ARRS Specialist Mental Health Practitioner for Primary Care

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Reading; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Reading is seeking a qualified Mental Health Practitioner to support GPs in mental health assessments and patient care. The role involves triaging patient requests, providing interventions, and collaborating in a primary care setting. Ideal candidates will be Registered Mental Health Nurses with community experience. This position offers flexible working options, generous leave, and career development opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days’ annual leave

Generous NHS pension scheme

Excellent career development opportunities

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Qualifications

• Strong desire to work within primary care health provision.
• Experience in mental health services for adults with severe/significant mental illness.

Responsibilities

• Support the PCN in triaging mental health concerns.
• Review patients' mental health issues and provide support.
• Offer brief interventions and medication advice.
• Implement specialist mental health training to the PCN.
• Assist GPs in making appropriate referrals.

Skills

Current professional registration: Registered Mental Health Nurse

Understanding of psychiatric medication

Community or Primary Care experience in mental health

Evidence-based interventions for mental health

Job description

Overview

A Vacancy at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

We are looking for a qualified and experienced Mental Health Practitioner (RMN, Social Worker, OT) to join us on a fixed term basis in a Specialist Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner role, 3 days per week, based within the Caversham PCN (Reading), supporting GPs with annual SMI reviews and on-the-day Mental Health support for patients. The successful candidate will have sufficient experience to support the GPs in medication decision making through their comprehensive assessment and documentation skills. They will also be required to undertake Fit Note training.

If you are proactive and passionate about innovation and providing a high-quality holistic approach to the care of people who have been identified as in need of mental health support in a primary care setting, we want to hear from you.

We are excited to be developing these community services and look forward to applicants specifically interested in working within the Caversham Primary Care Network.

Role details

Service operates Monday to Friday. Hours worked will match the GP surgeries you are assigned to and will be worked within 8am-8pm. Typical shifts are 9am – 5pm, 8am – 4pm, 10am-6pm (subject to negotiation). You may be asked to do a combination of these shifts each week depending on the GP surgery hours. You will usually be assigned to 2-3 surgeries within your PCN.

Responsibilities

• To provide a lead in supporting the PCN in triaging mental health concerns raised by on-the-day patient requests, providing specialist advice and support within GP surgeries.
• To review patients presenting with mental health issues, consider a range of support and treatment interventions, providing them with highly specialised advice and signposting when appropriate and liaising with GPs and MH teams.
• To offer brief interventions as needed, e.g. problem solving, decision making, building resilience, building on personal strengths, risk de-escalation, medication advice and prescribing if a registered NMP.
• Working as a member of the Primary Care MDT and taking responsibility for the development and implementation of specialist mental health training to the PCN.
• To provide a navigation role to help GP’s make appropriate referrals to the relevant community and secondary care services – bridging the gap between primary care services such as IAPT and secondary care, working in partnership across the system.

About Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Benefits

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• Cycle to Work and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

The must-haves for this role

1. Current professional registration: Registered Mental Health Nurse.
2. A strong desire to work within and a good understanding of primary care health provision.
3. Community or Primary Care experience in mental health services for adults and older age adults with severe/significant mental illness, with a very good understanding of psychiatric medication.
4. Experience of providing a range of evidence-based interventions to people with a variety of mental health problems and serious mental illness.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call Samantha Danesh-Pouron on 07500 783606 or email [e-mail] who’ll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Interview will be held on 18th Sept 2025

This advert closes on Thursday 11 Sep 2025