About this role
Job summary
The Urgent Mental Health Helpline offers both an urgent referral management service and a public-facing telephone crisis line for adults (aged 18+) in Kent and Medway. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is the sole point of referral from professionals for urgent referrals relating to members of the public who are not currently receiving care or treatment from Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust (excluding specialist services).
The crisis line provides advice, signposting and reassurance over the telephone, as well as offering a route of self-referral, for individuals who may be experiencing a mental health crisis and are not currently engaged with secondary mental health services. It is also available to family members or friends who may be concerned.
The service aims to provide a consistent 24/7 mental health crisis pathway which is accessible to self-referral as well as professional referrals, and to reduce the need for people in significant mental distress to attend an Emergency Department when in crisis and in the absence of a physical health concern.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work within the Urgent Mental Health Helpline across a variety of roles within the team.
These include answering calls from the public and professionals, undertaking triage telephone assessments, providing clinical guidance to Band 3 Call Handlers, coordinating shifts and managing staffing resources to meet service demand.
About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.
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Job description Job responsibilities
Undertake telephone triage assessments Answer calls from the public and professionals Provide clinical guidance and leadership to Call Handler colleagues Rotational coordination of shifts Provide supervision to staff members Take part and contribute to team meetings Lead team huddles Contribute to the design of the service through participation in Improvement Projects
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification
Person Specification
Expeareince / qualifications Essential
Professional Qualification in Mental Health Nursing or Occupational Therapy, including registration with the relevant regulatory body
Desirable
White Belt or Yellow Belt Lean Improvement Methodology
Experience Essential
12 months post registration experience Evidence of relevant continuing professional development
Desirable
Experience of working in a telephony-based service Experience of undertaking complex urgent or emergency assessments
Knowledge and Skills Essential
An understanding of the NHS and Social Care Up to date knowledge of relevant national and local guidance Good organisational and time management skills Excellent verbal, interpersonal and written communication skills Ability to work according to Trust Values at all times, especially in complex and challenging situations Clinical skills in undertaking robust mental health needs assessments, including risk and Mental State Ability to use IT systems effectively and in a timely way
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.
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 Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
Address St Martins Hospital, Eastern and Coastal Area Offices
Littleborne Road
Canterbury
CT1 1AZ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)