Job Description

Peripatetic Mental Health Officer Learning Disability Services

A dynamic and enthusiastic Peripatetic Mental Health Officer is required to join Aberdeenshire Council’s Learning Disability Mental Health Officer Services. Your main function within this post is to undertake to a high standard, all aspects of Mental Health Officer duties across the Adults with Incapacity Act including sufficiently authorised Discharge from Hospital; 2003 Act civil investigations, detentions, applications and reviews; mentally disordered offenders work; and Adult Protection duties.

This involves multi-disciplinary assessment and integrated care planning with the securing of appropriate resources to enable the care and treatment necessary for people’s recovery. You will ensure Aberdeenshire Council fulfils our statutory obligations in-line with relevant policies and procedures. You will be working alongside people of all ages experiencing a range of mental disorders, their families and carers, whilst assisting to identify unmet need and participating in service improvement.

Applications are invited from qualified Social Workers (BA, DipSW, CQSW or CSS) who must be registered with the SSSC and hold the MHO Award whilst continuing to fulfil MHO registration requirements.

Applicants will have experience in all aspects of Mental Health Officer duties across the Mental Health (Care & Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, Mentally Disordered Offenders legislation and the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

You will be based in Portlethen or another negotiable location with a need to serve the whole of Aberdeenshire. The ability to travel within and outwith Aberdeenshire is essential which will be supported through access to the Club Car Vehicle Scheme.

Placement within the Senior Practitioner grade provides the opportunity to support other MHOs with practice development through mentoring and practice assessing. Support for Continuous Professional Development and MHO Registration is provided in the form of 8 weekly supervision, group supervision, quarterly MHO Forums and a minimum of two days training per year.

The range of duties requires good oral and written communication skills, the ability to positively manage risk, commitment to integrated working and to working in partnership with people accessing our service and their Carers.

This a fixed term position for a period not exceeding 31 March 2025

Requirements

This post is regulated work with Children and/or Protected Adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

It is a material condition of employment for this post that the employee holds a current full driving licence and has a car available, whenever required, in order to undertake the full range of duties of the post. As such, the post is designated as an authorised car user and will be entitled to receive mileage payments.

This post has a minimum requirement of two references, one of these must be your current or most recent employer.

Informal enquiries to Greg Muldoon - 07824 473938

A Privacy Notice giving you information on the data we hold on you, what we do with that data, who we share your data with and your rights under GDPR is available here. Alternatively we can send a copy if you ask us to by emailing askhr@aberdeenshire.gov.uk.