Job Title: PCN Mental Health Coach

Line Management: Mental Health Coach Manager & Brand Champion

Location: Saffron Walden/Uttlesford North

Hours: 37.5 hours a week

Hourly rate: £13.07 per hour

Mind in West Essex is a local, independent mental health charity. We affiliate to Mind (the National Association for Mental Health) a charity with which we share common values and principles.

Our vision is for West Essex to be a place where people talk openly and positively about mental health, and where everyone gets the support and respect needed to live well.

Mind in West Essex welcomes applications from people with their own personal experience of mental illness.

Purpose of the Job

Working as part of the multi-disciplinary team with the North Uttlesford Neighbourhood Hub, the post holder will support patients through their mental health journey in order to ensure it is as person centered, streamlined and seamless as possible. This will in turn lead to improved outcomes for the patient and cost savings for the local health economy.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Mental Health Coaches will:

● Be an easily accessible and visible point of contact for anyone in need of assistance in the North Uttlesford neighbourhood who is using or would like to use mental health services.

● Make themselves known to the patient once the initial referral or handover has been made and will continue to work with them until such point that the patient is accessing the services that they need.

● Undertake a range of practical support including but not limited to supporting patients who have a history of non-attendance to attend appointments, working with patients to overcome practical barriers to attending appointments, in some cases this could mean accompanying patients to appointments.

● Identify with patients resources that exist in their neighbourhood that may enhance their mental health and then support the engagement process.

● Introduce patients to a range of self-help information and resources that could contribute to being better prepared for engagement with more formal services.

● Advocate for those patients who have been deemed inappropriate for primary or secondary care and supporting them to receive the service they require, thus preventing people from being ‘bounced’ or from ‘falling through the net’.

● Advocate for patients who are eligible for primary or secondary care mental health services but whose experience is not proving to be a good one.

● Have the client’s needs at the forefront at all times with an underpinning set of values and skills that promote person centered recovery, independence, choice and control.

● Develop excellent awareness of Community resources and opportunities that a patient can be introduced to support their recovery.

Key Responsibilities:

● Manage a caseload of clients, working with them on an individual basis supporting them to access mental health services and introducing to appropriate tools, services and agencies relevant to their needs.

● Update information on all contacts with patients and work undertaken on System 1 in a timely, appropriate and professional manner.

● Alert the appropriate people to any concerns around risk.

● Act in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act (1998).

● Develop positive and supportive relationships with clients, within appropriate and clear boundaries being aware of and taking into consideration disability rights.

● Contribute to written and statistical reports as requested by the CCG and Mind in West Essex.

● Regular attendance at the hub MDT meetings / liaison with MDT members.

● Keep updated and work within Mind in West Essex operational procedures and policies. Paying special attention to Health and Safety, Lone Working, Safeguarding and Confidentiality Policies.

● To undertake supervision and training as required.

● Attend team meetings when required.

● Support and interact with colleagues, share information and updates on services and regulations, build links within the community.

This Job Description will be subject to review as the role develops and is not intended to be rigid or exhaustive but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which an individual operates.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

✔ Excellent communication skills, including the ability to make people feel at ease

✔ Excellent organizational/time management skills

✔ A positive, flexible and creative approach to problem solving

✔ Able to maintain accurate and concise records

✔ Knowledge or experience of mental health problems personal or professional

✔ An ability to act calmly in emergencies and to respond in a professional manner to stressful and challenging behaviours

✔ Self-motivated with the initiative and ability to manage a varied workload

✔ Attention to detail

✔ Good IT skills e.g. Microsoft Word/Excel, with the willingness to undertake training to use other systems

✔ Ability to work flexibly (some out of hours work may be required)

✔ The ability to work on own initiative but be part of the Hub team and also Mind in West Essex team, attending meetings and contributing to team decision making

✔ Willing to actively engage in regular supervision, appraisal and training appropriate to the role

✔ The ability to demonstrate a passion for helping vulnerable people move towards improved wellbeing

Desirable Criteria;

✔ Empathy with, and a good understanding of the many needs of people with mental health challenges

✔ Experience of working with people in a support capacity

✔ Knowledge of self-help materials that are targeted towards improved mental health

✔ Knowledge of support services, resources and opportunities across West Essex

✔ Current DBS check

✔ A current driving license and the ability to travel across West Essex as required.