Mental Health Practitioner

South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching Nhs Foundation Trust; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a Mental Health Practitioner to deliver community-based mental health assessments within the Brigantes PCN in Wakefield. You will work closely with GPs and MDT colleagues to provide bio-psycho-social interventions and support staff development in mental health care.

The role emphasizes wellbeing, health promotion, and collaboration with primary care teams.

Qualifications

• Essential: knowledge of Mental Health Act, Safeguarding, and Care Programme Approach.
• Proven ability to mentor/ supervise learners and staff.

Responsibilities

• Conduct mental health assessments and determine needs and appropriate services.
• Provide plan of care in partnership with patient and carers; implement and review.
• Maintain records, participate in policy formulation, and manage caseload.

Skills

Mental health legislation knowledge

Clinical governance

Partnership working

Equality & diversity

Team leadership / acting up

Audit processes

Care/ carer support

Written & verbal communication

Education

RMN – NMC registration

Social Worker / Occupational Therapist – HCPC registration

Practice Education / Practice Assessor

Job description

Job summary

As part of our community mental health transformation programme, we are excited to implement Mental Health Practitioner roles across the Primary Care Network, supporting primary care to improve the offer across PCNs in Wakefield (East). The Mental Health Practitioner roles are exciting posts, and you will bring your mental health expertise into the heart of communities, working closely alongside GPs (within GP Surgeries) and a range of MDT colleagues to provide a bio-psycho-social approach to assessment and interventions. If you are passionate about delivering innovative mental health care, working as part of a diverse primary care team, and coaching and developing the wider staff team around mental health, this could be just the post for you. This post holder will be based within a Brigantes PCN. Agile working is expected, and the hours of work currently are across 5 days 9/5. For further information contact Lead Mental Health Practitioner Emma Clough 07879602281.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for conducting mental health assessments with all people referred, determining mental health needs and the most appropriate service/ agency to meet those needs. The post holder may engage in brief therapeutic work, refer the person to another service, or advise them of other sources of support. The post holder will build and maintain effective links with all disciplines within the PCNs and will work as an integrated part of the PCN MDT.

The post holders approach should be driven by the underpinning philosophies of mental health promotion, empowerment and personal responsibility. This work will focus on the service users who are identified as requiring mental health support to access treatment and improve their wellbeing. The successful candidate will be expected to provide easily accessed advice for the integrated care teams and support identification of the training needs of staff.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.

At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. We look forward to receiving your application.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative. Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means were accountable to our members, who can have a say in how were run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

Has continuing responsibility for the provision of skilled interventions to people with mental health problems in the community. Works within a multi-disciplinary team as a member of a Core CMHT.

Key Result Areas:

• Management of own caseload in line with C.P.A. procedures and risk management protocols.
• Provision of leadership to the Core Team in respect of psycho-social interventions to people and carers.

Professional:

• Assesses needs and identifies problems relevant to the care of people referred.
• Devises a plan of care in partnership with the person and carers.
• Implements the planned programme of care to ensure a high standard is achieved.
• Reviews the effectiveness of the care provided and where appropriate initiates any action.
• Advises and supports the person and carers to promote health and well-being and to prevent illness.
• Recognises situations that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of the person and initiates action that may be required.
• Establishes and maintains satisfactory communication with all agencies involved in the persons care in both hospital and community.
• Functions as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Management of enquiries and direct referrals of people in accordance with the Core C.M.H.T. Operational Policy and participates in the team duty rota.
• Maintain professional registration and demonstrate commitment to statutory codes of practice and continued professional development requirements.
• Responsible for acting up in the absence of the team leader

Administrative:

• Maintains accurate patient care records in accordance with professional codes of conduct and trust procedures and ensures records are made available when required by the appropriate agency.
• Participates in the formulation of policies at unit level.
• Maintains accurate mileage records.
• Manages caseload with due economy of cost and time.
• Ensures safe carriage, storage and administration of drugs prescribed (registered nurses only).
• Responsible for the ordering of stock with due economy.
• Produces monthly statistics in line with trust directives.
• Keeps the Management Team and colleagues informed of developments relevant to the area of responsibility.

For full job description, please see attached supporting documents.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. Over reliance on AI-generated content in application forms is strongly discouraged and we will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Person Specification

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Working knowledge of recent government legislation e.g. Mental Health Act, Health & Safety, Care Programme Approach, Care Act and Safeguarding
• Able to work incorporating principles of Clinical Governance
• Proven skills in partnership working with people who use services and their carers
• Can evidence awareness of equality and diversity and is able to incorporate this into care planning and the delivery of care.
• Ability to act up in the absence of the team leader
• Knowledge of audit processes
• Experience of carer services/ issues/
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable

• Knowledge and skills in specialist areas such as dual diagnosis, peri-natal mental health, working with people experiencing psychosis, working with people with a diagnosis of personality disorder

Qualifications

Essential

• RMN Current NMC registration
• Social Worker/Occupational Therapist-current HCPC registration
• Experience of mentoring/supporting learners or ability to demonstrate the skills required for effective mentoring.
• Practice Education/Practice Assessor Preparation Certificate

Training

Essential

• Assessment and care planning skills
• Risk assessment and risk management
• Relevant post-registration qualifications and / or training

Physical Attributes

Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working within a mental health setting
• Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing people experiencing mental health problems
• Experience of supporting/mentoring and supervising colleagues/students/trainees
• Knowledge and evidence of using IT systems
• Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing risk in a variety of settings
• Proven ability in assessing the needs and strengths of people and their carers.
• Experience of delivering a range of therapeutic techniques
• Working within an integrated multi-disciplinary environment and co-working with other teams and professions within team meetings, case conferences and professional meetings
• Ability to support colleagues with day-to-day caseload management including prioritisation of responsibilities in times of high clinical demand
• Ability to promote and develop links with other professionals e.g. practitioners within long term conditions, primary care
• Evidence of knowledge and application in practice of national guidance and standards, e.g. NICE, CQC, CQUINs

Desirable

• Experience of working holistically with Adults with an emphasis on coexisting mental and physical health needs that impact on wellbeing.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Time management
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
• Reliability, enthusiasm, motivation, resourcefulness,
• A willingness to work flexibility to meet the needs of service users and the team including extended hours.
• A Current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability) Professional attitude
• Leadership skills

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 NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).