Specialist Community Forensic Team (SCFT)

Placement Overview

Placement TitleSpecialist Community Forensic Team, Riverside Centre
TrustGreater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH)
Your Placement ContactSteven Mariner, Barry Houghton, Emma Camac – Send Email
Placement Contacts RoleSteven Mariner, Barry Houghton – PEL, Emma Camac – Manager
Placement AddressPrestwich Hospital, Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 3BL
Placement City/TownBury/Prestwich
Placement Phone & Website0161 358 2040 – SCFT Service | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT
Your University ContactSam Roper – Send Email

About this placement

What is organised for students on commencement of placement?

Learners are encouraged to make contact prior to commencing placement to introduce themselves, discuss start date, shift pattern and expectations. Please wear your uniform.

Local and learner induction/orientation will take place on first day where possible. Key induction will be organised. Learners to comply with safety and security at all times.  

Welcome pack/letter will be emailed to the learner in advance of placement where possible.

There is on site parking and all learners are issued with free parking on their NET2 badge. You must ensure you have a GMMH learner ID Badge with you at all times. If you do not have a GMMH learner ID badge, you must contact the PEF asap (details below). You must not attend placement without it.

Introduction to Manager/ PEL and team.

What are the arrangements for mentors/assessors?

Learners are assigned to an assessor and supervisor(s) prior to commencing placement where possible. The Assessor or Supervisor will complete the initial interview during the first week where possible.

Learners will primarily work alongside multiple supervisors who will then provide feedback to the assessor.

The Assessor will meet with the learner at mid-point and final-point to provide feedback on development- these meetings will be scheduled in advance where possible.

What shift patterns are students allocated for learning?

Students are contracted to work 37.5 hours per week in practice

This is a Monday- Friday service which operates between the hours of 9am- 5pm

You are not permitted to take your break at the start or end of the shift.

If you plan on using your 1 week annual leave during placement, you need to discuss this in advance and with your HEI in agreement

You are not permitted to work in excess of 48 hours per week in total which includes placement, bank work, study days, any other type of work.

What patient care situations are available in this placement?

De escalation

Procedural and relational security

Health improvement initiatives such as screening, Podiatry, Chaplaincy, Physiotherapy, Dentist, Opticians, vaccination and lifestyle improvement support are also included within this service.

We have a Psychology Team and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) who also deliver care interventions.

What nursing model is used for planning care?

Health Care Model (Hodge). Bio/social/psycho/political, CPA

What core clinical skills can be learnt?

Mental state assessments

Care Planning

Risk Assessing

Risk formulation and management

Psychiatric/ MDT reviews

Physical health interventions

Home visits

1-1 sessions

Diverse/Complex mental health issues

Dual Diagnosis

IT/ care documentation

Therapeutic Risk Taking

Building therapeutic Relationships

Evaluating Care

Health and Safety

Developing communication skills

Interpersonal relationships

Engagement and disengagement skills

Team working

Record keeping

Mental state assessments/ triage

What additional clinical skills can be learnt?

Management of self harm

Medication Management

Attending CTM’s (ward rounds) and CPA reviews

Physical observations

Taking and presenting handovers

Management of those with substance misuse difficulties

Handovers

Team meetings

Delegation skills

Management skills

Working with outside agencies

Intensive interventions

Boundary setting

What resources are available to help students learning?

MDT reflective discussions

Skilled staff

Learner information booklet and noticeboard (where appropriate)

Coaching model

MDT learning

Trust wide CPD training

Learning hub

Information Folders

Range of spoke opportunities

Mental Health Act

Mental Capacity Act

CPA process

Internet/Intranet access

Trust on site library

Journals articles covering a range of relevant topics

Current journals

Library access at the Prestwich site

Learning packs

All members of the team are an excellent resource to support you in your learning e-learning programmes

Study days/in-house training

Spoke opportunities

What research and practice development activities are being undertaken?

Riverside research department

CQUIN

Least Restrictive Practice

My Shared Pathway

Spoke Placements

Learners can access a variety of spokes placements which are highlighted in the student welcome pack.

Meet the team…

The aim of the Specialist Community Forensic Team is to safely manage risk behaviour and reduce the reoccurrence of this in the future whilst also promoting the individual’s independence. This is done in a trauma informed way with the patient at the centre.

The team adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, members including;

Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists

Forensic Community Psychiatric Nurses

Clinical Engagement Workers

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Assistant Psychologists

(Trainee) Forensic Psychologist

Senior Nurse & Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Team/Operational/Service Manager

HMP Prisons (contact PEF to explore)

Learners are expected to complete a spoke placement feedback sheet on PARE to identify what learning outcomes they want to achieve, what they learnt from the spoke experience and a discussion with their assessor of their experience and what further development opportunities would support their learning.

Additional Information

If you are pregnant, please contact the University Placements Unit as soon as possible as you will not be accepted for a placement in this area.

The Specialist Community Forensic Team is part of the Adult Forensic Service within Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

This community-based team, provide care to support and supervise service users who have a diagnosis of a severe mental disorder and who may present with significant or serious risk to others. It is likely they will have an offending history and be subject to MOJ restrictions, or present with risks to others that warrant input from forensic services.

Within SCFT are several expert pathways which provide specialised knowledge and input working jointly with district community mental health teams and inpatient teams and other secure care providers.

Our aims…

The Assertive Transition Pathway

Provides specialist forensic follow up for patients discharged from secure mental health services provided by GMMH.

Consultancy Service (previously known as FAST)

Liaison clinics providing forensic risk management advice. These are time limited virtual sessions between SCFT members and the referring team.

The Personality and Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment and Liaison team (PASDALT)

Gatekeep specialist secure Personality Disorder and Autism Spectrum Condition beds for those with known or strongly suspended personality disorder and/or ASC who are currently involved with inpatient forensic mental health services or criminal justice services.

Sickness

Learners are expected to contact the ward and University absence email if they are not going to be attending placement due to sickness and follow Trust and University sickness and absence policies.

Dress Code

Learners are required to wear uniform and appropriate footwear as well as their GMMH ID badge at all times. Learners are expected to maintain a professional image service at all times in and outside clinical areas.

Practice education Facilitator: Lindsey Hodges

Contact detailslindsey.hodges@gmmh.nhs.uk