Perinatal Support Worker

Northamptonshire Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service has an exciting opportunity for a Band 4 Support Worker to join our expanding Multi-Disciplinary Team.

The service is currently growing in line with the NHS Long Term Plan and we are looking to recruit someone who will work as part of the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, supporting clinical staff, women and their families. The post holder will work closely with the occupational therapy and perinatal nursery nurse staff in the development, delivery and evaluation of both individual and group programmes. The post holder will also undertake Physical Health Checks to include ECGs, phlebotomy and any other tests required.

The Service operates across the county, with office bases in Northampton and Rushden. Women are seen in children's centres, their homes and community settings as well as hospitals on occasion. The team provides assessment and intervention to women experiencing or at an increased chance of experiencing moderate to severe mental health conditions during pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum. The service works closely with Maternity, Health Visiting, GP's, statutory community services and 3rd sector organisations., The support worker will undertake baseline and ongoing physical health checks and will be able to engage with women and their families, supporting them in a co-constructed manner, focusing on desired future goals and solution building.

You will develop strong links with carers and all organisations promptly from the point of initial contact and support the service user to develop a co-produced management plan that allows them to contain their current crisis and build on existing skills and community links to further support their future management and wellbeing.

The support worker will be supervised by a perinatal practitioner and will be closely supported as necessary in the management of risks and the delivery of care by the team.

The support worker will have clear pathways of escalation and will work within the bounds of existing NHFT policy and procedures as required.

You will be proactive in seeking out the positive support networks available in the community for each individual which may help them in their recovery., NHFT is committed to building a diverse workforce, ensuring staff are treated fairly at work and ensuring all staff have the learning and development they need on equality in order to undertake their job role.

NHFT is an Outstanding rated integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools. We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire