service also provides extensive advice, consultation, and signposting to primary care colleagues and partner agencies.
As part of thestepped-care approach, the CMHT facilitates access to a range of specialist psychological therapies and community-based interventions where indicated, ensuring individuals can move seamlessly through the pathway and receive the right level of care at the right time.
Job description Job responsibilities
To have overall management responsibility for the delivery of care within Lewisham Community Services in accordance with Trust policies and procedures. To lead a team of professionals and support staff in the delivery of high-quality evidence-based practice, ensuring that regular supervision and appraisals take place. To manage administrative and operational resources in a cost-effective manner, evaluating the standard of service delivered. To co-ordinate multidisciplinary working, maintaining excellent communication and working relationships with all team members, and other services within the Trust and external to the Trust, to ensure effective interface and continuity of care between disciplines and services. The post holder will carry out clinical and managerial procedures to a standard that ensures safe and effective care and complies with the relevant Code of Professional Conduct.
There is an expectation that the post holder will place the needs of service users at the centre of care delivery.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification Essential
Hold a professional qualification Membership of a Professional Body Evidence of recent continued professional development. Mentorship or equivalent.
Desirable
A commitment to completing quality improvement training.
Experience Essential
oSignificant experience of managing clinical practice in a mental health service (A) oExperience of implementing and monitoring standards of care. (A) Mentorship Course (or other relevant teaching/assessment course) (A) oEvidence of continuing professional development. (A) oExperience of providing clinical and managerial supervision (A) oExperience of working in a multicultural environment and knowledge of methods to develop culturally sensitive practice (A) Experience of risk management and safeguarding
Desirable
oExperience of managing non-clinical staff and other professionals (A) oExperience of staff performance management (A)
Knowledge Essential
oSpecialist clinical knowledge relevant to the service, including evidence based practice. (A/I) oWorking knowledge of all relevant legislation associated with acute mental health care, including MHA, CPA procedures, Human Rights Act, NSF, Child Protection and NHS Plan. (A/I) Knowledge of key legislation and guidelines in relation to statutory mental health responsibilities, including Safeguarding Adults, Young people and children. Ability to provide quality care that is responsive to service user needs, without close supervision.
Desirable
Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment. Knowledge of the theory of psychological models, such as CBT, DBT, or MBT.
Skills and Abilities Essential
Highly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and sensitive information to clients, their families and colleagues. Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate and to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive and/or challenging behaviour. Effective IT skills. Good organisational skills. Skills in emotional resilience: able to cope in difficult interpersonal situations. Self-aware, self-confident and intrinsically motivated to do a good job and to motivate others.
Desirable
Accredited practitioner skills in at least one model of psychological therapy. Accredited nurse prescriber Ability to contribute to, monitor and implement changes and improvements to services. Specialised clinical skills, e.g. group work, anxiety/anger management, family work skills
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham
SE8 4AT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)