JOB DESCRIPTION Independent Mental Health Advocate

JOB DESCRIPTION – Independent Mental Health Advocate

POST TITLE: Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA)

RESPONSIBLE TO: Chief Officer - VCAT

LOCATION: Oakland House, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 0PQ

SALARY: £24,716 (pro rata), plus Pension scheme, Health benefits

HOURS: P/T - 18 hours per week

ANNUAL LEAVE: 25 days (pro rata)

GENERAL

Trafford Mental Health Advocacy Service (TMHAS) is hosted by Voluntary and Community Action Trafford (VCAT). The small team of three part-time IMHA Advocates is based in Oakland House, Old Trafford, and delivers Mental Health advocacy support services to three hospitals across Trafford.

TMHAS is a member of the Trafford Advocacy Partnership.

JOB SUMMARY:

The post-holder will work with people affected by mental illness, detained and receiving in-patient care at Trafford hospitals and Trafford residents subject to Community Treatment / Guardianship orders.

The IMHA will offer advocacy services to people who qualify for the statutory provision under the Mental Health Act who feel they have difficulties expressing their wishes, understanding and defending their rights or getting their point of view heard by others. 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.

Excellent communication and organisation skills are essential and the post holder must have good ICT skills.

The post-holder will work with the support of Trafford Mental Health Advocacy team, will be supervised and accountable to VCAT Chief Officer.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Offer advocacy services to the client group based upon their instructions.

· Provide non – instructed advocacy for qualifying patients who lack capacity.

· Liaise with service users, service providers, members of multi-disciplinary team, care co-ordinators, solicitors, local safeguarding trams, relatives, carers and any other relevant stakeholders in Trafford.

· Attend meetings with or on behalf of their client, including ward rounds and CPA reviews.

· Attend Service development meetings as required.

· Signposting to advice and information services or specialist referral if appropriate, (e.g. legal services, other advocacy providers, health and wellbeing specialist services).

· Record and disseminate data in order to evaluate and review the service.

· Work in line with all policies and procedures including but not exclusive to confidentiality and data protection.

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 Trustees 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.

· Safeguarding concerns will be reported to the relevant party immediately following consultation with VCAT Chief Officer. 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.

· This job description is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements of the post holder. The line manager may stipulate other reasonable requirements. The job description will be reviewed regularly and may be subject to change.