Perinatal Mental Health Social Worker

We are looking for a clinician with a special interest in improving care for women, birthing people and their families. Experience of working in the perinatal mental health field is desirable; a keen interest in this specialist area is essential.The Perinatal Mental Health service provides specialist, multidisciplinary perinatal mental health care for women from preconception, during pregnancy and up to two years postnatal who live in Bedfordshire and Luton.To help support you with the above we offer a robust induction and tailored training is given and encouraged. ELFT perinatal teams do offer regular in-house training opportunities to learn from each other with the aim to continuously improve our practice.

1.1 To support the delivery of, highly specialist evidence based assessment, careplanning, treatment and review for service users in the perinatal period.

1.2 To provide specialist consultation, advice and support to Trust inpatient andcommunity services on best practice when working with women/birthing people in the perinatalperiod

1.3 To work intensively with a small complex and challenging group of pregnant women/birthing peopleor those with an infant up to two year old.

1.4 To work with colleagues to establish a clear process and criteria for receivingreferrals to undertake direct work or information for advice and liaison work.

1.5 To assist in setting up structures that allows the dissemination of knowledge andskills regarding working with perinatal service users in inpatient and communityservices.

1.6 To liaise and work with Mother and Baby Units

1.7 To work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team exercising professionalresponsibility with team guidance and supervision, to provide risk assessment,monitoring and review of women with complex need in the perinatal period.

1.8 To be mindful of the needs of women, children, young people, families andindividuals from a wide range of racial, cultural, sexual, religious and socialbackgrounds and to develop, with colleagues, sensitive and innovative ways ofmeeting these needs.

1.9 To participate in perinatal service users have a perinatal planning meetings, pre-birthand post-birth .

1.10 To participate in team multi-disciplinary meetings, CPA Meetings and other Child Protection meetings/case conferences.

1.11 To be responsible for monitoring and recording and reporting on clinical work and communicating highly complex clinical information to a variety of recipients e.g. patients, families and carers, other professionals orally and in writing.

1.12 To record relevant information at the time of referral, during ongoing work, and for evaluation purposes as consistent with the policies and protocols of ELFT record keeping policies.

1.14 To seek consultation with clinical supervisor and line manager on clinical work and participate in regular supervision.

1.15 To be aware of and comply with all Trust policies and procedures and in particular follow and promote the Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children Policy and the Perinatal Mental Health Policy.

1.16 To provide assessment, health education and guidance to partners of women in the perinatal period

1.17 To develop an assessment clinic for partners and co parents of women in the service

2.1 To work with colleagues to promote and evolve a perinatal mental health service for the assigned locality.

2.2 To ensure appropriate links are maintained with colleagues in perinatal mental health services, safeguarding children and parental mental health services across the Trust and other related services within the Trust and other agencies.

2.3 To attend ELFT Trust wide meetings as appropriate.

3.1 To ensure documentation and care plans are developed, are comprehensive and consistent with the policies and protocols of the Trust. 3.2 To be responsible for monitoring, recording and reporting on clinical work and communicating complex clinical information to a variety of recipients e.g. patients, families and carers and other professionals, both verbally and in writing.

3.3 To provide clinical information as required for input into local and ELFT electronic data collection systems.

3.4 To adhere to all Trust policies.

3.5 With the line manager, to construct a job-plan, which contains workload targets in line with service needs and local agreements.

4.1 To be knowledgeable about, and advise on best practice on treatment of pregnant and postpartum women, with particular regard to relevant NICE guidelines and MBRRACE reports.

4.2 To be knowledgeable about, and advise on best practice on safeguarding children, incorporating latest guidelines, policy and statutory requirements.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Education and qualifications

Experience

Skills and Abilities

Desirable: - Ability to develop and deliver training on perinatal mental health and associated issues such as safeguarding children, domestic violence

Knowledge and Understanding

Desirable: - Understanding of clinical governance and audit issues

Other requirements relevant to the post

Desirable: - Evidence of networking with the field of perinatal mental health