Mental Health Practitioner - Enhanced Mhist Function

Cheshire And Wirral Partnership Nhs Foundation Trust; Chester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting four full-time Band 6 Mental Health Practitioners to join the Enhanced MHIST Function in Chester. You will deliver biopsychosocial assessments, formulate-led care, and work with a multidisciplinary team to support people with complex emotional needs who may present in crisis.

Each practitioner will hold a small caseload, travel across the CWP patch as needed, and contribute to stabilisation plans that prioritise emotional safety

Qualifications

• Educated to diploma/degree level and registered with the appropriate professional body.
• Professional knowledge acquired through a relevant degree plus relevant experience for working with complex cases
• Evidence of continued professional development

Responsibilities

• Provide biopsychosocial assessments and formulation-led care within the Enhanced MHIST Function.
• Work with a multidisciplinary team to reduce unnecessary admissions and support stability of care.

Skills

Diploma/degree in relevant field

Registered with professional body

Experience with complex mental health

Education

Diploma/degree in relevant field

Job description

Job summary

We are recruiting 4 full time Band 6 Mental Health Practitioners to join the new Enhanced MHIST Function, supporting people who may attract a diagnosis of "personality disorder", are not yet ready for therapy, and who frequently present in crisis or struggle to build trusting relationships with services. You will be part of a psychologically informed, relationally focused pathway for individuals with complex emotional needs. The successful applicants will hold a small caseload of around 10 people each. Whilst the roles will be linked to localities, they will still require travel across the CWP patch to support the needs of the pathway. There is potential for the service to transition to a 7‑day model in the future.

Main duties of the job

As part of this post, you will work in a psychologically informed service to provide formulation‑led, trauma informed, relationally centred support within the Enhanced MHIST Function. The role will involve working proactively with people who experience significant challenges in trusting services. Your work will include completing biopsychosocial assessments, delivering formulation led care aimed at reducing unnecessary admissions and strengthening continuity of care; as well as contributing to stabilisation focused plans that prioritise emotional safety and relational consistency. You will work within a multidisciplinary team, offering mutual support through collaborative practice, reflective discussion, and psychologically informed decision making. A core element of the role is championing compassionate, non stigmatising approaches to "personality disorder" and complex emotional needs. Please see the job description for more information.

About us

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all‑age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire. We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport. Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person‑centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall. As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services. All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role. Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you'll find something to suit you at CWP.

Details

Date posted: 17 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full‑time
Reference number: 373‑SMH2759
Job locations: Upton Lea Resource Centre, Countess of Chester Health Park, Chester, CH2 1BQ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Please download a copy of the job description (see documents to download section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role. At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values. CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trusts Values in their everyday life and we use a values‑based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it. Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trusts Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours. The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies. New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to diploma/degree level and registered with the appropriate professional body
• Professional knowledge acquired through a relevant degree plus relevant experience for working with complex cases
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Relevant mentorship qualification as required by governing body

Knowledge and Expertise

• In-depth knowledge and experience of working within the recovery focused philosophy framework
• Knowledge of delivering individual service user focused specialist assessments
• Knowledge of evidence based interventions which are measureable and which promote the service users journey along the recovery pathway
• An in-depth knowledge of delivering psychosocial interventions (PSI)
• Knowledge and understanding of physical health needs
• Professional knowledge acquired through a relevant degree plus relevant experience for working in the community
• Highly developed accurate physical skills and be able to manipulate fine tools and materials
• Knowledge of developing specialist programmes of care, care packages
• Knowledge of providing specialised advice in relation to care
• Knowledge of recording personally generated information
• Knowledge of working closely with commissioners and care providers
• Knowledge of legal frameworks including the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
• Experience of undertaking surveys or audits necessary to own work
• Experience of undertaking research and development activity and clinical trials
• Knowledge of complex care management including the development of bespoke support packages
• A minimum of 2 years post registration experience working with adults with mental health problems with a complex nature
• Experience of planning and organising complex activities or programmes requiring formulation and adjustment
• Experience of developing specialist programmes of care, care packages
• Experience of providing specialised advice in relation to care
• Experience of working closely with commissioners and care providers
• Experience of following policies and providing comments to propose changes to practice/procedures in own work area
• Experience of safe management of equipment and resources
• Experience of being an authorised signatory
• Experience of conducting professional/clinical supervision
• Ability to undertake surveys, R&D activity or audits as necessary to own work
• Ability to regularly undertake equipment testing and adaptation
• Experience of working within a rehabilitation framework

Trust values

• Demonstrate alignment with Trust Values (6 C's: Commitment, Communication, Care, Courage, Compassion, Competency)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Upton Lea Resource Centre, Countess of Chester Health Park, Chester, CH2 1BQ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.cwp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact: Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Sarah Parkinson, [e-mail], 01244393229

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Mental Health Practitioner - Enhanced MHIST Function • Chester, United Kingdom