Adult Mental Health Senior Practitioner
Please note this role is based at Basildon Mental Health Hospital

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda - one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We're immensely proud of our flexible working options.

ECC is transforming to be far more proactive and our new model centres on a transformational shift from focussing on long term care and support to early intervention, recovery and enabling people to live independently for as long as possible. Our mission is to make the best and most sustainable use of all resources available to the adult, their families and carers; to ensure they have access to information and tools to enable them to live healthily and independently for as long as possible; and, to exercise choice and control over their lives, while ensuring safety, dignity and quality of life for all the adults we work with, including those in need of long term care.

The Senior Practitioner will play a key part in providing social care services ensuring excellence of service across the department and within the multi-disciplinary team. The successful candidate will provide high quality assessment and intervention to customers experiencing a wide range of mental health problems, promoting recovery and independence, using Mental Health Care clusters to identify appropriate pathways and treatment plans with service users.

The Senior Practitioner will support the delivery of strength and asset based approaches promoting recovery and social inclusion with customers and families meeting agreed service standards under the Section 75 Partnership Agreement between ECC and Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT).

The post holder will contribute to change management, concluding ECC's transformation and ensuring it is configured for continuous improvement.

Core Accountabilities

Undertake comprehensive needs-led assessments under the Care Act 2014 and prepare, implementing and the monitoring of care plans

Working with service users and their families/carers

Attending and participating effectively in supervision by team leader/senior practitioner on regular basis in accordance with Directorate policies

Co-working effectively with other professionals including attending multidisciplinary case discussions and team meetings

Recording information accurately in line with ECC and SEPT policies

Expected to be committed to continuous workplace learning through organisations and attendance at social care forums and meetings

Any other duties as may A full valid driving license and car available for business use or access to a car and driver reasonably be required

Ensure social care services are commissioned with best value and personalised outcomes in mind and ensure that social care funded packages are reviewed on a regular basis in a robust way.

To contribute to the commissioning and provision of effective after-care services, including those required under s117 MHA, Care Act 2014 and CPA.

Professional qualification (educated to degree level in relevant subject area) and evidence of registration with HCPC i.e. DipSW, CQSW, CSS or other equivalent social work qualification. Other alternative recognised qualification as appropriate.

Skills and Knowledge

• Approved Mental Health Professional Mental Health Act 1983 as recognised by ECC.
• Evidence of continuing professional development / post qualifying training relevant to the post.
• Post qualifying knowledge and experience of Mental Health social work including statutory work.
• Experience of delivering public services in a complex, multi-disciplinary environment and ability to implement and maintain high quality of service delivery.
• Experience of working in a political environment, skills in understanding and responding to different perspectives and taking a cross organisational perspective.
• Ability to communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to advocate on behalf of clients.
• Proven ability to undertake Mental Health assessments.
• Ability to demonstrate supervisory skills.

Qualification certificates should be brought to interview.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

As part of employment with ECC should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please visit:

ECC is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found on https://www.workingforessex.com/benefits)

ECC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.

If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please contact the Recruitment Team on 03330135888