Profile

Photo:

Early Intervention Team

Curriculum Vitae

  • Education:

    There are many routes to working within a team such as the EIP Team. Depending on the role, the following experiences and courses are often taken before joining the team:

    • Life experience or having a lived experience of mental health issues
    • CSEs and GCSEs
    • Volunteering in the NHS or EIP team
    • College Access Course in Health and Social Care
    • Nursing/Social Work/Occupational Therapy/Psychology Diploma or Degree
    • Masters in Health or Social Care
    • Doctorate in Medicine

    The above are just a guide and do not list the full range of routes into working in EIP or similar NHS teams. The main things that these teams are looking for are people who are willing to learn (respectfully curious), able to put themselves into other’s shoes (compassionate) and want the best for others (caring).

  • Work History:

    A lot of people join a team like the EIP team from having previously experienced a mental health issue, or having had work experience during school or volunteered in the NHS. Volunteering and work experience gives you a taste of what its like working with the range of NHS and social care teams. People can also apply for entry positions such as Support Worker or Peer Support Worker with opportunities to learn and develop into more senior roles.

    Some people will join a team such as the EIP team having graduated from college or university with a diploma or degree in a range of subjects. If you have a degree or above in a subject related to health and social care e.g. nursing, social work, medicine etc then you can apply for a post such as a Care Coordinator, Senior Practitioner, Psychologist, Junior Doctor or Consultant Psychologist or Consultant Psychiatrist depending on your qualifications and experience.

  • Workplace:

    EIP Teams work in the community and meet people where ever they feel most comfortable. This may be in the person’s home or NHS setting or community centre or cafe.

  • NHS Health Career Role:

    www.epicminds.co.uk

  • My Work:

    We’re Dawn and Sarah, both part of the Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Team.

  • About the Team Members:

    People who work in Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) teams are highly dedicated, compassionate and empathetic and have a real passion for helping people. EIP teams aim to help people who have experienced psychosis to lead as independent a life as possible and have the same opportunities to thrive as everyone else. EIP teams are always looking for new people to join them on a voluntary or official basis.

    You can learn more about a typical EIP team and its members by watching this short video:

    Below are 2 people who are currently working with EIP teams in the South of England:

    Dawn: A mom and carer who works with Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) teams in the South of England by sharing her life experience of caring for a family member with psychosis. Her reasons for doing this are to help staff to better understand the needs of families and individuals experiencing psychosis, and to give future service users and carers better services that will be easier to understand and be a part of.

    Sarah: A mental health nurse who has worked in different mental health settings during her 15 years of working in the NHS. Previously she has worked as a named nurse on a ward, care coordinator, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist in the community and managed a range of mental health teams. Sarah currently works as a Senior Programme Manager supporting mental health Trusts in the South of England to develop their Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) teams so that they are easy to access and support people to get back on track.

  • What we do:

    THIS IS NO ORDINARY JOB ROLE – IN FACT, IT’S EPIC!

  • Our Typical Days:

    No two days are the same, but this short summary of one team members week might give an idea of some of what the team members’ work involves:

    https://prezi.com/qd4thkr5hnh1/mental-health-nursing/

  • Quick Fire Questions

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      The <strong>#EPICMINDS</strong> campaign works with 32 EIP teams in the South of England, supporting roughly about 500 team members to improve services. What we notice from meeting EIP team members is that they often have the following 3 things in common: <ol> <li>Curiosity</li> <li>Compassion</li> <li>Care</li> </ol> To find out more about <strong>#EPICMINDS</strong>, please visit www.epicminds.co.uk

      What's your favourite food?

      Fish … sometimes with chips

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      A scientist

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      Never 😉

      What's the best thing you've done in your career?

      Joined the Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) team

      What or who inspired you to do your job?

      Watching the movie ‘A Beautiful Mind’ which is loosely based on the true story of John Nash, a mathematical genius and Nobel Prize winner in Economics who experienced psychosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFJgUm7iOKw/

      If you weren't in healthcare, what job would you do?

      Teaching

Questions answered by EIP Team

View all EIP Team's answered questions