Mental Health Practitioner

The Methodist Church in Britain; Ormskirk; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust offers a Mental Health Practitioner post in the Initial Response Service, the front door to crisis mental health support.

The role focuses on triaging referrals from GPs and others, conducting triages by phone or face-to-face, providing 24-hour telephone advice, and supporting call handlers within a 24/7 service with shifts negotiable at interview, helping transform access to mental health care and promote recovery.

Qualifications

• Recognised core mental health professional qualification required.
• Band 6 nurse, social worker or occupational therapist experience.
• Experience delivering evidence-based interventions in a time-limited framework.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Screen and triage referrals by phone or face to face.
• Carry out mental health triages and assessments by phone or face to face.
• Provide 24-hour telephone advice and support to people who use services and carers, including self-referrals.
• Signpost people to the most appropriate support at the right time.
• Support call handlers and administrators who give information by telephone.
• Work shifts across the 24/7 service, with shift times and days negotiable.
• Help deliver the transformation of how mental health services are accessed and delivered.
• Promote recovery, showing people with mental health problems and their families that recovery is possible.

Skills

Risk factors knowledge

Diversity awareness

Medication knowledge

Education

Recognised core mental health professional qualification (e.g. RMN, Dip SW or OT)

Job description

Mental Health Practitioner post in the Initial Response Service, the front door to crisis mental health support at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. The work centres on triaging referrals from GPs and other professionals, and self-referrals from people using services and carers, by phone or face to face, while supporting call handlers. The 24/7 service runs shifts, with times and days negotiable at interview. A recognised core mental health professional qualification is essential.

What the job involves

• Screen and triage referrals from GPs and other professionals
• Carry out mental health triages and assessments by phone or face to face
• Provide 24-hour telephone advice and support to people who use services and carers, including self-referrals
• Signpost people to the most appropriate support at the right time
• Support call handlers and administrators who give information by telephone
• Work shifts across the 24/7 service, with shift times and days negotiable
• Help deliver the transformation of how mental health services are accessed and delivered
• Promote recovery, showing people with mental health problems and their families that recovery is possible

What’s required

Qualifications

• Recognised core mental health professional qualification (e.g. RMN, Dip SW or OT)

Experience

• Experience as a Band 6 nurse, social worker or occupational therapist
• Post-qualification clinical work with people experiencing a range of mental health problems
• Delivering evidence-based interventions in a time-limited framework
• Evidence of assessment across a broad range of mental health problems
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Skills & knowledge

• Detailed knowledge of risk and protective factors affecting people with mental health problems
• In-depth knowledge of diversity, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice
• Knowledge of medication prescribed for mental health issues

Nice to have

• ENB 998 or equivalent teaching/supervision qualification

What’s offered

• Flexible working, including term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time
• Wide range of wellbeing resources, tools and support