Voluntary and Community Action Trafford

VCAT

Voluntary and Community Action Trafford

JOB DESCRIPTION – Community Mental Health Advocate/Independent Mental Health Advocate

POST TITLE:Community Mental Health Advocate/Independent Mental Health Advocate

RESPONSIBLE TO:VCAT Office Manager

LOCATION:Park House, Sale

SALARY:£24,646, (£19,037 pro rata) plus Pension scheme, Health benefits and car user allowance

HOURS:28 hours per week, flexible within core hours – Monday to Friday, 9-5pm.

ANNUAL LEAVE:25 days, Pro rata

JOB SUMMARY:

The worker will offer both drop in advocacy support and on occasions support to clients in their own homes and at other agreed locations to Trafford residents with mental health needs, in all areas of their lives as they require and can give instructions on.

The post-holder will be expected to work with Trafford residents receiving in-patient care at the MoorsideUnit, Trafford General Hospital and with clients in community settings, who feel they have difficulties expressing their wishes, defending their rights or getting their point of view heard by others.

The worker will offer advocacy services to people who are in hospital either voluntarily or detained under the Mental Health Act; as well as time limited advocacy to these clients following their discharge from hospital. The post holder will work alongside the existing advocacy workers of Trafford Mental Health Advocacy Service and will make an important contribution to the overall delivery of the service services and to the future development of specific advocacy services for people who may lack capacity to use the existing “client instructed” advocacy.

The post holder will have four main roles, which include:

Offer advocacy services to the client group based upon their instructions.
Liaise / network with service users, service providers, relatives, carers, Trafford Advocacy Advisory Group (TAAG), and relevant stakeholders in Trafford to develop and publicise Trafford Mental Health Advocacy Service.
Record and disseminate data in order to evaluate and review the service.
Consider / undertake research to establish local need and possible benefits of specific older person’s / “best interest” advocacy.

The post-holder will work the support of Trafford Mental Health Advocacy Service team and will be accountable to the VCAT Office Manager

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Advocacy delivery.

Receive referrals for adults living in Trafford who perceive they have mental health difficulties and those receiving mental health services.
Accept referrals/ enquiries from clients, carers, health and social care staff, and other organisations via telephone, fax, letter, e-mail or in person.
Organise and deliver drop in advocacy sessions for community clients at agreed locations in Trafford, seeing clients on a one to one basis and offering immediate support to contact other agencies, complete forms and obtain advice and information as needed.
Offer advocacy, signposting, information or specialist referral as appropriate, (e.g. advice and legal services) based upon principles of empowerment and support/ enable self advocacy where appropriate.
Offer individual meetings with clients in environments most convenient to them. Include another person if the client wishes or if it enhances the clients’ ability to express their views, e.g. interpreting services.
Establish the client’s views on individual issues and take client instruction on the advocacy actions they wish to take. Advise on potential outcomes of different actions and of available options but final decision on actions taken must be the client’s.
Offer advocacy services in relation to any issue raised by the client, e.g. housing, employment, legal issues, mental health benefits (does not include personal conflict).
Advocacy actions will be at the client’s instructions unless this is impossible because of their condition. In this situation try to establish whether advocacy can be offered when the person has improved or consider providing information/ sign posting to other services e.g. IMCA, Alzheimer’s society, learning difficulties advocates, etc.
Liaise with services and individuals as required in order to advocate for clients, this may include carers, relatives, staff, care providers, advice workers, legal advisors etc.
Write letters, make phone calls with and/ or on behalf of clients as required.
Attend occasional meetings.
Maintain confidentiality within VCAT policy.

Networking and information.

Advise individuals and services on referral pathways for people to use the service.
Provide service users, individuals and relevant services with up to date information about TMHAS.
Provide information and source advice for enquirers in relation to individuals’ rights e.g. under CPA, Mental Health Act, housing, legal, consumer, benefits advice etc and provide information of other organisations who may offer relevant services.
Support and assist in facilitating the service user steering group (TAAG) Trafford Advocacy Advisory Group.
Record statistical information and report trends which have implication for social policy or delivery of services for our client group to commissioning bodies in order to exercise influence over service delivery and design.
Where possible, contribute to social policy developments in Trafford and form part of the VCAT staff structure and contribute to team meetings.

Administration

Assist in the general day to day operating of the service, as necessary.
Assist TMHAS and stakeholders develop methods to evaluate and record outcomes of interventions.
Assist with budget monitoring within the mental health team and providing statistical information as required.
Maintain case records in line with team protocols and procedures.
Ensure that guidelines to protect confidentiality are adhered to.
Contribute to producing quarterly and annual reports for the service.

Other Responsibilities

Attend and utilise management and peer supervision to ensure that advocacy practice is tailored to meet service users’ needs and is delivered to ensure that their rights are defended and their wishes/ concerns are expressed.
Identify personal learning needs and attend training as appropriate/ available.
Report to the Board of Directors of VCAT when requested.
Take responsibility for own and others health and safety in the working environment and to be familiar with the policies and procedures relating to risk assessments, health & safety, home and lone working and any other operational guidance relating to safety and comply with these.
In the course of your duties you may have access to confidential material held about clients. On no account must information relating to identifiable patients be divulged to anyone other than authorised persons.
Any evidence of neglect or abuse of clients will be reported to the relevant party immediately following consultation with VCAT Chief Executive. This may involve disclosing personal information to others outside health and social services e.g. police.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties. The post holder may be required to carry out any other associated tasks to ensure the successful delivery advocacy services through discussion with their line manager.