Experience

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  Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

  • Locum Senior SPOA (Single Point of Access) Triage Clinician

    • Aug 2021 - Present

    Leadership role supporting Sussex Partnership NHS CAMHS teams in developing an efficient and effective front door single point of advice (SPOA). Contribute to MDT working and participate in audit, liaising with external agency and partners, service development activities, including professional meetings and quality improvement.Providing training and supervision for junior colleagues to respond to issues that crop up on a day to day basis in relation to new referrals, ensure all new referrals are screened and triaged. Support junior staff to respond to referrers by gathering more information if needed and liaise with families, referrers as necessary. Arrange telephone virtual or face to face, crisis and /or a follow up assessments where required. Provide brief stand-alone interventions as part of the assessment process in order to maximize opportunities for young people and families to use self-help resources and access other community services following assessment.

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  South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

  • United Kingdom
  • Mental Health Care
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Locum Family Consultation Clinician

    • Nov 2020 - Aug 2021

    Brief Family Consultancy service within the Wandsworth Access Child and Youth Mental Health Team (Single Point of Access, SPA). Provide mental health screening assessments and brief family consultation interventions to children and adolescents experiencing a range of mental health, neurodevelopmental and emotional health difficulties. One off family sessions, working with parents/carers and young people to identify what is impacting on their wellbeing and how to improve it.

  • Locum CAMHS SPA Clinician

    • Oct 2019 - Nov 2020

    Sutton CAMHS SPA (Single Point of Access) - First point of contact for Children and Adolescents wanting to access Mental Health Treatment, for both routine and urgent referrals and enquiries. Provide mental health triage and assessment to enable service users to be directed to the most appropriate service to meet their needs. Work closely at times of mental health crisis with partner organisations from across the public and private sectors to signpost people to the most relevant services that will aid their recovery.

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  Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (previously managed by SimplifyHealth)

  • Guildford, United Kingdom

  • CAMHS SPA (Single Point of Access) Team Manager

    • Apr 2019 - Aug 2019
    • Guildford, United Kingdom

    Formerly known as:CAMHS One Stop - SimplifyHealth

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  SimplifyHealth (formerly Beacon UK)

  • Guildford, Surrey

  • CAMHS One Stop Team Manager

    • Aug 2018 - Apr 2019
    • Guildford, Surrey

    - Leading the day-to-day operations and managing the overall effective operational performance of the SPA and managing all SPA staff- Leading the setting and maintaining of a culture and practice in the SPA to provide a conducive, pleasant and professionally constructive work environment, providing leadership and direction across complex situations and maintaining effective working relationships with clinicians and other partners across the Trust.- Recruiting, training & development and taking overall clinical and management responsibility for the SPA staff.- Demonstrating clinical leadership to SPA staff and external provider partners, providing an advanced level of clinical expertise in evidence based triage, assessment and advice- Identification and implementation of strategies to enhance operations and develop and improve service provision at the SPA, challenging the status quo as required- Leading on the timely and accurate reporting and analysis of all statistics relevant to the SPA and wider partnership, in partnership with the Business Analyst.- Leading on strategies to enhance electronic transactions with internal and external customers and stakeholders, including Service Directory & Performance Dashboard. - Ensuring compliance with all related contractual and legal /regulatory requirements and analysing and interpreting national policy that may impact on the design and operational running of the SPA- Completion and monitoring compliance of required Audits- Representing Beacon UK in all access and SPA matters with SABP- Providing a key interface to US counterparts to ensure that learning is shared and maximised across US and UK organisations - Working closely with the Beacon UK Programme Director to identify future opportunities and lead on delegated tasks- Participate in the on-call rota as required

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  Beacon UK

  • Leatherhead, Surrey

  • CAMHS One Stop Senior Clinician

    • Jan 2017 - Aug 2018
    • Leatherhead, Surrey

    Beacon UK (One Stop Surrey Mindsight CAMHS) provides a single point of Access (SPA) service for professionals wanting to refer children and adolescents (0-18 year olds) with mental health and development needs who require assessment and treatment. This includes the management of crisis, urgent and routine referrals, providing advice to young people, families and professionals about mental health services available in the Surrey & Borders area. As well as the SPA, One Stop provides utilisation management, business intelligence and a comprehensive Service Directory.Current responsibilities include:- Managing incoming referral and enquiry calls and facilitating case flow within the service for allotted appointments, clinician advice, rapid clinical triage and professional referrals.- Point of contact for initial clinical queries, providing the appropriate advice and guidance and navigating the caller to the right care pathway or service, in order to ensure the Access Centre operates a no wrong door approach.- Liaise with young people and families waiting to establish current presentation and give advice whilst waiting for assessment/intervention.-Manage crisis calls by assessing risk and navigate to a crisis appointment within a specific timeframe.

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  PSYCH EXPERT LIMITED

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Director and Sole Shareholder

    • Jan 2017 - Aug 2018
    • London, United Kingdom

    Providing short term contract work and brief interventions, consultation and advice to mental health services and organizations throughout Southwest London and surrounding areas.Providing advice, brief intervention, and signposting to relevant community resources to children, adolescents and families.

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  South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust

  • Sutton CAMHS

  • (Locum) SPA (Single Point of Access) Lead Clinician

    • Aug 2016 - Dec 2016
    • Sutton CAMHS

    First point of contact for Children and Adolescents wanting to access Mental Health Treatment, for both routine and urgent referrals and enquiries.Provided mental health triage and assessment to enable service users to be directed to the most appropriate service to meet their needs. Worked closely at times of mental health crisis with partner organisations from across the public and private sectors to signpost people to the most relevant services that will aid their recovery.Pprovided mental health screening assessments and brief family consultation interventions to children and adolescents experiencing a range of mental health, neurodevelopmental and emotional health difficulties.

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  Wandsworth Borough Council

  • Wandsworth

  • (Locum) Primary Mental Health Worker

    • Apr 2016 - Aug 2016
    • Wandsworth

    -To contribute advice, information and recommendations to assist in the development and implementation of the Local Authority's new initiative, the Intensive Intervention Team (IIT) on meeting the needs of children and their families.- Provide on going clinical consultation to social work staff within the Child In Need team about child development and issues related to the emotional health and well-being of children, young people and their families and support referrals to appropriate services-In collaboration with the network, offer and deliver therapeutic intervention to children, young people and their families when the need is identified. The nature of the interventions might include using systemic techniques, CBT, mentalizing approaches and/or psychodynamic ways of working.- To participate in regular team meetings, and represent the team at meetings. This will include Team around the Child or Family (TAC/TAF) and Child Protection meetings where “signs of safety” is used.

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  South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

  • Lewisham CAMHS

  • (Locum) CAMHS Practioner

    • Nov 2015 - Mar 2016
    • Lewisham CAMHS

    • Assessment and treatment of children's mental health, emotional, behavioural and developmental issues• Assessment and referral on to other services, where appropriate.• Management of own caseload• Awareness and participation in child protection• Attendance at child protection case conferences and submission of reports in relation to child protection issues • Specialised individual, family or group therapeutic work – independent or joint work with colleagues • Liaison and consultation with other professionals.• Participate in the planning and delivery of Multi-Agency care.• Practice in a manner, which reflects current best practice and research. Initiate and participate in audit and research.• Undertake risk assessment and risk management

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  Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

  • Greenwich CAMHS

  • MST Therapist

    • Jul 2010 - Jul 2015
    • Greenwich CAMHS

    - Provided home based community behavioural therapeutic services to families of adolescents who exhibit anti-social behaviour as part of a START Trial U.S. pilot program funded in part through the Department of Health and University College London.- Assisted in completing suitability assessments for potential participants of the program- Collaborated and engaged with all appropriate stakeholders working in partnership with other disciplines to ensure effective links with statutory and non statutory care agencies

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  London Borough of Croydon

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Senior Social Worker

    • Mar 2009 - Jul 2010
    • London, United Kingdom

    Child Protection, Intake and Assessments, Long Term work

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  PsychTemps, Inc.

  • Rosemont, Illinois

  • Clinical Care Manager

    • Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
    • Rosemont, Illinois

    - Conducted telephone assessments for authorization of mental health services through managed care company.- Collected sufficient data to make appropriate referral and authorization decisions.- Facilitated coordination with other care managers to assure continuity of care.- Evaluated clinical appropriateness of treatment using professional knowledge within company Clinical Policy and Procedures and Benefit Plan requirements.

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  London Borough of Merton

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Social Worker

    • Nov 2007 - Jul 2008
    • London, United Kingdom

    Child Protection assessments

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  Riveredge Hospital

  • Greater Chicago Area

  • Master Assessment Speacialist

    • 2005 - 2007
    • Greater Chicago Area

    - Mental health assessment of patients presenting to the hospital, involved in admission, transfer or referrals to appropriate services.- Assessed emergency room patients for risk of suicidality and/or homicidality, issues of domestic violence, and needed community resources- Collaborated with managed care companies, community resources, and area hospitals to provide patient transfers and other needed services

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  Kmetko & Associates, Ltd.

  • Chicago, Illinois

  • Consultant

    • 2005 - 2006
    • Chicago, Illinois

    -Completed home studies requested from an out of state agency wishing to place a child or children, for whom the sending state has legal responsibility, with a caregiver in Illinois. -Provided comprehensive written reports regarding a family's background and appropriateness for placement and made recommendations for placement and/or other services.

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  Southwest Women Working Together (SWWT)

  • Chicago, Illinos

  • Marketing and Development Officer

    • 2004 - 2005
    • Chicago, Illinos

    Supported the development of the Marketing and Business Development function, responsible for specific marketing campaigns and projects within the department, created and over saw the implementation of fundraising events, worked closely with local business to solicit monies and volunteers to participate in events, and actively sought opportunities for and to develop new business opportunities for this not-for-profit, community based women’s organization which served women primarily from the south side of Chicago.

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  University of Chicago Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School

  • Program Manager

    • Jan 2001 - Oct 2003

    - Provided clinical supervision for up to six residential staff workers and social work interns- Provided individual psychotherapy, group and family therapy to residents of the school and their families.- Participated in personnel selection, retention, and promotion decisions- Completed regularly scheduled performance evaluations of personnel- Maintained clinical records are current and update (IEP’s, treatment plans)- Participated in development of policies and procedures for school

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  Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4)

  • Chicago, IL

  • SASS (Screening Assessment and Support Services)

    • 1997 - 2001
    • Chicago, IL

    - Provided crisis intervention and follow-up services to children and adolescents experiencing a psychiatric crisis- Evaluated the child’s need for psychiatric hospitalization, and either assisted the family in that process or created a safety plan for the home. - Provided 90 days of intensive follow-up services after the crisis to help stabilize the child and family.

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  Ravenswood Hospital

  • Crisis Worker

    • 1994 - 1998

    - Assessed emergency room patients for risk of suicidality and/or homicidality, issues of domestic violence, and needed community resources- Provided crisis counseling to callers on the hospital’s crisis line- Collaborated with managed care companies, community resources, and area hospitals to provide patient transfers and other needed services