Band 6 Specialist Practitioner - Bristol
| Posting date: | 14 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £38,682.00 to £46,580.00 per year |
| Additional salary information: | £38682.00 - £46580.00 a year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 28 January 2026 |
| Location: | Bristol, BS15 9TR |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | C9342-26-0034 |
Summary
A) 1. To work within the South Gloucestershire Early Interventions for Psychosis Service, but develop and maintain excellent working links with colleagues within the local Community Mental Health Teams. 2. To provide comprehensive and specialist assessment of people experiencing a first episode psychosis, covering the age group 14 - 65 years. This will include the use of formal psychiatric and psychological rating scales, as well as liaison with carers and staff from other agencies that may be involved with the young person. 3. To plan, prioritise and deliver specialist programmes of care to people for up to a three year period following a first episode of psychosis, or for a limited time where there is a possibly emerging psychosis. This will include case formulation, design of intervention, delivery and evaluation. As care co-ordinator, you will be involved in co-ordinating multi agency input around the persons needs and will be responsible for your caseload within the community. 4. To work with and on behalf of people in a way that promotes and develops their efforts, resources and quality of life. To deliver services in a manner that is appropriate, relevant and respectful to all community members, recognising diversity of ethnicity, culture, belief, privilege and capacity. 5. To liaise and where appropriate work in partnership with staff from other statutory services, voluntary agencies and community groups that work with adolescents, including education, in planning, providing and assessing programmes of care. 6. To provide advice to other members of the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service team and to staff from childrens agencies on the particular needs of people with psychosis and their families / carers. 7. To provide advice and to assist other members of the South Gloucestershire Early Interventions for Psychosis Service with interventions which draw on own specialist professional knowledge (for example, an occupational therapist specialist would be expected to advice on and carry out specialist occupational and vocational assessments). 8. With other members of the South Gloucestershire Early Interventions for Psychosis Service, to develop and facilitate clinical groups and workshops as appropriate. 9. To provide advice and support to carers/ relatives of our service users, and to provide structured family work to families where a person has a first episode or emerging psychosis. 10. To participate in clinical meetings e.g. CPA and client reviews as appropriate. 11. To support the full implementation of the Care Programme Approach. 12. To assist in the transfer of appropriate cases between the CAMHS and Adult Services, in keeping with need and service user wishes. 13. To ensure that legal and Trust requirements affecting service user and staff are adhered to, and ensure a safe working environment for service users and staff. To cooperate with statutory agencies with the responsibility to protect children and ensure that issues of risk and safety of young people are assessed and any necessary action is implemented. 14. To maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times when working with highly distressed people. 15. In line with Trust policy, to receive regular clinical supervision and to participate in clinical and management supervision arrangements provided by the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service. 16. To maintain accurate records relating to clinical and professional activity and to monitor clinical workload using agreed systems. 17. To communicate complex and sensitive information to patients, carers and professionals, including information about diagnosis and prognosis, to find ways of enabling people and their families to take this information on board, and to provide empathy and reassurance. To communicate hopefulness. 18. To consult with senior staff and managers about service needs and development, in conjunction with the Head of Specialty. B) Policy and Service Development: 1. To contribute to the development of protocols / procedures applicable to the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service 2. To propose and implement policies, procedures and protocols in own specialist area 3. To provide specialist advice to the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service Manager on service development issues which are relevant to this client group. C) Teaching and Training: 1. To participate in the development and delivery of teaching and training where appropriate. In particular, in conjunction with other members of the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service and with appropriate staff from Education, CAMHS and County Council, to plan, develop and deliver training around psychosis and the importance of early intervention to young people and staff within schools, colleges, youth organisations and other community groups. 2. To agree a plan for personal development with the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service Manager and Professional lead and to participate in an annual review. 3. To undertake such further training / CPD as might be required to maintain ones own appropriate level of expertise. 4. To provide clinical supervision for students, support workers and junior staff. D) Research and Audit: 1. To participate in peer review, audit and personal review activities as required. 2. To undertake research and developmental activities on a regular basis 3. To return accurate activity levels as required. 4. To encourage a culture of evidence based practice in all parts of the service. This will include systematically monitoring clinical outcomes. E) Professional: 1. To fully observe Professional Codes of Conduct and Professional Practice Guidelines. 2. To participate regularly in Early Interventions for Psychosis Service meetings and in any relevant Professional meetings. 3. To contribute to the effective functioning of the team and service through attendance at relevant meetings e.g. Early Intervention project group meetings, CAMH Service meetings etc as appropriate. 4. To be aware of and comply with all policies, procedures and directives of the Early Interventions for Psychosis Service as well as the Trust. 5. To maintain and further develop high standards of professional practice through co-operative work with other mental health professionals and involvement in professional audit.This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with trust policy, all newly qualified social workers will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances in which case it may be agreed to extend this for a further 2 years.On successful completion of the ASYE, for which you will be given full support of an experienced Social Worker as well as Divisional Social Work Lead, and peer support from other ASYE candidates, you will then be eligible to progress to a Band 6 position.If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role this will be an automatic progression, following confirmation of your successful completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy.