Job Description

The Mental Health Integrated Access Partnership (IAP) is an award-winning and nationally-recognised endeavour, which is transforming urgent and emergency care services for people in mental health crisis.



In an innovative collaboration between BrisDoc Healthcare Services, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Foundation Trust and South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust - as well as Avon and Somerset Police, Avon Fire and Rescue, and voluntary sector organisations - the IAP provides a truly integrated front door service for urgent and emergency mental health care for people in crisis, across both 999 and 111.



We work tirelessly to ensure the patient receives the right care at the right time, providing a seamless, coordinated response that addresses both mental and physical health needs. Working alongside emergency service, urgent care and voluntary sector colleagues, the IAP provides a range of 24/7 services within the South-West, from our sites across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.



You will provide a specialist and timely response for people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis, facilitating improved patient outcomes and experience. You will identify a person's needs, enabling appropriate signposting and onward referrals to services, with the aim of reducing inappropriate access to Accident and Emergency departments and detention under S136 of the Mental Health Act. This will be via telephone triage and also via face-to-face assessments in the community, with support and supervision of the wider team, including oversight from the Clinical Coordinator on shift.



This role will necessitate working rotational shift patterns and unsociable hours across a number of bases. The service runs 24/7 and so this position includes a range of day, evening and weekend working.



We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.



We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.



Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.



At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.



Please see job description.



This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with trust policy, all newly qualified social workers will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances in which case it may be agreed to extend this for a further 2 years.



On successful completion of the ASYE, for which you will be given full support of an experienced Social Worker as well as Divisional Social Work Lead, and peer support from other ASYE candidates, you will then be eligible to progress to a Band 6 position.



If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role this will be an automatic progression, following confirmation of your successful completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy.