Meds. Service and Physical Health Lead Nurse (Mental Health) R&R Team

An exciting opportunity has arisen to take on a one year secondment in the role of Medication Service Lead Nurse within the Recovery and Rehabilitation Team in Croydon, This post is 22.5 per week and a band 6 post. However there is an opportunity for the right candidate to work full-time- with 2 days a week as a care coordinator.
The Lead Medication Nurse will be responsible for managing the medication service within the team, including the phlebotomy service and Clozapine clinic, the Depot Clinic, and management and ordering of all prescribed mental health medications and equipment needed. They will also carry out the physical assessments of the service users, including Pre-CPA bloods, and of liaising closely with Team Medics and GPs where indicated. The Lead nurse will manage and be responsible for Pochi including pre and post checks, and ensuring results are properly followed up. They will also be the lead person liaising with pharmacy and suppliers for stocking the clinic rooms and are responsible for infection control. They will also support the care coordinators to manage physical health care, medication adherence, titrations, side-effects, education and more; supporting and engaging in a sensitive manner, communicating with clients and their carers to discuss treatment options and engaging
patients to relevant support services, and onward treatment pathways, This is a varied and challenging role and requires an experienced mental health nurse with knowledge of working with service users with severe and enduring mental health problems, the physical health issues that are common and the ability to care plan appropriately for them collaboratively with the service user, the care coordinator and other health care providers. You will will also assess mental state and engage with people who are not always keen to, to support the best outcomes for their health issues with our services.
You will be a part of a diverse multidisciplinary mental health team integrating staff from health, and social care. The team offers a wide range of focussed interventions to service users with a range of diagnoses who all live in Croydon-Funded Supported accommodations. You will provide support to the management of the team and clinical leadership within the team. You will coordinate and lead on internal and external interfaces.
You will be supported through regular supervision and access to training. We are committed to helping to develop the people who come to work with us. We know that the Trust can only be as good as the people who work here, and we'll invest in you to maximise that potential. That's why we welcome and value people so highly., Lead Nurse Role, includes but not limited to;
+ Take the lead in running the clinic. To ensure that service users are adequately assessed, treated with dignity, and not kept waiting unnecessarily.
+ Set up clinic in the morning and on time to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the clinics on a Monday for clozapine, and Tuesday or Wednesday or for depot clinics.
+ Check patient identities by checking name and/or date of birth/ medications to be managed in accordance with SLAM medicines policy.
+ Ensure correct samples are taken, labelled and either processed through the onsite PoCHI or dispatched to viapath / kings appropriately. Fill in/ oversee blood forms are correctly filled in as required.
+ Carry out mental state assessment of patients, and give next appointment date and time.
+ Carry out physical health checks as required, including asking the clients about side effects specifically relating to clozapine/Olanzapine and other psychiatric medications.
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+ Completion of phlebotomy, ensuring safe practice and following infection control procedures.
+ Joint care planning with the client and MDT for "difficult to bleed" clients, which may include organisation of support for client to attend Croydon University Hospital.
+ In conjunction with STR worker/ANP allocated in each clinic, follow up non-attendance on the same day via telephone call and with an email to the relevant person and the home provider. This includes notifying the team/CC of non-attendance via email/ through use of duty diary for urgent follow up. Provide additional date for client to attend for bloods in the event of a DNA.
+ Ensure rooms are left clean and tidy at end of clinic.
+ Ensure clinic list is completed and sent back to pharmacy either by yourself or clinic support with team copied in.
+ Ensure all attendances and client interactions are accurately documented on EPJS
+ Arrange for removal of full sharps boxes and clinical waste with support from Queens Reception staff as required.
+ Advise team/ Care Co-ordinator and consultant for clients who have not attended along with any follow up actions or the alternative date for the client to attend. Also advise the same of any unusual presentation or complaint including risk issues.
+ Use electronic diary to book next appointment for clients
+ In conjunction with the administrator, ensure adequate supplies to the clinic such as catering supplies, phlebotomy equipment , SLAM supplies (e.g. SLAM patient stickers), ZTAS supplies , (e.g. patient ID labels,) and Viapath supplies (e.g. Viapath forms) .
+ Inform team via email that physical monitoring tests or Clozapine levels have been taken for each clinic.
+ Be available for and participate in clinic meetings when deemed necessary.
+ Initiate and participate in any appropriate audits.
+ Support the Associate Nurse led physical health clinic
+ Support all team members with care planning around medications, and physical health
Monitoring and supervision of STR workers/ANP to support the Lead nurse as required, which may include completion of phlebotomy duties for trained STR's. Completion of Vital signs and documentation of clinic attendance.
The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:
+ Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
+ Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
+ We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity
Please note:
+ That all applications for this post will need to be made online
+ That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
+ That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
+ That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
+ That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
+ That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
+ That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
+ That we are a smoke-free Trust
SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe'

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.
We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.
The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.
As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close-knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer
Some of our benefits :
+ Generous pay, pensions and leave.
+ Work life balance
+ Career development
+ Car lease.
+ Accommodation
+ NHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website.
Other benefits include:
+ Counselling services
+ Wellbeing events
+ Long service awards
+ Cycle to work scheme
+ Season ticket loan
+ Childcare vouchers
+ Staff restaurants