GP Plus Practitioner

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in Stevenage is seeking a GP Plus Practitioner to work across Primary Care and Mental Health Services, supporting GPs with decision‑making on referrals and re‑access to services.

The post holder will provide consultation, education, and problem‑solving within Local Primary Care Teams, promote smooth pathways, and develop care plans with service users.

Experience in healthcare and UK registration is expected; car travel may be beneficial.

Qualifications

• Registered mental health professional with UK registration
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Experience working in community/primary care settings
• Experience in CPA processes and risk assessments

Responsibilities

• Bridge between Primary Care and Mental Health Services to support decision making on referrals
• Deliver psychoeducation and problem‑solving approaches within Local Primary Care Teams
• Develop care and recovery plans with service users and carers
• Signpost to other services and enable re‑access to secondary care when appropriate
• Promote integration of mental health pathways within Primary Care settings and partnerships with agencies

Skills

Clinical knowledge

Communication

Teamwork

Job description

The role of the GP Plus Practitioner will be to work across the interface between Primary Care and Mental Health Services to work alongside the service manager(s) to facilitate mental health assessment in primary care and support GPs about decision making in relation to secondary care referrals, support transition of service users from the care of secondary mental health services back to Primary Care and to facilitate re-access where appropriate. The post holder will do this by providing consultation, support, education and problem-solving approaches to the Local Primary Care Teams particularly in the area of assessment and management of mental health problems in adults of working age.

• This will include "signposting" to other services and occasionally undertake very short-term interventions for clients with mild to moderate mental health difficulties.
• The role is to strengthen access and to provide community triage for people who may need mental health services. The post holder will ensure systems are in place to promote smooth pathways between primary care and secondary mental health services.
• Work in partnership with service users in the designated care group with complex health presentations, developing their care plans and recovery plans to enable them to lead fulfilling lives.
• Work in partnership with Health and social care professionals from other agencies and organisations including Community Navigators.
• They will demonstrate an understanding of clinical interventions relevant to the Pathway/Protocols to include psycho education, relevant aspects of social inclusion, Recovery, care plans and discharge planning, working closely with carers, families and partner agencies to facilitate this.
• To undertake assessments of individuals and their families within primary care including the assessment of risk in order to consider access or re-access to secondary mental health services.
• To be a core member of primary care teams within a defined area, using specialist mental health knowledge.
• To develop links and foster a culture of partnership between Primary Care Teams and HPFT Adult Mental Health Services.
• To promote the use of treatment protocols and care pathways leading to increased integration of service users within Primary Care setting.
• To enable workers in Primary Care to develop their skills and confidence in assessment and treatment of mental health problems.
• Facilitate joint work between Primary Care and Secondary Care interface and Primary Care/Voluntary Sector to increase range of services/interventions available.

HPFT provides services for service users with mental health, learning disability and children's and adolescent mental health problems. Applicants should have some experience of working in a healthcare setting. HPFT has a range of healthcare settings across the County and therefore access to a car would be beneficial unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving. All applicants need to hold a valid Professional Registration and can evidence this.

• Registered mental health professional appropriate to the job role (nursing, OT, SW)
• Evidence of continuous professional development, Previous experience of working in the community/primary care setting
• Experience of working alongside people with complex mental health problems
• Experience of working within the CPA process
• Experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessments, Car Driver
• Car travel between clinics, work base and relevant meetings, You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
• Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated by the Care Quality Commission as an Outstanding provider of mental health and learning disability services. Feedback from our staff about working for the Trust is very positive and, in the NHS national staff survey, we regularly see a high percentage of staff saying their role makes a difference to our service users and that they would recommend the Trust as a place to work. Our people tell us they feel supported though a great development, wellbeing and work-life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values-driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional so that together we provide great care and great outcomes for our service users and carers.