Mental Health Nurse

West London; Hounslow; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

West London NHS Trust seeks a Band 6 Registered Mental Health Nurse to join the Assertive Outreach Team in Hounslow. This hands-on clinical role requires autonomous working, comprehensive assessments and delivery of care plans for people with complex psychosis.

You’ll work within a multidisciplinary team, manage risk and promote recovery and engagement in the community, with opportunities to influence service development in the Complex Psychosis Service.

Qualifications

• Post-registration experience in multidisciplinary mental health services.
• Experience of community-based mental health practice, including autonomous working.
• Experience of engaging people who are reluctant to access services and crisis pathways.
• Experience of assessing, planning, delivering and reviewing care for people with complex needs.
• Knowledge of risk assessment, formulation and management in MH.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessments, develop and deliver care plans for service users.
• Manage clinical risks and monitor patient safety.
• Work as Named Worker within a MDT to coordinate community care.
• Engage with families, carers and partner agencies to ensure integrated support.
• Promote recovery-focused care and safe, compassionate practice in the community.

Skills

Autonomous working

Clinical assessment

Risk management

Communication

Education

RMN Qualification

NMC Registration

CPD in MH

Job description

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Site Hounslow House Town Hounslow Salary £45,953 - £54,254 per annum inclusive of 15% HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 27/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 04/11/2026

West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.

We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.

Job overview

Band 6 Community Mental Health Nurse – Assertive Outreach Team

Complex Psychosis Service | Hounslow | West London NHS Trust

Are you an experienced Mental Health Nurse looking for an opportunity to make a difference to people living with complex psychosis?

We are looking for a motivated, resilient and experienced Band 6 Registered Mental Health Nurse to join our developing Assertive Outreach Team (AOT), part of the Complex Psychosis Service in Hounslow.

Our Assertive Outreach Team provides intensive, flexible and community-based support to individuals with severe and enduring mental illness, particularly complex psychosis, who require a more assertive approach to their care. Many of the people we support have experienced repeated hospital admissions, difficulties engaging with traditional mental health services, co-occurring substance misuse and significant clinical and social complexities.

This is a hands-on clinical role for a nurse who is confident working autonomously, managing complex presentations and making sound clinical decisions. You will work as a Named Worker within a multidisciplinary team, undertaking assessments, developing and delivering care plans, managing clinical risks and providing interventions that promote recovery and sustained engagement.

Main duties of the job

You will work closely with service users, families, carers and partner agencies, including crisis services, police, ambulance services, housing and supported accommodation providers, social care and drug and alcohol services, to deliver coordinated and responsive care.

We are particularly interested in nurses who:

Have experience working with people with severe and enduring mental illness, particularly psychosis.

Are confident in clinical assessment, risk formulation and management, including risks to others.

Can work independently while recognising when to seek advice or escal

Be persistent, flexible and creative in engaging people who may be reluctant to accept support.

Have a sound understanding of mental health legislation, safeguarding and medicines management.

Are compassionate, reliable and committed to delivering recovery-focused care in the community.

Previous experience in Assertive Outreach is welcome but not essential. We encourage applications from experienced nurses working in Early Intervention in Psychosis, Community Mental Health Teams, Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams and other relevant mental health services.

You will be joining a developing service with opportunities to contribute to shaping how assertive outreach is delivered in Hounslow, supported by an experienced multidisciplinary team.

Working for our organisation

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed

Person specification

Qualifications & Training

• Current professional qualification in Mental Health Nursing (RMN).
• Current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Evidence of post-registration training and continuing professional development relevant to adult mental health.
• Further training in psychosocial interventions for psychosis, such as psychoeducation, family interventions or motivational interviewing.
• Training in trauma-informed care, dual diagnosis or substance misuse.
• Additional training in physical health assessment, ECG recording or phlebotomy.

Experience

• Post-registration experience in multidisciplinary mental health services supporting adults with severe and enduring mental illness, particularly complex psychosis.
• Experience of community-based mental health practice, including autonomous working and managing complex presentations.
• Experience of engaging people who are reluctant to access services, repeatedly disengage or frequently use crisis and acute services
• Experience of assessing, planning, delivering and reviewing care for people with complex mental health and social needs.
• Experience of clinical risk assessment, formulation and management, including self-harm, self-neglect, violence and risks to others.
• Experience of recognising deterioration or relapse and responding appropriately to crisis, including escalation.
• Experience of working with service users, families and carers and coordinating care with health, social care, housing, supported living and other community agencies.
• Experience of working with people from diverse communities using recovery-focused and culturally responsive approaches.
• Experience in Assertive Outreach, Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP), community rehabilitation, crisis or other intensive community mental health services
• Experience of joint working with police, ambulance, probation or other emergency and public protection services
• Experience of working with drug and alcohol services, homelessness services or supported accommodation providers.
• Experience of mentoring students or colleagues, or contributing to audit and quality improvement.

Knowledge and Skills

• Sound understanding of complex psychosis, its treatment, relapse prevention and impact on service users, families and carers.
• Knowledge of assertive outreach, community rehabilitation, recovery-focused practice and the Named Worker model.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Care Act, Section 117 aftercare and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Skills in mental health assessment, risk formulation, risk management and crisis and contingency planning, including risks of harm to others.
• Ability to recognise clinical deterioration, exercise independent professional judgement and seek advice or elevate when appropriate.
• Knowledge and skills in safe medicines management, including psychotropic medication, adherence, adverse effects and physical health monitoring, in line with NMC standards and Trust policy.
• Understanding of co-occurring substance use, social vulnerability and their impact on engagement and risk.
• Ability to build therapeutic relationships, work collaboratively with the MDT and communicate effectively with families, carers and external agencies.
• Good organisational skills, clear clinical report writing and accurate electronic record keeping, including RiO.
• Awareness of forensic risk factors and Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
• Knowledge of Community Treatment Orders and structured violence risk assessment approaches.
• Skills in psychosocial interventions for psychosis, dual diagnosis or trauma-informed care.
• Knowledge of NICE NG181 and the Trust CRS Operational Policy.

Personal Qualities

• Motivated, compassionate and non-judgemental, with a persistent and flexible approach to engagement.
• Able to develop and maintain positive relationships with service users, families, carers, colleagues and partner agencies.
• Resilient and able to remain calm and professional in challenging or unpredictable situations.
• Reliable, disciplined and accountable, with the initiative to work independently and collaboratively.
• Reflective, aware of professional boundaries and willing to seek support when needed.
• Committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and culturally sensitive care.
• Creative and resourceful in developing approaches to engagement and supporting service improvement.

As an employee of West London NHS Trust, you have a responsibility to maintain a sound understanding of, and a commitment to uphold the National Health Service values and principles set out in the NHS Constitution.

We reserve the right to close adverts prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Address Human Resources - Trust Headquarters
West London NHS Trust
1 Armstrong Way - Southall
UB2 4SA
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At West London NHS Trust, we want you to support you to build a career you can be proud of and this starts before your first day with us. Our people live our values every day as they deliver, manage and work to improve our services to patients, carers, families and other professionals.

We’re committed to making our recruitment process clear and efficient. It’s in everyone’s interest that we get the very best people on board as soon as we can.