The Role

• The Newcastle upon Tyne Duty and Risk Practitioner is situated in a busy NHS Talking Therapies Service. This role is designed to ensure that all service users within NHS Talking Therapies, and who present with risk and complex needs are supported, and where applicable, directed to appropriate services in a timely and efficient manner.
• The role will involve supporting NHS Talking Therapies staff to make clear and effective care pathway decisions regarding NHS Talking Therapies service user’s treatment and care via the Duty System. Duty provides advice and support to our staff (CBT Therapists/Counsellors, DIT, IPT, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) and our administrative team) regarding aspects of clinical risk.
• The Duty and Risk Mental Health Practitioner will also have substantial Service User contact by telephone, often talking with people who may be distressed, to help screen client suitability for the service and make referrals where appropriate into secondary mental health services. The post holder will be supported clinically to make these decisions by the Newcastle Clinical Leads as required.
• The role will also involve liaising directly with service users, members of the NHS Talking Therapies team, Secondary Care Mental Health Services, GPs, and other external agencies.
• The service welcomes applicants who have significant experience of managing risk and a working knowledge of primary and secondary mental health care services.
• You will be working within a multidisciplinary team that consists of CBT Therapists, Counsellors, DIT, IPT, PWPs and Administrators
• The role will be a blend of remote and on site working (based in the Newcastle area).

Vita Health Group celebrates life. Improving lives physically and mentally drives everything we do.

We work in partnership with the NHS, support the UK’s largest companies to help support their workforce and provide a full range of physiotherapy services to private customers. We are physical and mental health specialists with over 30 years of experience - we Make People Better.

Vita is fast growing, innovative and ambitious. If you would like to be part of our journey and join a company that offers outstanding personal development, flexibility for a work/life balance and a genuine focus on delivering exceptional services then we would love to hear from you.

Your skills and background:

Essential:

• A current qualification and registration to a professional health and/or social care registered body or holds an NHS Talking Therapies compliant Step 3 qualification
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and training to the equivalent of safeguarding Level 3
• Knowledge of local and national policies relating to safeguarding children and adults at risk, relevant professional and NHS policy initiatives.
• Experience of assessing multiple presentations of risk
• Experience and knowledge of multidisciplinary working
• Experience of working with people in acute mental distress
• Knowledge and understanding of NHS Talking Therapies/ Primary Care
• An awareness of and commitment to supporting and facilitating diversity and inclusion
• Willingness to travel, which may include overnight stays on occasion, as and when required

Desirable:

• Evidence of working within both secondary and community healthcare settings
• Experience of delivering risk/ safeguarding supervision
• Experience of multi-agency working
• Specialist knowledge of adult safeguarding practice and legislation
• Experience of implementing and coordinating risk procedures within a team
• HCPC registration
• Training/ experience in delivering psychological therapies in NHS settings.

Why Vita Health Group?

Vita Health Group celebrates life. Improving lives physically and mentally drives everything we do.

We are physical and mental health specialists with over 30 years of experience.  We work in partnership with the NHS, support the UK’s largest corporate companies to help assist their workforce and provide a full range of physiotherapy services to private customers.

To achieve our mission of making people better, we recognise the importance of investing in our staff. In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer the opportunity of a flexible work life balance and a comprehensive benefits package which you can view here: https://www.vitahealthgroup.co.uk/join-us/careers/

To progress your skills and enable career development we provide Continued Professional Development opportunities including secondments, management training, a mentoring scheme and regular events and webinars across a range of clinical disciplines.

Vita Health Group is proud to be an equal opportunities employer.  We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion best practice and positively encourage applications from candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion/belief, marital status, or pregnancy/maternity.  To support this we have a dedicated team of EDI specialists and run a range of active in-house diversity networks.

We are actively seeking to increase the diversity of our workforce, to ensure we are representative of the communities we serve at all levels. We therefore welcome applications from candidates with a wide range of lived experience.

We are committed to equitably support the wellbeing of all employees as demonstrated by:

• Our association with the MINDFUL EMPLOYER Charter for Employers who are Positive About Mental Health.
• Our status as a Disability Confident Employer dedicated to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process. All disabled candidates that meet the minimum essential criteria will be invited to interview.
• Our status as a Menopause Friendly Committed employer.
• Our sign up to the Employer with Heart Charter.
• Our commitment to meet the standards outlined in the NHS Equality Delivery System (EDS). Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES).
• The provision of access to health and wellbeing services for colleagues which includes a team of trained Mental Health Advocates and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• An embedded “speaking up” culture facilitated by Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.

Should you wish to discuss any adjustment or assistance you might need in the application or interview process please contact recruitment@vhg.co.uk and we will arrange.

VHG is committed to supporting transgender individuals with dignity and recognises the potential complications that may arise when taking references. We encourage applicants to contact HR at hr@vhg.co.uk to discuss or amend how we manage reference requests.

Please note, all applicants must be legally entitled to accept and perform work in the UK and all positions are subject to a DBS check. 

Any data which you share with us throughout the hiring process will be stored securely within the UK and is accessible only by staff who require it. Should your application be unsuccessful, your data will be securely destroyed after 6 months. 

Vita Health Group reserves the right to close this job when sufficient applications have been received.

Vita Health Group