Assistant Practitioner Perinatal Physical Health Wellbeing

The post holder(s) will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to the effective provision of Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Services to an identified caseload of women.

Improving the physical health of our clients and reducing the impact of inequality on poor health outcomes (both maternal and child) has been identified as a need in our current service provision and this new post reflects this.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups and in particular LGBTQ+ and BAME applicants.

The post holder will assist in the identification of physical health and lifestyle needs, and participate in the delivery and evaluation of interventions developed to meet those needs. Working alongside mothers experiencing moderate to severe perinatal mental health problems, and including those with pre-existing severe mental health disorders. The post holder will contribute to holistic community assessments, in a range of settings, with a strong emphasis on promoting optimum physical health and wellbeing. The post holder will actively work with families and carers in their own home and in the community settings flexibly and will offer practical support and advice based on the identified needs of service users , partners and their children.

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Undertaking person centred lifestyle assessments, in a sensitive manner, empowering mothers to make positive change. This may include discussions regarding nutrition, exercise, smoking, alcohol use, substance misuse, sexual health – both in pregnancy and in the postnatal period.

To provide appropriate information/education to service users, families and carers relating to physical health and lifestyle ensuring informed decision making.

Make appropriate referrals and support to access relevant lifestyle improvement initiatives available.

Provide support, motivation and development of appropriate action plan for each client.

Carry out review meetings to assess progress and provide long term motivation and guidance, using solution focussed or motivational interviewing skills as appropriate.

Produce progress or activity reports as required in relation to interventions offered.

Evaluate and feedback clients’ responses to the intervention and modify in discussion with multi disciplinary colleagues.

Whilst working with clients and community groups, identify barriers and possible solutions to making sustainable lifestyle changes, reporting these back to the lead professional involved.

To contribute to planning, development, implementation and evaluation of individual care interventions related to physical health and wellbeing during the perinatal period.

To identify, obtain and if appropriate carry out appropriate diagnostic/ assessment techniques to identify and respond to clients’ physical health needs in a range of settings.

For women who have severe mental illness and are prescribed mood stabilisers or antipsychotic medication work alongside lead professionals to ensure that appropriate monitoring tests are performed and accurately recorded, and any concerns escalated as necessary.

If necessary and appropriate, accompany and provide support to women undergoing physical health tests.

Obtain necessary results from blood tests and other investigations and record accurately in electronic patient record, escalating to medical staff when necessary.

Liaison as necessary with maternity and primary care regarding the physical health needs of clients.

Please refer to the attached Job Description for full list of duties and responsibilities