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Job summary

Main area
Physical Health Monitoring and Improvement Team
Grade
3
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
173-40624-COMM
Employer
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Physical Health Monitoring and Improvement Team
Town
Leeds
Salary
£22,816 - £24,336 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
11/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Health Support Worker

3

All references should be directed through the Employers HR Department wherever possible to comply with NHS Check Standards. Please ensure that a HR address/email is provided for each referee named.


Job overview

The Physical Health Monitoring and Improvement Team support service users living in the community with a serious mental illness (SMI) specifically in the monitoring and improvement of their physical health and wellbeing.

This involves performing physical health observations including blood taking, ECGs, blood pressure monitoring, BMI calculations and asking questions relating to service user’s lifestyle e.g. smoking status and diet.

You will participate in the day to day running of citywide clinics with planned appointment times for service users to attend in addition to carrying out physical health assessments in people’s homes.

There will be an expectation to provide healthy living advise and make referrals to teams within LYPFT and other organisations to assist service users to improve physical health and wellbeing.

The role will require support and escalation of service users who present with both physical ill health and deterioration in mental health symptoms. The post holder will be expected to highlight any changes in mental health and physical health presentation to relevant professional e.g. care coordinators, consultants, CRISS and pharmacy, all of whom we work closely alongside.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

  • Setting up and preparing clinics on a daily basis
  • Performing physical health checks on service users including blood taking, ECG and lifestyle questions
  • Offering advice to service users about healthy living options
  • Referring and escalating physical health and mental health issues to relevant professionals
  • Ensuring clinic appointments are booked and communicated to service users.

Assisting with improving practice within the service.

Working for our organisation

The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.

There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.

We also have an incredible bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To have good verbal communication skills and an excellent understanding of how to build rapport with patients, carers and others as required.

  • To establish a supportive and respectful relationship with the patient group.
  • To participate in the observation and engagement of service users on a daily basis, under the direction of qualified staff. This will include responding to and reporting issues relating to physical health and mental health.
  • To contribute to the maintenance of a therapeutic environment, and to be proactive in developing positive links within the community that will enhance the service user experience.
  • Demonstrates values that are consistent with those of the Trust.
  • Have an understanding of how a mental illness / learning disability can impact on persons physical health and wellbeing.
  • Ability to respond well in a crisis situation and understands the need to record/report such situations accurately to senior staff within the team
  • Has an understanding of medication and side effects, and able to support people to explore options, ask questions and be better informed.
  • To provide support for other team members as required and under the direction of the senior team members.
  • To manage your own time effectively.
  • To be involved in the process of personal development and supervision
  • To work independently with patients in their homes when required, this may include home visits or other community-based activities.
  • Monitoring and advising around physical health for people with a SMI (serious mental illness) and prescribed medication for this.
  • To comply with all Trust policies, practices and legislation.
  • To work within the guidelines of the Health and Safety policies.
  • To adhere to the Trust’s Lone Worker policy.
  • To maintain accurate and up to date service user electronic records as required by Trust policies and procedures and any local working instructions.

To become familiar with and be able to utilise technologies related to the work environment.

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of performing physical health observations such as blood pressure monitoring
  • Phlebotomy and ECG trained (or prepared to train)

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • understanding of how a mental illness / learning disability can impact on persons physical health and wellbeing

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Full UK Driving license

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyWhite RibbonAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employer

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Alex Trapp
Job title
.
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07929 801997
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