Mental Health and Work Specialist WorkWell Norfolk

The Methodist Church in Britain; England; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Part time

Job summary

Norfolk Primary Care hosts a fixed-term Mental Health and Work Specialist within the WorkWell Norfolk multidisciplinary team. The role supports people with mental health needs to find, return to and stay in paid work, with a small part-time caseload and supervision for the wider team.

The post involves triage assessments, risk management, brief work-focused interventions and liaison with NHS and community services, delivering training and providing case consultation to coaches.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma level qualification in a relevant discipline.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Safeguarding adults and children training at Level 3.

Responsibilities

• Assess mental health need and risk for participants referred at triage with coaches or MDT.
• Deliver brief, low-intensity psychological interventions one-to-one or in groups focused on work.
• Hold a small, time-limited caseload and provide supervision to the wider team.
• Advise on triage decisions for referrals with significant mental health needs.
• Carry out warm handovers to NHS Talking Therapies and other services; follow up.

Skills

Clinical decision making

Risk management

Interpersonal communication

Teaching supervision

IT skills / clinical systems

Education

Degree or diploma level professional qualification

Post-registration training in brief psychological interventions

Safeguarding Level 3 training

Job description

Hosted by Norfolk Primary Care, this fixed-term Mental Health and Work Specialist sits within the WorkWell Norfolk multidisciplinary team, helping people with mental health needs find, return to and keep paid work. The postholder assesses mental health need and risk, delivers brief work-focused interventions and advises Work and Health Coaches and the ANP. The part-time post pairs a small direct caseload with case consultation, supervision and training for the wider team. Visa sponsorship is not offered, so applicants need the right to work in the UK.

What the job involves

• Assess mental health need and risk for participants referred at triage, by coaches or the MDT, jointly with their coach where possible
• Assess and manage suicide and self-harm risk, agreeing safety plans and advising whether WorkWell is the right service
• Deliver brief, low-intensity psychological interventions one to one or in groups, focused on work
• Hold a small, time-limited caseload of participants needing clinical mental health input
• Advise the ANP and SPOA on triage decisions for referrals with significant mental health need, within the one-working-day standard
• Arrange warm handovers to services such as NHS Talking Therapies, community mental health or crisis services, and follow up
• Provide clinical supervision and reflective practice to Work and Health Coaches on mental health aspects of their work
• Offer case consultation to coaches between MDT meetings and attend the MDT to give the mental health perspective
• Design and deliver training for the WorkWell team on mental health awareness, risk, safety planning and escalation
• Advise participants, coaches and employers on reasonable adjustments, phased returns and changes of duties
• Certify fit notes (Med3) where professionally eligible and assessed as competent
• Keep accurate clinical records, update GP records, and identify and elevate safeguarding concerns

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma level professional qualification in the relevant discipline, and evidence of continuing professional development
• Post-registration training in brief psychological interventions, such as CBT-informed approaches
• Safeguarding adults and children training at Level 3

Registration & licences

• Current registration as an NMC mental health nurse, HCPC occupational therapist or practitioner psychologist, or Social Work England social worker

Experience

• Substantial post-registration experience in primary care, community or NHS Talking Therapies mental health settings
• Assessing and managing common mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, and suicide and self-harm risk with safety planning
• Delivering brief, evidence-based psychological interventions, one to one and/or in groups
• Working autonomously within a multidisciplinary team and contributing to MDT decisions
• Supervising, teaching or supporting non-clinical or unregistered staff
• Applying safeguarding procedures and the Mental Capacity Act in practice

Skills & knowledge

• Confident, autonomous clinical decision making and risk management
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including with people in distress
• Ability to teach, supervise and build the confidence of non-clinical colleagues
• Prioritising limited part-time hours across caseload, consultation and training
• Clear, accurate and timely clinical records, with good IT skills including clinical systems and Microsoft Office
• Managing own emotions and resilience in a demanding environment, with a flexible, collaborative approach in a new service

Nice to have

• Supporting people with mental health conditions to stay in or return to work, and understanding the link between work and health
• Working with employers, occupational health or employment advisers
• Working with neurodivergent people and people with a learning disability
• Use of GP clinical systems (SystmOne and/or EMIS)
• Knowledge of local mental health services and pathways in Norfolk
• Delivering training to professionals or employers, group facilitation, or motivational interviewing and health coaching techniques
• Postgraduate psychological therapy qualification (e.g. CBT, PWP), BABCP accreditation or clinical supervision qualification
• Suicide prevention or safety planning training (e.g. STORM, ASIST), Fit Note and Work and Health e-learning, or vocational rehabilitation and IPS training