Hospital Mental Health Outreach Worker

Do you want to support people with mental health issues? Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

Can you demonstrate our values of Hope, Courage, Together and Responsive and want to be part of our mission to create opportunities for individuals to make choices, find their own solutions, build resilience and manage their whole life and wellbeing?

If the answer to all of these is yes, we want to hear from you.

Job title: Hospital Mental Health Outreach Worker (Bounce Back)
Reference Number: 242
Salary scale: £25,000 - £26,000 per annum depending on skills and experience inclusive of Outer London Weighting (OLW)
Reports to: Senior Bounce Back Worker
Contract length: One Year
No. of hours: 37.5 hours per week (Full time, Monday – Friday)
Main base/s: Letchworth Wellbeing Centre / Lister Hospital

We have a vacancy for a Bounce Back Worker to join our team.

About the Project

Herts Mind Network (HMN) has formed a partnership with Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust (HPFT) to deliver a one-to-one outreach service for people who are in hospitals across Hertfordshire.

This is a new dual diagnosis arm of the project based at Lister Hospital working in A&E departments and hospital wards facilitating hospital discharge for people with a mental health and/or drugs and alcohol need.

About the Role:

The Bounce Back Worker will be based at Lister Hospital and HMN Centres, promoting joint working between Lister Hospital staff and HMN, creating a seamless pathway into community support for clients recovering from mental ill health.

The aims of the Bounce Back service are; to provide up to 16 sessions of emotional and practical support, advice and information to patients. We will visit patients on the ward and continue the sessions in the local community and in patients homes once discharged. We will facilitate a smooth and timely hospital discharge.

The Bounce Back Worker will work with the HMN Community Outreach Teams and the hospital staff to ensure patients are offered advice, information, and holistic support. The Bounce Back worker will use a recovery orientated approach working with patients on the ward, and in the local community, including in people’s homes.  The recovery approach includes empathy, warmth, acceptance, authenticity, compassion and humanity.

Key Responsibilities

• To receive referrals from the ward teams at Lister Hospital and other appropriate hospitals across Hertfordshire.
• To manage and prioritise all administration tasks associated with the service.
• To build strong relationships with staff at Lister Hospital and Mental Health Teams across Hertfordshire.
• To work in partnership with other agencies.
• To establish a strong presence on the ward, working at the hospital when required.
• Ensure a direct community service is in place which encourages, motivates and builds patients self-esteem and confidence. This will include goal setting and support with social and practical skills development.
• To assist patients to access appropriate services and community resources within the local community, accompanying patients to attend appointments where this aids ongoing recovery.
• To work with key staff within the hospital to ensure that vulnerable person’s cases are monitored and risks evaluated.
• To work with HMN staff in other services in order to make onward referrals to other projects.
• Liaise with appropriate HPFT staff to ensure that individuals are assessed for personal budgets to support with any longer term needs.
• Support individuals to develop sustainable local social networks, both through our HMN Wellbeing Centres and other community services and resources.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Cash plan health cover (after 6 months employment) – compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.
• Eligibility for blue light card.

Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle is essential for this role.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday 7th November at 5pm.
Interviews to be held on Tuesday 12th November at our Letchworth Wellbeing Centre.

Interested? 

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position. 

Equal Opportunities 
We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. We recognise and value the unique combination of skills, knowledge and perspective that employing people with a lived experience, at all levels across the organisation, brings. We create an environment where the sharing of experiences and vulnerabilities to support others and create positive change is welcomed and work towards breaking down the ‘them’ and ‘us’ culture. The organisation is committed to nurturing peer relationships that allow all staff to thrive.

We are delighted to have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer.

No agencies please.