Community Practitioner

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust; Workington; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Lease cars

Childcare schemes

Staff discounts

Season tickets for travel

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Band 6 Community Practitioner to deliver high-quality, person-centred care within the West Cumbria Community Treatment Team. The role involves working with individuals with varied mental health needs in community settings.

You will manage a defined caseload, perform holistic assessments, create care plans, and work with multi-disciplinary colleagues to promote recovery and prevent hospital admissions.

Qualifications

• Professional qualification and current registration as a first level nurse or equivalent.
• Mentor training and post-registration clinical skills.
• Post-registration training in clinical/psychological interventions/skills.
• Proven post-registration clinical experience.
• Training in CPA, Safeguarding, MAPPA and Child Protection.
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation.

Responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive mental health and risk assessments, contributing to care planning and review processes.
• Deliver therapeutic interventions in line with individual care plans, including psychosocial and recovery-focused approaches.
• Monitor depot injections in clinic and community settings, ensuring safe practice and adherence to protocols.
• Monitor mental state, medication concordance, and physical health, escalating concerns appropriately.
• Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships to support engagement and promote recovery.
• Work collaboratively with service users, carers, families, and partner agencies.
• Participate in safeguarding processes and risk management, including crisis response where required.

Skills

Written assessments

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Leadership skills

Teamwork

Education

NMC Registered Nurse

Mentor Training

CPA knowledge

Safeguarding knowledge

Job description

Hello!

We are so delighted you are considering coming to work with us at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).

We know the power of looking into an organisation, one you might want to work in, or one where you are going to get help, and being able to say, 'I've seen somewhere I can fit in and be myself.' We're on a journey to make the Trust an inclusive employer, representative of the community we serve and we want more of our community to consider applying for jobs with us.

Opportunities for you

Spanning east to west coasts from Northumberland to Cumbria and from the Scottish Borders down to Middlesbrough we've got exciting new opportunities available at every level and in every area.

We offer flexible working, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities, or training and development needs and there's lots on offer in the way of benefits, such as, lease cars, childcare schemes, staff discounts, season tickets for travel and a cycle to work scheme. All this in a vibrant workplace supported by the following staff networks.

• Cultural diversity staff network
• Disabled staff network
• LGBT+ staff network

We also have a number of staff support groups which are open to any staff to attend. These Include:

• Armed Forces and Veterans Staff Network
• Mind, Health and Wellbeing Community
• Menopause toolkit and cafes and staff carer support group

We offer fantastic personal development opportunities through our Collective Leadership Programme and other Organisational Development initiatives. Whatever you are looking for, you will be joining a supportive, friendly team, offering varied and interesting roles, with opportunities for career progression.

We're always seeking to improve as an organisation. Do you want to be part of that?

Please note that it is a requirement of this Trust that all external applicants pay for their own DBS certification if a DBS check is required for the post. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first monthly pay

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Band 6 practitioner to work within the West Cumbria CTT.

The Band 6 Community Practitioner is responsible for delivering high-quality, person-centred care within CTT, supporting individuals living with a range of mental health needs in a community setting. The role involves working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team to promote recovery, independence, and wellbeing, while reducing hospital admissions and supporting early discharge.

The post holder will manage a defined caseload, providing holistic assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care in line with evidence‑based practice and organisational policies. Care is delivered in service users' homes, clinics, and other community settings, ensuring accessibility and continuity of care.

Main duties of the job

• Undertake comprehensive mental health and risk assessments, contributing to care planning and review processes
• Deliver therapeutic interventions in line with individual care plans, including psychosocial and recovery‑focused approaches
• Monitor depot injections in clinic and community settings, ensuring safe practice and adherence to protocols
• Monitor mental state, medication concordance, and physical health, escalating concerns appropriately
• Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships to support engagement and promote recovery
• Work collaboratively with service users, carers, families, and partner agencies
• Participate in safeguarding processes and risk management, including crisis response where required

Working for our organisation

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

NHS Employees identified as at risk of compulsory redundancy and those eligible for the NENC Re‑Deployment careers hub will receive prior consideration.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 18th August 2026

Closing date : 1st September 2026

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential criteria

• Professional Qualification and current Professional Registration as, a First Level Registered Nurse (RNMH, RMN, RNLD) or equivalent as an AHP, Social Worker or Clinical Psychologist
• Mentor Training.
• Evidence of post-registration training in clinical/ psychological interventions / skills relevant to the post.
• Proven track record of post registration clinical experience relevant to the post.
• Training in CPA (Care Programme Approach), Safeguarding, MAPPA (Multi Agency Panel for the Protection of Vulnerable Adults) and Child Protection.
• Up‑to‑date knowledge/experience of relevant legislation.

Desirable criteria

• Post Registration Qualifications in Psychological Interventions
• Experience of working within a community team.
• Non‑Medical Prescribing

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• 12 to 24 month band 5 qualified nurse experience dependent upon service need.
• Awareness and understanding of professional accountability, NMC standards and other local and national initiatives.

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of difficult to manage/challenging behaviours.

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Proven ability to carry out and provide comprehensive written assessments of individuals with complex mental health needs.
• Risk Assessment and Risk Management / Safety Planning skills.
• Demonstrate an understanding of effective & appropriate treatment options including a range of evidence based clinical approaches as identified in N.I.C.E. Guidance).
• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Evidence of a high level of professional, organisational and leadership skills (self & others).
• Ability to adapt within a changing environment.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.

Desirable criteria

• Clinical Leadership.
• Training & Induction of staff.
• Delegation skills.
• Debriefing skills.
• Teaching/Presentation skills.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

Please ensure to check out all of the supporting documents linked to this advert, for useful information about working for us, information from our Chief Executive and much more.

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