Crisis Function Team Community Mental Health Nurse

Hertfordshire Partnership University Nhs Foundation Trust; Waterford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a Band 6 clinician to join the Crisis Function team in the community. You will undertake urgent assessments, work with carers, and support safe, early discharge from acute settings.

The role demands strong communication, risk assessment, and multi-disciplinary collaboration, with a focus on evidence-based practices and compassionate care for service users in diverse community settings.

Qualifications

• Essential RMN or Dip/BSc(Hons) in Mental Health Nursing.
• ENB 998/Preceptorship and Mentorship required.
• Evidence of CPD and professional registration in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Provide urgent assessments and robust home treatment options as alternatives to hospital admission.
• Work within a multi-disciplinary team to ensure care plans are met and updated.
• Deliver care that is person-centred and in line with current guidelines.
• Maintain high standards of record keeping and documentation.
• Support safe discharge planning and risk management in acute pathways.

Skills

Communication

Risk assessment

Multi-disciplinary teamwork

Crisis management

Documentation

Education

RMN or Dip/Bsc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing

ENB 998/Preceptorship and Mentorship

Job description

Job summary

Crisis Function team is looking for an experienced clinician working with service users at various phases of their mental health. Passionate about making a difference for individuals and their carer's during their personal journey. Ambitious to work within this challenging role, in a challenging environment, with real scope to develop and influence practice. The post holder does not carry any care coordinator to a case load of service users, but requires you to ensure the care plan is met and updated at all times. To work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

• Providing urgent assessments to those considered to have acute mental health concerns and to robust home treatment options as an alternative to hospital admission.
• A role that is varied and challenging, offering an opportunity to work in a variety of settings, with people with a variety of mental health needs.
• As gatekeepers for hospital admission, you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe and effective treatment in the community, and facilitate early discharges from the acute inpatient units.
• Working collaboratively with our service users, their carer's and our colleagues to positively manage risk in the acute care pathway, whilst enabling and empowering an individuals' recovery journey
• Demonstrate a high standard of record keeping and documentation with adherence to Trust policies.
• Deliver care that is person centered reflecting current best practice, and challenges practice that may be detrimental to older people receiving high quality care.
• Demonstrate a working understanding of the legal and ethical issues in providing mental health care, in particular having a good knowledge of the Mental Health Act (1983) and its use in non-mental health areas.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission. Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

Job responsibilities

As the post holder will be working within the community under the crisis function team. Building and maintain positive relationships with individuals and agencies is crucial for effective collaboration and success in the post holder role. Clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative mindset as a key component in fostering positive connections with other agencies, including carers and service user's.

These relationships are vital and team members should bear in mind that they will be representing HPFT and the values they hold. Post holder will build relationships with other parts of HPFT notably SMHTOP, EMDASS as well as Hertfordshire County Councils Health and Community Services.

The post holder is required to take responsibility for the assessment of care needs, the development, implementation and evaluation of programs of care and the setting of standards of care and management of a defined CFT caseload, including working alongside the bed management and Mental Health liaison team to prevent admission to the ward. Staff supervision, development and teaching of staff and/or students. To work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team.

All staff should comply with the Trusts Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RMN or Dip/Bsc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing
• ENB 998/Preceptorship and Mentorship

Desirable

• ENB 812/Bsc in Specialist Community Nursing Practice (Mental Health).
• Psychosocial interventions

Experience and Attainments

Essential

• Experience of working in a range of settings relevant to the post
• At least 2 years of post registration experience with at least one year at Band 5
• Experience of working in acute mental health inpatient/day care services
• Experience of working in situations of crisis and emotionally demanding environments
• Experience and knowledge of safeguarding process
• Experience of teaching and training
• Experience and knowledge of working in a multi-ethnic community
• Experience of delivering evidence based care

Desirable

• Experience of working with acute mental health problems in a community setting

Knowledge

Essential

• Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation, ethical issues, strategic frameworks and current guidelines regarding the range of presenting problems in adult mental health, their implications for both practices and clinical management
• Professional Code of Conduct
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Clinical risk assessment and management in a community setting

Desirable

• Knowledge of parenting literature and its application
• Ability to teach and train others using multi-media materials suitable for presentation.
• Knowledge of current developments in research with service user group

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential

• Skills to use and give supervision effectively
• Skills in the use of complex methods of assessment and treatment of individual, couples, and families requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Skills in applying theory to practice and ability to use a range of models in formulating community care plans
• Ability to communicate effectively within a multi-professional team
• Ability to work with diverse communities in a wide variety of contexts
• Ability to provide and receive complex, sensitive or contentious information where persuasive, empathic and reassuring skills are required
• Ability to deal sensitively with stressful situation including; staff and organisational problems; safeguarding; family breakdown; serious mental ill health and risk of self-harm
• Ability to cope with verbal abuse and to recognise and diffuse potential physical abuse from service users
• Ability to apply practice governance as appropriate to maintain ethical and effective clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Assessing and monitoring physical health care

Desirable

• Substantial IT skills

Communication and People Skills

Essential

• Able to communicate effectively, orally and in writing at an age appropriate level - complex, technical, and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and professionals within and outside the NHS
• Ability to work flexibly across service boundaries.
• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to hold the stress of others.
• Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals

Organisational skills

Essential

• Ability to maintain high standards of record keeping, including data entry and recording.
• Ability to work autonomously, setting appropriate goals in accordance with professional, ethical guidelines and Trust policies

Other

Essential

• Confident to work autonomously in the community and use own initiative to make decisions in complex situations.
• Able to travel independently across the Trust

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer contact details

Operational Manager Marsha Antoine

[e-mail]

01923837148

Date posted

23 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£41,957 to £50,387 a year per annum, pro rata (Inclusive of 5% HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

367-SS-101718

Closing date

05 November 2026