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VACANCY INFORMATION

Contents Application information About the work and the team Job description Person specification

APPLICATION INFORMATION THE JOB

Job title Dementia Link Worker

Recruiting manager Carolanne Mainland

Where 35 hr post Inverness

fixed term until end of March 2014 (with possible extension)

Address for application Woodlands, 23A Culduthel Road, Inverness, IV2 45AN

E-mail [email protected]

Telephone 01463 713424

Closing date 5th Aug 2013 (You will hear within 7 days of the closing date if you have been invited for an interview.)

Interview date to be confirmed

WHERE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FORM

To the e-mail address (preferred) or postal address in “The Job” box above.

President: Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT, FBA, FRSE · Registered Office: 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN · Alzheimer Scotland – Action on Dementia is a company limited by guarantee and is registered as a charity by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator · Registered in Scotland 149069 Scottish Charity No. SC022315 About the Work and the Team

Make a real difference: help us to make sure no one goes through dementia on their own.

Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Highland and Highland Council have joined forces to improve and expand services for people with dementia by introducing a network of Dementia Link Workers across Highland. We now need a very special person to join us in this exciting initiative.

This Dementia Link Worker post works as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Community Mental Health Team in Inverness. The post is for fixed term until end of March 2014 with possible extension. Dementia Link Workers in conjunction with members of a multi-disciplinary team support individuals with dementia, their families and friends from diagnosis onwards, providing ongoing support and information, signposting and connecting people to peer supports or appropriate services. They will primarily support people within their own communities and help develop coping strategies for people with dementia and their carers.

2 Alzheimer Scotland

JOB DESCRIPTION

Dementia Link Worker

Purpose of the Post

The CMHT Dementia Link Worker will be based in (CMHT) and will be part of the range of services attached to the CMHT. The worker will provide advice, information and support to people with dementia, their carers and families who are in the process, or have been diagnosed with dementia.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Function as a core member of the Community Mental Health Team, focusing on people newly diagnosed with dementia, acting as a key worker, where appropriate, and facilitating change of key worker to other specialist team members as individual’s conditions or needs change.

2. To manage a caseload and carry out ongoing assessments of the cognitive state of service users.

3. To attend the Memory Clinics and undertake assessments, reviews and information giving as requested by the Consultant Psychiatrist.

4. To provide information, advice and support service for people who are in the process, or have been recently diagnosed with dementia, their carers and families and assist the person and their family to come to terms with their condition.

5. To act as a named person from the onset of a diagnosis to ensure that service users and carers know whom they can contact as and when required for information, advice and support.

6. To enable service users and carers to be more informed and plan their own pathway through dementia, including assisting and or sign posting individuals who choose to pursue Self Directed Support.

7. To utilise a health promotion type approach to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the range of diseases known as dementia. Activities would include talks and presentations on advice and information to professionals and the general public.

8. To ensure that information provided is accurate and up to date and tailored to the needs of the individual.

9. To facilitate access to a range of support services at an early stage of the illness.

10. To liaise and collaborate with other professionals involved in providing dementia support and care services.

3 11. If appropriate, facilitate the establishment of support groups/social groups for service users and /or their carers and families. These may include short term educational groups, mixed groups and social groups.

12. To record and monitor all work undertaken, including production of performance indicators, work plans and evaluation reports as required.

13. To keep case files for service users up to date (written or electronically) as required and in accordance with Health Service National Guidelines.

14. To participate in CMHT meetings and training courses as necessary, and to participate in both formal clinical and management supervision sessions.

15. To contribute to the supervision or development of students or trainees when appropriate.

16. To undertake any other tasks consistent with the general remit of the post.

Accountability

(line management Alzheimer Scotland, clinical support from CMHT)

Salary

The post is graded at Scottish Joint Council spinal column points 27-30 (£23,779- £26,325)

This job description is open to review at any time by the partner organisations to the initiative.

4 Alzheimer Scotland

Person Specification

Dementia Link Worker

This person specification should be read with the job description for the post of Dementia Link Worker. Please note that the competencies are not ranked in priority order.

The following criteria will be used in short-listing candidates and in appointing the successful applicant.

Competency Essential Desirable Professional attitudes Understanding of and and values. empathy with Alzheimer Scotland’s aims and values.

Understanding of the principles, values and practice of community care and joint working

Experience of successful working in community care services, health care setting, or a social care or work setting. Qualifications Recognised professional Recognised qualification in social care, professional social work, nursing, qualification in occupational therapy, Dementia Care. community work, SVQ level 4 in counselling or other Health and Social related occupations to a Care minimum of SVQ Level 3 or Nursing Grade 5

Full driving licence and access to a vehicle during working time. Work experience Experience of working with Experience of and providing services to working with or people with dementia and within Old Age their carers. Psychiatry Services.

Experience of person

5 centred planning and assessment.

Experience of working in Experience of an unsupervised manner management and and of being responsible leadership in a for and organising their community care, own workload. social care, social work or health care setting.

Budgeting Experience and awareness of budgets. Communication Good interpersonal and Awareness and or communication and experience of IT telephone skills systems and software. IT literate.

Ability to produce written reports and routine communication with minimal administrative assistance. Professional Ability to work as part of a relationships team and to initiate, sustain and respond to various people within an interagency environment.

Ability to relate purposefully and communicate effectively with person with dementia and their carers in a range of settings and in a manner, which shows a sensitivity and understanding of their needs. April 2009