ETOC Team Leader

Job overview

King’s is one of the UK’S largest and busiest teaching Trusts and has a unique profile of local services and focused tertiary specialities, together with an international reputation for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, fetal medicine, cardiac and blood cell cancer and major trauma.

We are seeking five exceptional individuals to act as ETOC team leaders, providing a 24/7 triage and assessment service for our most vulnerable patients. The postholder will work closely with emergency department and inpatient ward staff, providing expert assessment and allocation of resources, and providing motivational leadership to a team of junior staff, role modelling a psychologically safe and trauma-informed approach.

Main duties of the job

To ETOC team leader is a vital role within the KCH Enhanced Therapeutic Observations and Care team, providing expert triage, risk assessment and dynamic management of enhanced care across the Denmark Hill site. The post holder will:

• Triage all requests for ETOC at Denmark Hill, providing a face to face assessment and risk formulation, and allocating resource as appropriate
• Support the development and monitor the delivery of detailed risk and care plans with the wider team
• Provide a fast response supporting teams in managing emergencies involving MH or behaviour that challenges
• Ensure effective handovers and a constant and dynamic review of the ETOC caseload, moving resources in response to pragmatic risk formulation
• Providing excellent liaison and communication with MHLTs, Vulnerabilities, Security and other relevant teams
• Develop collaborative relationships with care group matrons, ward managers and other MDT team members
• Support the MH Matron and Associate Director of Nursing for Mental Health with the wider Trust agenda where appropriate
• Provide direct supportive supervision to junior ETOC staff

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Operate a 24/7 single point of access triage service for Enhanced Therapeutic Observations and Care across the entire Denmark Hill site, responding quickly to referrals and providing rapid assessment and risk formulation
• Providing leadership alongside 4 other B7 ETOC Team Leaders to a team of RMNs and CSWs focussed on providing high quality and effective ETOC to the Acute Specialty Medicine wards and Emergency Department at Denmark Hill
• Providing advice on level and duration of observations, allocating and moving resource as required and seeking further staffing through staff bank as required
• Maintaining an accurate and dynamic caseload of all patients receiving enhanced care across the Denmark Hill site, and facilitating regular rolling review throughout the day enabling step down at the earliest opportunity and if required, an increase in support if necessary
• Mobilising and supporting resource within the team to develop individualised and person-centred care plans, ensuring patients are engaged therapeutically with a view to proactively managing potential distress and escalations and ensuring successful admission and outcomes
• Role model a psychologically safe and trauma informed approach throughout the team, both in relation to patient care and within working relationshps
• Provide authorative and expert advice and management of emergencies related to mental health care or behaviour that challenges, taking a lead role where required
• Coordinate and collaborate with liaison psychiatry, medical, and nursing teams
• Ensure accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with Trust policies.

Person specification

Education, Qualifications

Essential criteria

• NMC Registration Mental Health Nurse
• Evidence of continued professional development

Desirable criteria

• Experience of acting as a duty senior nurse in a mental health setting, or similar
• Training in trauma-informed care, mindfulness or grounding techniques
• NMC Registered Adult, Paediatric or LD Nurse

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Extensive experience in mental health nursing within a hospital setting
• Experience working in mental health crisis care or Liaison Psychiatry
• Experience of managing acute risk in the context of mental illness, physical health and psychological distress
• A thorough working knowledge of relevant legislation including Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act 1998, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2007, Care Act 2014 and other safeguarding legislation

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Ability to form effective working relationships with patients and their families, and to engage in safety planning and risk management
• Ability to evaluate complex psychosocial needs of patients and those close to them
• A thorough understanding of risk and the management of risk, particularly in relation to mental health, suicide and self-harm
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care to meet the needs of service users

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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