VACANCY INFORMATION

Contents

Application information

About the work and the team

Job description

Person specification

APPLICATION INFORMATION

THE JOB

Job titleDementia Link Worker 2 posts 1x35 hours and 1x28 both

posts are temporary until March 2015

Recruiting managerSarah Burgess, Regional Manager

WhereGlasgow,East Dunbartonshire & Lanarkshire

Address81 Oxford St, Glasgow, G5 9EP

Telephone0141 418 3930

DATES

Closing date9th August 2013

(You will hear within 7 days of the closing date if youhave been invited for an interview.)

Interview date 20th August 2013

WHERE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FORM

To the email address (preferred) or postal address in “The Job” box above.

Alzheimer Scotland

About the Work and the Team

Make a real difference: help us to make sure no one goes through dementia on their own.

Alzheimer Scotland and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde have joined forces to improve and expand services for people with dementia by introducing Dementia Link Workers in the North West of Glasgow. We now need some very special people to join us in this exciting initiative.

Dementia Link Workers will be part of multi-disciplinary specialist team and will work closely with local Community Mental Health Teams. There are two posts with fixed termcontracts until March 2015. Secondments may be considered. As these are new posts there will be an evaluation of their contribution at the end of year 1 following which there may be modification of the model of service delivery.

Dementia Link Workerswill support individuals with dementia, their families and friends from diagnosis onwards, providing ongoing support and information, signposting and connecting people to peer supports or appropriate services. They will primarily support people within their own communities and help develop coping strategies for people with dementia and their carers.

The Dementia Link Worker will also be involved with the development of several new interest based activity groups for both people with dementia and their families across the local community.

Alzheimer Scotland

JOB DESCRIPTION

Dementia Link Worker

Purpose of the Post

The Dementia Link Worker will initially be based in one of the community older people’s mental health teams (COPMHT) in the north-west of Glasgow and will be part of the range of services attached to the COPMHT. The Dementia Link Worker will deliver a year of post diagnostic support to people newly diagnosed with dementia and will enhance the support already available from the COPMHT and the Dementia Advisor. The Worker will provide advice, information and support to people with dementia and their carers who are in the process of, or have been diagnosed with dementia. The worker will be using the 5 Pillar Model of Post Diagnostic support.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Use the 5 Pillar model to work with people newly diagnosed with dementia, acting as a key worker, where appropriate, and facilitating change of key worker to other specialist team members as individual’s conditions or needs change.

2.To provide information, advice and support service for people who are in the process, or have been recently diagnosed with dementia, their carers and families and assist the person and their family to come to terms with their condition.

  1. To ensure that people being investigated for memory problems are offered information, advice and support in the pre-diagnostic period between referral and outcome.
  1. Undertake outcome focussed assessments which will lead to agreed and specific personal outcomes to maximise independence achievable through use of support available in the community, through services purchased through direct payments, or through services provided by the Council.
  1. Monitor and review personalised outcomes as required and in line with Alzheimer Scotland Operational Guidance.
  1. Monitor changing circumstances, identifying and managing risk in line with Operational Guidance.
  1. To ensure that information provided is accurate and up to date and tailored to the personalised outcomes of the individual.
  1. To act as a named person from the onset of a diagnosis to ensure that service users and carers know whom they can contact as and when required for information, advice and support.
  1. To enable service users and carers to be more informed and plan their own pathway through dementia, including assisting and or sign posting individuals who choose to pursue Self Directed Support.
  1. To utilise a health promotion type approach to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the range of diseases known as dementia.
  1. To ensure that information provided is accurate and up to date and tailored to the needs of the individual.
  1. To facilitate access to a range of support services at an early stage of the illness.
  1. To liaise and collaborate with other professionals involved in providing dementia support and care services.
  1. If appropriate, facilitate the establishment of support groups/social groups for service users and /or their carers and families. These may include short term educational groups, mixed groups and social groups.
  1. To record and monitor all work undertaken, including production of performance indicators, work plans and evaluation reports as required.
  1. To keep case files for service users up to date (written or electronically) as required and in accordance with Health Service National Guidelines.
  1. To participate in COPMHT meetings and training courses as necessary, and to participate in both formal clinical and management supervision sessions.
  1. To contribute to the supervision or development of students or trainees when appropriate.
  1. To undertake any other tasks consistent with the general remit of the post.

Accountability

Line management support is provided by Alzheimer Scotlandand the Link Workeris accountable to the Service Manager, North West Services.

Clinical support and advice will be provided by the COPMHT.

Salary

The post is graded at Scottish Joint Council spinal column points 27-30 (£23,779 - £26,325)

This job description is open to review at any time by the partner organisations to the initiative.

July 2013

Alzheimer Scotland

Person Specification–Dementia Link Worker

This person specification should be read with the job description for the post of Dementia Link Worker. Please note that the competencies are not ranked in priority order.

The following criteria will be used in short-listing candidates and in appointing the successful applicant.

Essential / Desirable
Professional attitudes and values.
Understanding of and empathy with Alzheimer Scotland’s aims and values. / √
Understanding of the principles, values and practice of community care and joint working. / √
Experience of successful working in community care services, health care setting, or a social care or work setting. / √
Qualifications
Recognised professional qualification in social care, social work, nursing, occupational therapy, community work, counselling or other related occupations to a minimum of SVQ Level 3 or Nursing Grade 5 / √
Recognised professional qualification in Dementia Care.
SVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care. / √
Full driving licence and access to a vehicle during working time. / √
Work experience
Experience of working with and providing services to people with dementia and their carers. / √
Experience of person centred planning and assessment. / √
Experience of working in an unsupervised manner and of being responsible for and organising their own workload. / √
Experience of working with or within Old Age Psychiatry Services. / √
Experience of management and leadership in a community care, social care, social work or health care setting. / √
Ability to manage own time and to organise tasks and work load. / √
Budgeting
Experience and awareness of budgets. / √
Communication
Good interpersonal and communication and telephone skills / √
Evidence of good IT skills. / √
Ability to produce written reports and routine communication with minimal administrative assistance. / √
Awareness and or experience of IT systems and software. / √
Professional relationships
Ability to work as part of a team and to initiate, sustain and respond to various people within an interagency environment. / √
Ability to relate purposefully and communicate effectively with person with dementia and their carers in a range of settings and in a manner, which shows a sensitivity and understanding of their needs. / √
Ability to manage own case load effectively. / √

April 2011

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