Community Mental Health Nurse

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a mental health nurse for its new Assertive Outreach Team in Cambridgeshire. You will deliver intensive community-based care to patients with complex needs, support the Team Leader, and promote effective teamwork. Candidates must be registered with the NMC and have relevant nursing experience. This role offers significant opportunities for professional development and teamwork across multiple healthcare settings.

Qualifications

• Registered with the NMC.
• Minimum of [X] years experience in mental health nursing.
• Knowledge of the Dartmouth Assertive Outreach Community Treatment Model (DACT).
• Interest in progressing to a management role.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical nursing expertise to the Assertive Outreach team.
• Work clinically with patients and collaborate with healthcare partners.
• Deliver community-based mental health care to patients with complex needs.
• Deputise for the Team Leader including performance reviews of junior staff.
• Act as care co-ordinator for patients ensuring full assessment of nursing needs.

Skills

Clinical management skills

Excellent communication skills

Organisational skills

Education

Registered with the NMC

Experience in mental health nursing

Job description

Job Overview

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Assertive Outreach Team. This fantastic opportunity will enable you to take part in the roll‑out and development of our county‑wide service. Two bases – Peterborough (North county) and Cambridge (South county) – will allow you to support patients with the most complex and severe needs within an MDT. The role offers intensive, community‑based mental health care for patients who struggle to engage with traditional services, and provides a fantastic development opportunity for clinicians looking to enhance their clinical management skills or progress toward a future management role.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical nursing expertise to the Assertive Outreach team.
• Work clinically with patients under the team’s care and collaborate with wider Cambridge and Peterborough health and social care system partners.
• Deliver intensive, community‑based mental health care to patients with complex needs who struggle to engage with traditional services.
• Deputise for the Team Leader across the full range of management responsibilities, including performance reviews of junior staff.
• Act as care co‑ordinator for patients, ensuring full assessment of individual nursing care needs and that care is planned, implemented and reviewed regularly.
• Be a role model and promote effective teamwork across the service to meet individual patient needs.
• Adhere to the CPA/DIALOGUE and Mental Health Act at all times, working within the boundaries set out by Trust policies, procedures and the NMC.
• Support the Consultant Psychiatrist, including keeping them updated on relevant patient information and accompanying them on home visits when required.
• Conduct assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care within the agreed assertive outreach parameters.
• Ensure effective communication pathways exist and manage appropriate clinical risk assessments of patients contacting the out‑of‑hours service.
• Safely store and administer medications.
• Travel independently around the county to meet strict time deadlines, holding a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (public transport cannot be used).

Qualifications & Skills

• Registered with the NMC.
• Experience as a clinician with a minimum of [X] years in mental health nursing.
• Knowledge of the Dartmouth Assertive Outreach Community Treatment Model (DACT).
• Strong clinical management skills or interest in progressing to a management role.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to liaise with a wide range of professionals.
• Good organisational and time‑management skills with the ability to work independently across two bases.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under‑represented groups including disabled people, members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities. We are committed to providing a fair, inclusive recruitment process and meet all legally required EEO statements.