Mental Health Practitioner FPCC

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust; Tewkesbury; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in the United Kingdom seeks Mental Health Practitioners to serve as first contact in their urgent response center. Candidates should have a professional background in mental health or social work, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage referrals effectively. This role involves providing urgent support and collaborating with senior health practitioners. Benefits include generous annual leave and a strong focus on staff development.

Benefits

Free car parking

27+ days annual leave

Broad training opportunities

Generous NHS pension

Family-friendly working opportunities

Qualifications

• Professional background in mental health nursing, social work, or occupational therapy.
• Ability to triage and manage referrals in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to work 24/7, including night shifts.

Responsibilities

• Triage mental health referrals via telephone, email, or letter.
• Provide urgent support for diverse mental health needs.
• Collaborate with senior practitioners to support development.

Skills

Mental health nursing background

Strong communication skills

Ability to manage referrals

Resilience in supporting patients

Education

Professional qualification in mental health, social work, or related field

Job description

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined‑up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and other locations across the county.

We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care. We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you’.

We encourage candidates to personalise their applications and avoid over‑reliance on AI‑generated answers; this helps us understand your specific skills, knowledge and experience and why you want to work with us.

Position Overview

This role is for Mental Health Practitioners seeking to serve as the first point of contact in our First Point of Contact Centre (FPCC). The FPCC is a priority‑one urgent response telephone service that is an integral part of our mental health services and a key component of the National Mental Health 111 response model.

Key Responsibilities

• Triage mental health referrals received by telephone, letter or e‑mail, identifying appropriate services or external signposting.
• Provide urgent, routine or crisis support, including advice, guidance and signposting for a wide range of mental health needs.
• Respond to urgent referrals with higher risks under supervision of senior colleagues.
• Collaborate with senior health practitioners and the operational manager to support professional development.
• Act as the initial stage in the Trust’s care navigation system, receiving requests from patients, carers, GPs, health professionals, police, ambulance staff and other agencies.
• Ensure callers feel valued and satisfied, managing response times for advice or specialist opinions when immediate help is unavailable.

Qualifications

• Professional background in mental health nursing, social work, learning disability or occupational therapy.
• Demonstrated ability to triage and manage referrals in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong communication skills and resilience to support unwell, upset patients.
• Willingly work 24/7, including night shifts, as required by the FPCC schedule.

Shift Patterns

• Day shifts (various options): 7:00‑8:00, 9:00‑10:00, 7:00‑15:00, 14:00‑22:00.
• Night shifts: 21:30‑07:30.
• Flexible working options may be considered.

Benefits

• Free car parking at many sites.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing to 33 days with long service.
• Broad training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7.
• Multi‑professional preceptorship programme for newly qualified and internationally educated practitioners.
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay for unsocial hours.
• Family‑friendly and agile working opportunities.
• Recognition and long‑service awards.
• Fast‑track physiotherapy and wellbeing line.
• Salary sacrifice schemes: Cycle to Work, car scheme, discounts on travel, leisure and retail.

About the Trust

We employ over 5000 colleagues across 55 sites, supporting a welcoming workplace culture built on civility, inclusivity and diversity. Our staff are encouraged to share feedback through surveys, and we strive to maintain a Great Place to Work by continually improving staff engagement.

How to Apply

Applicants are advised to apply early, as we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date if a large number of applications are received. Full details and additional information are in the attached ‘Additional Information for Applicants’ document.