Specialist CAMHS Practitioner - LD; Maternity cover

Overview

Westminster CAMHS are looking for a fixed term Maternity Leave cover CAMHS Practitioner to join our friendly, supportive and experienced multi-disciplinary specialist mental health service. We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled clinician to provide learning disability (LD) and neurodevelopmental knowledge and specialist support to the Neurodevelopmental and wider team. The Westminster CAMHS neurodevelopmental team offers diagnostic assessments for autism and ADHD, initial intake assessments, and interventions (psychological, behavioural, family therapy, art therapy, and pharmacological).

Each clinician in the team has a wide variety of presentations in their caseload, including young people with ASD, ADHD, LD, or a combination of these diagnoses.

• To provide comprehensive specialist assessments, including risk assessment of children, young people and their families/carers referred with moderate, complex and severe mental health problems/behaviours.
• To use a range of assessment techniques including observations, standard measures and questionnaires, direct work and interviews with parents and professionals in order to collate information required to complete a functional analysis assessment.
• To formulate and to be responsible for implementing in partnership with other agencies working with the child/young person a positive behaviour plan/ intervention.
• To communicate in a sensitive manner assessment outcomes/formulations and positive behaviour support plans.
• To evaluate the implementation and impact of the intervention.
• To write confidential behavioural support plans, reports for case conferences, and education that may have wide ranging implications for children, young people and their families.
• To be available to carry out urgent assessments. Assessments and interventions will be conducted in clinic settings.
• To undertake other psychological and/or diagnostic assessments (i.e. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2, or cognitive assessments) and interventions if required and appropriate.
• To provide consultation and appropriate training to other professionals working with the children referred to the service in order to ensure implementation of behavioural support plans.
• To liaise with and where appropriate participate in joint work with other members of the Learning Disabilities Pathway in Westminster CAMHS Learning Disabilities team.
• To act as care coordinator for an identified caseload and to be responsible for the coordination of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of therapeutic packages of care provided by the multidisciplinary team.
• To act as care coordinator in accordance with CPA guidelines within the CAMHS community setting.
• To ensure that the needs of the client group is paramount and be aware of and adhere to NICE Guidelines relating to Child Protection.
• To ensure acceptable levels of safety (regarding potential verbal and physical aggression from disturbed clients) for self and to advise other colleagues when necessary. To adhere to the lone worker policy and update training in breakaway techniques when necessary.
• To maintain accurate clinical records in accordance with service standards and to record and maintain patient data in local database systems (System
  1) and the trust wide electronic database.

Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a prominent mental health trust offering high quality children’s mental health services across 5 boroughs of London. The Trust supports staff wellbeing, reflective practice and monthly team reflective groups in CAMHS teams.

Westminster CAMHS has a strong multi-disciplinary approach and thrives on innovative practice to meet the local population needs. The post provides an excellent opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in clinical practice and leadership via regular clinical supervision, being part of Quality Improvement (QI) projects, CPD opportunities as well as multi-disciplinary working within an experienced wider service of Family Therapists, Psychotherapists, Nurses, Child Wellbeing Practitioners, Psychiatrists and Clinical / Counselling Psychologists.

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