Welcome from our Chief Executive

Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

We are looking to recruita Senior Nurse Practitioner for 30 hours per week for Chichester and Worthing. The working pattern is night shifts only, the hours are 8.45pm - 7.15am in Worthing and 8.00pm until 7.15 am in Chichester.

The post will be based in Chichester. The shifts are covered by a rota system, with a requirement to work some weekends. Being flexible is a key element of this role and the ability to travel is essential as cross cover between sites will be required at times.

The Worthing Senior Nurse Practitioner is currently based at Meadowfield with the focus of their work being the safe management of the unit. The Mental Health Liaison team (MHLT) are moving toward 24 hours cover (Core 24) and the Senior Nurse Practitioner will support the MHLT practitioners by providing senior clinical nurse expertise. They will also complete assessments when required determined by the volume and complexity of referrals in A&E as well as staffing levels of the MHLT.

The Chichester Senior Nurse Practitioner will be based in A&E St Richards and will offer support to the wards as required. Their primary role is to assess referrals from the A&E department as part of the MHLT there. Chichester are working towards Core 24 and a band 6 nurse to work with the SNP.

Understanding and application of practical risk assessment and risk management is essential. Successful applicants must be confident in working independently and will ensure the safe running management of Meadowfield.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for practitioners who are confident in the management of common mental health problems and who can bring their knowledge colleagues. You will need excellent communication skills and be able to foster excellent relationships with patients, carers, general hospital colleagues and other parts of the health and social care system. You will need the ability to work autonomously whilst still contributing to the team as a whole. If you enjoy the challenge and stimulus of working under pressure and are able to remain calm in quickly changing circumstances, you will be well suited to this role.

To protect the health and safety of our staff/workers, patients, and those attending our sites, we encourage our workforce to get fully vaccinated against COVID

Working for our organisation

This is an exciting role, that welcomes applicants who are registered mental health nurses. Previous experience of working in acute mental health services is essential and experience of working in a MHLT is desirable.

We offer a robust induction programme through shadow shifts with experienced SNPs, and we also offer development through clinical supervision, informal coaching and teamwork.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This role will support the work of and across Urgent Care Teams and the inpatient wards and as such the post holder will be expected to work across these teams as required. This way of working provides the successful applicant the opportunity to gain experience and demonstrate good quality care across the range of services.

The Senior Nurse Practitioners have a number of roles, the key aspects include; Clinical Leadership of a mental Health Units out of hours including wards, the Haven and the 136 place of safety Assessment and management of people presenting to A&E with Mental Health difficulties

Liaising with out of hours bed managers Liaising and working with colleagues from the Acute Hospitals Trust Liaising with on-call manager, on-call consultants and AMHPs as well as Police on occasion

Clinical and managerial decision making. The ability to work well within a team and forge good working relationships with multi-disciplinary and multi-agency colleagues is an essential component of this role.

Applicants must possess excellent interpersonal, communication and planning skills. They will need to be flexible, adaptable, have an interest in quality improvement and be confident in promoting good practice and good relationships with our colleagues in the acute trust.

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse with current registration (mental health / LD/ Adult) appropriate to the job role.
• Degree/diploma level supplemented by specialist qualification, training, experience, courses to masters level equivalent relevant to the care group
• Evidence of post registration training in relevant service area
• Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent

Knowledge/Experience
Essential criteria

• Extensive post qualifying experience in relevant service area
• Experience of supervising staff and students
• Able to manage a caseload of patients with complex mental health needs
• Comprehensive knowledge of interventions specific to service area
• Awareness of Trust policies and service specification

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children's social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.