Mental Health Practitioner

NHS; Exeter; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional mental health service provider is seeking a Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner to join the Exeter Crisis Resolution Team. This role involves delivering mental health assessments, providing community-based interventions, and working closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure effective care. The suitable candidate will have a strong foundation in mental health practice and the ability to manage a complex caseload. This role requires a commitment to high quality, recovery-focused service delivery in a flexible, 24/7 environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in mental health settings.
• Experience working within inpatient or community settings.
• Ability to provide well-written reports.

Responsibilities

• Deliver mental health assessments and interventions.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide support.
• Formulate risk assessments and safety plans.

Skills

Strong clinical assessment and risk management skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team

Knowledge of safeguarding procedures

Commitment to recovery-oriented practice

Ability to work flexibly across a 24/7 rota

Organisational skills

Education

Registered professional qualification (e.g. RMN, Social Worker)

Evidence of continuing professional development

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, highly motivated Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner to work within the Exeter Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment Teams based at Wonford House.

The CRHTT is a pivotal, county-wide service focused on offering an alternative to inpatient admission and providing intensive treatment within the community. The service operates within locality-based leadership teams to ensure effective gate‑keeping for all service users referred for hospital admission, with most assessments taking place in non‑hospital settings.

As an active member of the integrated multi‑disciplinary team, the post holder will deliver rapid assessments and plan evidence‑based home treatment in collaboration with service users, carers, and professionals from both established services and locality teams.

Main Duties of the Job

• Deliver timely, evidence‑based mental health assessments and interventions to individuals in acute distress or crisis.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide rapid response and short‑term support in community settings.
• Formulate risk assessments and safety plans collaboratively with service users and carers.
• Liaise with internal and external services to ensure continuity of care and appropriate onward referrals.
• Provide clinical leadership and supervision to junior staff and support workers where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and contribute to service audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Promote recovery‑focused, trauma‑informed, and person‑centred approaches in all aspects of care.
• Participate in rota‑based working, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays to ensure 24/7 service coverage.
• Uphold Trust values and contribute to a culture of compassion, inclusion, and excellence.

Team Responsibilities

Under the direction and leadership of a Senior Mental Health Professional the team are responsible for:

• Develop, deliver and oversee treatment plans for clients open to the Crisis Resolution Team.
• Assess, manage and formulate clinical risk with each client.
• Offer crisis resolution as an alternative to hospital admission, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• Serve as the gatekeeper for inpatient hospital beds.
• Conduct initial in‑person follow‑up after hospital discharge.

About Us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south‑west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing and strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

Our Values

We recruit individuals who possess and demonstrate the behaviours underpinning our Trust's core values: quality of care, improving lives, respecting dignity and compassion. These values are lived in everyday tasks through smiles, listening, challenging ourselves and others, and being open to new ideas.

Inclusion Statement

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of protected characteristics, as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part‑time and flexible working will be considered and supported when possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity, or learning disabilities and are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Candidate Note

If you choose to use artificial intelligence tools to assist in completing your application, please ensure that all responses accurately represent your own experience, skills, and suitability for the role. Your application should remain authentic and truthful. We also encourage you to review the guidance attached before submission.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Strong clinical assessment and risk management skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team with a complex caseload.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act, MCA).
• Commitment to recovery‑oriented and trauma‑informed practice.
• Ability to work flexibly across a 24/7 rota.
• Organisational skills and managing own time and workload.
• Knowledge of monitoring mental health medications and considering interactions with physical health needs.
• Experience of delivering evidence‑based interventions.
• Ability to work in a dynamic nature.
• Ability to provide well‑written reports.
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health problems.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals from various settings.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to be mobile across a geographical area.
• Ability to manage change in a positive manner.

Desirable

• Familiarity with local services and pathways within the integrated care system.
• Leadership or supervisory experience.
• Understanding of Crisis and Home treatment Interventions; understanding of recovery principles in Mental Health.
• Knowledge of gate‑keeping of inpatient admissions.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered professional qualification (e.g. RMN, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist) with current registration, practising with no restrictions.
• Evidence of relevant continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Training in psychosocial interventions (e.g. CBT, DBT‑informed approaches).
• Qualified in Phlebotomy.

Experience

Essential

• Experience working in mental health settings.
• Experience of working within inpatient or community settings.
• Experience of managing risk.
• Experience of working autonomously.

Desirable

• Experience in community‑based teams.
• Experience of delivering crisis interventions.
• Experience of working within home treatment teams or crisis services.

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 the NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Employer's website

https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)