Mental Health Practitioner | Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Thatcham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health service trust seeks a Mental Health Practitioner to join the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team in Newbury. The role involves delivering compassionate care to individuals in crisis, working with a multidisciplinary team, and supporting community-based interventions. Ideal candidates are RMNs, OTs, or AHPs with experience in mental health. This full-time position offers a structured shift pattern, emphasizing flexibility and commitment to quality care.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days’ annual leave

NHS pension scheme

Learning and career development opportunities

Cycle to Work scheme

Access to wellbeing tools

Discounts at retailers

Staff networks for diversity

Generous leave policies

Free parking

Qualifications

• Previous experience working with service users who have complex mental health needs.
• Good interpersonal, communication, observation, and reporting skills.
• Ability to empathize and be sensitive to the needs of others.
• Flexible to work on a shift pattern covering 24 hours service.

Responsibilities

• Deliver interventions autonomously and under supervision.
• Maintain relationships with service users and external professionals.
• Effectively communicate information and advice.
• Accurate maintenance of clinical records and care packages.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Observation skills

Empathy

Education

Registered Mental Nurse (RMN)

Occupational Therapist (OT)

Allied Health Professionals (AHP)

Clinical or leadership qualifications

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) in Newbury as Mental Health Practitioner Band 5. The team delivers high-quality, compassionate care to individuals experiencing acute mental health crises, offering a viable alternative to hospital admission through intensive home-based support.

Operating 24/7, the multidisciplinary service includes professionals from medicine, pharmacy, psychology, and mental health disciplines. You’ll be part of a well-supported team, including a Service Manager, Deputy Manager, Nurse Consultant, Clinical Managers, and administrative staff.

This role is pivotal in reducing inpatient admissions and enhancing community-based crisis care, aligning with our strategic goals for integrated mental health services. The post holder will be actively involved in formulating plans and support the delivery of care specified within the plans of care formulated and directed by the broader multidisciplinary team.

We welcome applications from qualified Registered Mental Nurse (RMN), Occupational Therapist (OT), Allied Health Professionals (AHP), or Social Workers with additional clinical or leadership qualifications. This is a full-time role (37.5 hours/week) based in Newbury, with flexible shift patterns across five days. Hybrid working is not applicable.

Responsibilities

• To be a consistent point of contact and maintain relationships with professionals external to the area of service, service users and their significant others (where appropriate) within area of service/specialism.
• To deliver interventions and elements of planned programmes of care to service users autonomously as well as under the direction and clinical supervision of a clinical lead.
• To ensure services are delivered in a manner that is appropriate, relevant and respectful to all community members, recognising the diversity of ethnicity, culture, belief, privilege and capacity of service users and carers.
• To have a flexible approach in providing support, including administrative tasks, duties and activities as and when required across the service.
• To effectively communicate routine information and advice to service users, other professionals, and external agencies.
• To help service users gain access to relevant information and advice on services and external support (such as benefits and housing).
• To be responsible for the accurate maintenance of clinical record keeping and the required communication of individual patient care packages for the post holder’s area of responsibility/specialism.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority.
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services.
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions.

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

Benefits

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance.
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell.
• Generous NHS pension scheme.
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities.
• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles.
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services.
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants.
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality.
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave.
• Free parking across Trust sites.

The “must haves” for this role:

• Previous knowledge and experience of working in a care environment and with service users who have complex mental health needs.
• Good interpersonal, communication, observation, and reporting skills.
• Able to empathise, be supportive and sensitive to the needs of others as well as being able to cope with distressing circumstances.
• Able to work flexibly on a shift pattern to cover 24hrs of CRHTT Service as required and the ability to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements of the position.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point‑by‑point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: Zvino Mufuka, Clinical Manager on 07825115651 or [e-mail] who’ll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

This advert closes on Tuesday 11 Nov 2025.