AMHP Service Priority House Hermitage Lane Maidstone ME16 9PH Phone: 01622 725000 Ask for: Helen Burns Email: helen.burns@kent.gov.uk Date: 21 September 2022

Dear NAME,

Honorary Contract issued on behalf of KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

HONORARY CONTRACT – NAME

For the avoidance of doubt, you are not, and will not at any time be, considered to be an employee of Kent County Council. We do not accept any obligations save for those set out expressly in this agreement.

I am instructed by the Kent County Council Adult Social Care and Health Directorate to offer you an Honorary Contract as an Approved Mental Health Professional for a five-year period, from the date of your authorisation.

You will not be remunerated for this role. Since the appointment is unpaid, this contract carries no entitlement to paid holidays, bank holidays, sick pay etc, which would otherwise be given to an employee of the Council.

As an AMHP you will be responsible for ensuring that you maintain your professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. If your professional registration were to be suspended or if it lapses you are not authorised to act as an AMHP and you must immediately inform the Social Work Professional Lead in Kent County Council.

In your role as an AMHP you are expected to work within the Law and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice and to act at all times in the best interest of your clients. You must consider the ’guiding principles’ enshrined in the Code when making decisions about a course of action taken under the Act.

In order to maintain professional competence and in line with the ‘Mental Health (Approved Mental Health Professionals) (Approval) (England) Regulations 2008’ you must complete at least 18 hours training on an annual basis, relevant to your role as an AMHP.

You must notify the Professional Lead for Social Work if you agree to act as an AMHP on behalf of any other Local Social Services Authority.

The Council reserves the right to terminate this Honorary Contract where your conduct is inconsistent with the high standards of work and behaviour expected in your continued honorary placement with the Council.

The Council accepts liability in respect of your acts and omissions to the degree that those acts and omissions were carried out whilst working on behalf of the Council and in accordance with your appointment under this contract. You must however observe the same standards of care and propriety in dealing with service users, staff, visitors, equipment and premises as is expected of any other contract holder. You must also act appropriately and responsibly at all times. Whilst undertaking officially sanctioned Council duties you are covered by the Council’s indemnity against claims for negligence.

As an AMHP you undertake this role as an independent agent however as an appointee of the council you will be provided with appropriate legal advice and assistance.

You are required to ensure the security and confidentiality of all information regarding service users or staff at all times. You should not release any such information to anyone other than an approved person in the course of your duties. You should be aware of your responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and only use such information for a registered purpose, not disclosing it to any unauthorised person.

You must notify the Professional Lead for Social Work in Kent County Council if you are charged with or convicted of a criminal offence.

Should any variation to this honorary appointment be necessary, this will be discussed and agreed with you prior to implementation, However it may be necessary on occasion to make changes to the existing policies and practises and introduce new ones relevant to your role. You will be informed of these by the Professional Lead for Social Work.

If you agree to accept this Honorary Contract on the terms specified above, please sign the form of acceptance at the foot of this page and return it to Helen Burns, Service Manager - AMHP Service, as the address above. A second copy of this letter is attached, which you should also sign and keep for further reference.

Yours sincerely

Helen Burns

Service Manager – AMHP Service

PLEASE DO NOT DETACH

I have read and agree to the above conditions & I enclose a copy of my current professional registration certificate.

Signed …………………………………………. Dated ……………………………..