Care CoordinatorNHS

Job summary

We are a multi-disciplinary team who work with people aged 65 and above living in residential or nursing care homes in Lambeth and Southwark. We specialise in understanding the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, which can be found to be challenging.

Our team visits care homes to undertake thorough assessments of the people referred to our team. We work with residents, their families and alongside care home staff to provide specialist intervention. This includes 'information sharing' sessions, and developing person-centred care plans to help meet the individual's psychological and social needs. We also offer learning opportunities for care staff to enhance their skills and confidence when providing care.

You will need to be motivated and enthusiastic about providing high quality person centred dementia care and be able to inspire others to do so too. As part of a multi-disciplinary team you will be expected to contribute to the core team tasks as well as working autonomously with clients managing your own caseload adopting a flexible and positive approach

You will receive regular managerial supervision with regular appraisals. There are excellent opportunities for training to help develop your skills. There will be opportunities and support for continuing professional development and to actively participate in quality innovations, research and audit

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will be expected to carry out an assessment and formulate a plan of care for service users who are experiencing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia or challenging behaviour in the context of mental illness. They will work in conjunction with the residential to support staff skill development. They will care co-ordinate a defined caseload comprising of people with a diagnosis of dementia that are experiencing Behavioural and Psychological symptoms associated with the illness. They will provide support and consultation their carers, relatives and friends as directed by line manager. This will include developing and evaluating care plans in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary teamThe post will have a key role in providing time limited support to people with dementia, their carers and relatives and will liaise with colleagues within primary care, community health and social care services, voluntary organisations and the wider mental health of older adult service as appropriate.Communications and Working Relationships

People with dementia and their carers

Multi-disciplinary team colleagues

Private residential and nursing homesand day centresCommunity, day & in-patient services within MHOA directorate Line & service management and professional leads GPs, primary & community health and social care teams Third Sector and community groups - in particular the Alzheimer's Society

Job description

1) To promote a holistic, person-centred, needs led assessment and formulation framework to local authority and private providers of older peoples care to support direct care staff to implement the plan of care. To work towards a recovery and social inclusion focussed framework, ensuring that the care offered is evidence-based and promoting the use of non-pharmacological strategies as a first line intervention.

2) To care co-ordinate a clinical caseload of service users with behaviours that challenge, who may also experience dementia, other mental health difficulties and physical health co-morbidity. This will include carrying out some tasks directly, and overseeing other parts of the care pathway which may be carried out by other members of the team (including Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners, and Support Time and Recovery Workers)

3) To effectively assess and manage complex psychiatric and physical health risk as required, taking into account a range of perspectives and modifying the frequency and intensity of intervention and support in response to changes in risk, to reduce the likelihood of needing to resort to more restrictive models of care (e.g. hospital admission) or breakdown of care arrangements.

4) To take a team approach and work as part of the CHIT MDT in collaborating on and contributing to all stages of the care pathway, including assessment, observation, formulation, care planning, and evaluation, both for service users under your own care, as well as those under the care of others in the team

5) To develop and facilitate education/training opportunities to enhance the knowledge of residential / nursing home staff. To make use of practice-based training opportunities to increase the skills of staff working with clients with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia or challenging behaviour in the context of mental illness.

6) To ensure effective verbal and written communication with service users, carers and residential / nursing home staff, to maximise service user and carer involvement in the delivery of care and treatment, and provide a service which is responsive, empathetic and non-judgmental to all parties.

7) To work in partnership with social care to provide information that can contribute to a review of service-users needs as required. To liaise as required with other disciplines and organisations to ensure that all issues affecting client care are managed and communicated to a high standard and work in a manner that supports effective partnership working with all services that will enhance service user and carer interventions.

8) To maintain accurate clinical and timely clinical documentation as per the Trust policy. To contribute to clinical audit and outcome measures with the support of the MDT. Attend meetings, forums and working groups as appropriate, and participate in service development.

9) To act as a voice for those we work with to ensure that service user and carer views are incorporated into the development of the service. To work in a consultation role with service users, carers and staff to provide consultation and supervision to stakeholders and associated professionals about behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia or challenging behaviour in the context of mental illness issues

10) To ensure anti-discriminatory practice is upheld and promoted. Continually seek to improve practice via reflective learning, making effective use of supervision, training and learning opportunities to keep abreast of latest developments, guidance and legislation in dementia care and mental health for older people. Account for your own professional practice in accordance with the relevant professional Codes of Conduct and Ethics, and maintain the requirements for re-registration.

11) Deputise for the Team Manager as required. Establish and build on excellent working relationships between other services within and external to the Directorate, and understand how to implement the Trust and Directorates strategies and goals within your role.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels. In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.