Advanced First Contact Mental Health Practitioner

Tewv; Harrogate; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Advanced First Contact Mental Health Practitioner for a 9-month secondment in the Mowbray Square PCN, Harrogate. The role offers flexible working with non-working weekends and bank holidays, contributing to an inclusive, integrated mental health service in primary care.

The post involves triage, assessments and brief interventions within a multidisciplinary team, with supervision from a B7 Mental Health Practitioner and opportunities

Qualifications

• Current professional registration with HCPC, NMC or Social Work England.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development since registration.
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area.
• Certificate in mentoring, teaching & assessing in clinical practice.
• NMP (or willing to work towards) within an agreed timescale.

Responsibilities

• Join the PCN clinical leadership team to help develop a strong, caring multidisciplinary workforce.
• Offer specialist mental health advice and expert clinical care for complex needs.
• Undertake triage, assessments, brief interventions and reviews with supervision.
• Facilitate safe transitions between Adult Mental Health services where appropriate.

Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Clinical supervision

Communication

Education

Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area

Certificate in mentoring, teaching & assessing in clinical practice

NMP (non-medical prescribing) training

Clinical supervisor / sign-off mentor

Job description

Go back Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Advanced First Contact Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 24 November 2026

An opportunity for a 9-month secondment has arisen for an Advanced First Contact Mental Health Practitioner to work in primary care within the Mowbray Square PCN.

In this attractive, flexible, role the post holder the has opportunity of working within primary care, with non-working weekends and the benefit of bank holidays!

This role is fundamental to the development of inclusive & integrated mental health services.

NMC Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers (England), HCPC Occupational Therapist encouraged to apply.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. However, sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements, therefore, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position. Visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Main duties of the job

The successful post-holder will become part of the PCNs clinical leadership team, joining an ambitious locality network that is committed to developing a strong, caring and compassionate multidisciplinary workforce.

As a valued team member, you will develop close working relationships with all our friendly Clinical staff, including our existing Mental Health Practitioner. Your role will involve offering specialist mental health advice and providing expert clinical care for people with a range of mental health needs, ensuring that those with complex mental illness do not fall between gaps in services. You will also contribute to safe and effective transitions in care between Adult Mental Health services, where appropriate. You will improve access by being an 'Advanced first contact mental health worker', undertaking triage, assessments, brief interventions, and reviews, with managerial supervision provided by a B7 Mental Health Practitioner. You will contribute to the clinical supervision structure within the PCN and will contribute networking and navigation expertise, enabling access to a range of appropriate mental health support across the community system.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job responsibilities

Mowbray Square PCN consists of 2 practices; Strayside Health and Spa Surgery, all are located within the same modern purpose-built health centre in central Harrogate, close to all transport links.

The practices have a strong history of collaborative working with many shared teams and innovative systems. We strive to provide the highest standard of healthcare to our local community and maximise the health and well-being of both our patients and our staff.

The PCN would welcome enthusiastic innovators with strong leadership characteristics and skills, who are willing to develop this role and make the service the very best it can be for local people. We want individuals able to work systemically across the local community system to support people holistically.

The successful candidate will be well-supported and guided by the PCN and the clinical team. You will be supported to work autonomously, having day to day responsibility for your clinics and workload. Primary Care experience is not essential; however, a good understanding of how Primary Care works would be beneficial.

This is a an, exciting, and innovative post to support the needs of the local population living with mental health difficulties. The role holder will fulfil an Advanced First Contact specialist mental health role within GP Practices across the Primary Care Network (PCN), seeing patients who would otherwise have traditionally seen a GP. Within the primary care setting, the role holder will work in a collaborative and multi-agency way. This will contribute to the safe and effective day to day operation of the PCN and the efficient and timely management of clinical enquiries and decision-making.

The post will sit within the GP Practices and will facilitate the interface between Primary Care and Secondary Mental Health Services to provide specialist advice and support, assessment, treatment, education and solution-focused approaches to the local Primary Care Teams, for patients and carers.

The post-holder will manage their daily clinics and act as a specialist advisor to GPs, such as specialist opinion or prescribing support (within the parameters of the non-medical prescribing/NMP framework) and providing supervision and oversight of First Contact Mental Health Practitioners.Being a non-medical prescriber or experience of cognitive behavioural therapy would be advantageous.You will assume an active leadership role in the establishment of partnerships and networks with key stakeholders across the PCN and the wider mental health care system. To offer specialist advice to, or obtain advice for, the Primary Care Team on appropriate interventions and on-going patient care management.

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Person Specification

Qualifications

• Current professional registration with appropriate body in healthcare or social work - HCPC registration, NMC registration or Social Work England Registration.
• Ability to evidence Continuing Professional Development since registration.
• Certificate in mentoring, teaching & assessing in clinical practice as appropriate to own profession.
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area.
• Clinical Supervisor.
• Recognised sign-off mentor (or equivalent) for students or must be achieved within agreed timescale.
• Key skills in literacy, numeracy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)
• NMP (or willing to work towards within an agreed timescale, if relevant to professional registration).

Experience

• Significant experience working with people with mental ill health in a community setting.
• Demonstrable leadership or management experience in a senior clinical role.
• Working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers.
• Experience working in primary care.
• Providing clinical supervision.
• Mentoring students on practice placement experience.
• Working in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Quality improvement activities.
• Experience working in a multiagency setting.

Knowledge

• Demonstrable knowledge to post-graduate level of evidence-based practice in caring for patients in the designated field.
• Ability to evidence an advanced level of clinical competence in one area of specialty practice.
• Knowledge of Stepped Care model.
• Understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act).
• Care Programme Approach and its application in practice.
• Detailed understanding of Safeguarding and its application in practice.
• Understanding of the physical healthcare needs and impact of patients with a LD or mental health problem.
• Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice.
• Clinical Governance and its application in practice.
• Understanding of psychological models of care and treatment.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience of delivering psycho-social interventions and approaches.
• Contemporaneous knowledge and understanding of recent health and social care policy guidance and implications on practice.

Skills

• Communicate highly complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers/families and all members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake lead professional responsibilities.
• Work effectively across complex organisations, pathways and services.
• Demonstrable management and leadership skills.
• Provide effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
• Write reports.
• Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional settings.
• Use approved breakaway techniques.

Personal Attributes

• Able to work in accordance with the Staff Compact and Trust Values and Behaviours.
• Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their families and carers.
• Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in distressing and challenging circumstances.
• Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team.
• Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently.
• Committed to continual quality and service improvement.
• Self-aware and committed to professional and personal development. Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision.
• Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.
• Committed to promoting a positive image of the service.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust