Senior Dementia Crisis Nurse

Go back NELFT North East London Foundation Trust Senior Dementia Crisis Nurse The closing date is 28 May 2025

Come and join our award-winning Dementia Crisis Support Team as a Senior Band 6 Mental Health Nurse / General Nurse.

The team is based in Corringham in a new, state of the art building. We visit patients in their own homes and care homes across Basildon, Brentwood and Thurrock.

We are a team made up of registered health professionals including Psychiatrists, Nurses, support workers and admin all of whom have vast Dementia experience. The aim of our team is to reduce a patient's need to access A & E services and to avoid a hospital admission during a crisis period. We engage with the patient and / or carer in their own home or usual place of residence with rapid assessment, intervention, treatment and short term follow up for a maximum of six weeks.

The suitable candidate will need to be able to effectively travel throughout the geographical area.

The Service operates 7 days a week Monday to Friday 9am till 7pm and weekends and bank holidays 9am to 5pm. We work on a rota basis.

Main duties of the job To work as a senior nurse with the Dementia Crisis Support Team across Basildon, Brentwood, Billericay, Wickford and Thurrock supporting and assisting holistic assessments of care needs for individuals who present to the service in crisis with diagnosed or suspected dementia. The post holder is responsible for the holistic assessments of care needs of patient in the community setting and the development, implementation and evaluation of care.

The remit of the team and the wider intermediate care services is to support people in their own homes or alternative community environments during periods of acute illness and/or rehabilitation to prevent hospital admission.

The post holder will, in collaboration with the wider Dementia Crisis Support Team (DCST), provide Nursing input to the multidisciplinary team 7 days a week.

The post holder will provide clear leadership for the team when deputising for the clinical lead and in their own capacity as a senior member of the team.

They will support maintenance and promotion of high clinical standards for service users as well as assisting with the clinical development of junior staff across the DCST.

The post holder works under the overall supervision of the clinical lead but is required to undertake the duties of the post without direct supervision.

The suitable candidate will need to be able to effectively travel throughout the geographical area.

About us Starting with NELFT

NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,258 to a maximum of £2,122 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Job responsibilities GENERAL

To promote and maintain high quality services to people with mental health problems in the local community.

To work with the team to achieve team goals and targets.

To provide clinical supervision to team members

To provide clinical expertise within the team

To ensure comprehensive ongoing psychosocial assessment, risk assessment and case management is carried out

To ensure ongoing planning, implementation and evaluation of care resulting in timely and effective discharge

PROFESSIONAL

To comply with NMC Code of Conduct (or other relevant professional codes) and compile plans.

To undertake training and personal development to meet professional requirements

To be a Nurse Prescriber in the team or to be willing to complete the course

Ensure safe administration of medication, in accordance with Trust and National policies.

To have sound knowledge of commonly used Psychiatric medication & related side effects.

To be a student mentor or willing to become a student mentor

LEADERSHIP

Assist the clinical leads in the maintenance and development of team morale, by demonstrating support of colleagues and showing high levels of enthusiasm and commitment.

To ensure that the team reflects and responds to local needs and works sensitively and respectfully with users and carers.

Provide appropriate direction and consultation to members of the team.

Promote philosophy and principles of Multi-disciplinary working.

Participate in and deliver In-Service training.

Maintain responsibility for overseeing a defined caseload of clients experiencing mental health problems in the community.

Attend appropriate meetings to develop effective services for people with mental health problems.

Drawn from a varied range of essential functions and duties the Band 6 worker will participate fully in:

Assist in strategic development of team function and effectiveness.

To assist in the reduction of hospital admission frequency and duration by maximising the effectiveness of early discharge procedure.

The service delivered will meet the needs of service users and their carers to a high standard.

Effective relationships within the service and other voluntary and statutory agencies will be established

Individual and team clinical supervision

Clinical research and data collection

Multidisciplinary projects

Nursing projects to support service delivery

Evaluation and audit work

To have an understanding and support the team with the teams financial resource

Assisting to ensure that equipment is to an agreed and acceptable standard and that staff are trained and competent to use it and mems checks in place.

To participate in training and lead on training

Clinical Skills

To act as an autonomous, registered practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols.

The post holder will have Current Effective Status on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Registered Nurse (RN12).

Further professional knowledge will have been gained through accredited courses workshops, study and in house training programmes demonstrating competence in Dementia care.

To be responsible, and accountable, for service delivery to clients/patients in a holistic way considering physical health alongside mental health needs

To be able to assess and develop plans of care to meet the complex needs of patients with a variety of conditions. This includes chronic, acute and palliative care within own competencies, recognising own limitations and seeking advice when necessary. This will include continuously evaluating and acting on outcomes

To be able to initiate referrals to other health professional specialist services and agencies

To provide patients and relatives with information and education thus ensuring they have meaningful choices that promote dignity, independence and quality of life

To ensure practice is supported by research, evidence based practice, literature and peer review

Computer/Administration

To be computer literate and encourage implementation of the Trusts IM&T Strategy.

To ensure accurate recording of actions, and updating patients records, maintaining confidentiality at all times

To take part, and assist, in the registration of patients in the day to day running of the department

To read and communicate via email

Maintain accurate and complete patient records

Responsible for maintenance of databases, ordering systems, and departmental records using appropriate/current information systems

Communication

To have a wide range of knowledge in approaches to communicating and managing patient care especially in relation to Dementia Care

To be able to effectively communicate with patients, colleagues, peers, senior managers and clinical leads within the Trust.

To be able to communicate complex patient related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.

Participate in the review and development of clinical policies and be able to identify potential improvements to service provision.

Form professional relationships with patients and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

Constructively manage barriers to effective communication.

Report effectively on patients performance and progress

Communicate with other staff and agencies as appropriate in written and verbal format report on patient on patient performance and progress

Represent the team at meetings and feedback relevant information
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