Mental Health Practitioner (RMN)

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is seeking a Mental Health Practitioner to join their community mental health team. The role involves developing care pathways and supporting individuals in managing their mental health within the community. Ideal candidates are Registered Mental Health Nurses with relevant experience and strong communication skills. The position offers opportunities for mentorship and career progression.

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurses with community services experience.
• Evidence of recent professional development.

Responsibilities

• Develop pathways of care in local community mental health team.
• Support individuals to manage their mental health.

Skills

Communication

Counselling Skills

Cognitive Behavioural Skills

Crisis Intervention Skills

Team Management

Education

Degree or Diploma in relevant field

Job description

As one of the 12 'early implementer' sites for integrated community mental health services, we are expanding our community mental health offer. Our new services are centred around the Primary Care Networks and aspiring to comprehensive engagement with Integrated Care Systems using a whole person, whole population health approach.

The model utilizes all the community resources available including health, social care, Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organizations and local communities and consider resources to support wellbeing outside of mental health services alone.

These new teams enable and support people to access mental health services wherever and whenever they need it and support individuals to manage their mental health supported in their local community. We are therefore looking for skilled and enthusiastic individuals.

Main duties of the job

Through this work, an exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative role of Mental Health Practitioner within each borough. As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will be employed by West London NHS Trust, and will be key in the development of pathways of care in the local community mental health team (MINT). This role would also provide an opportunity to be mentored or to mentor, career progression and continued education.

We are seeking applications from Registered Mental Health Nurses who have experience of working in community services.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Prior experience of working across a range of community mental health settings and with a range of mental health diagnoses/need;
• Knowledge of and experience in delivering a range of brief interventions to patients with mental health needs;
• Good written and verbal communication skills and the ability to use these to strengthen local relationships with the local MINT Teams

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• Relevant professional qualification and registration with professional body. oNurse oSocial Worker oOccupational Therapist oPsychologist
• Educated to degree or Diploma level with other courses relevant to primary care mental health services e.g. CBT, Brief Solution Focussed Therapy etc.
• Evidence of recent and on-going relevant further professional development

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of post qualifying work in psychiatry.
• Experience of supervising junior staff within own and/or other disciplines
• Evidence of experience in a Band 6 position or equivalent
• Other relevant post registration experience
• Audit and research experience
• Experience of teaching/training in a formal or informal setting
• Experience of working in a primary care setting/ social care/ voluntary sector

Knowledge

• Knowledge of counselling skills/cognitive behavioural skills, psychosocial interventions
• Knowledge of recovery approaches as used with those with mental health conditions
• Ability to interpret research and apply to practice
• Specialist knowledge of mental health conditions as well as their relationship to physical disorders
• Assessment and treatment of Deliberate Self Harm
• Risk assessment/management and crisis intervention skills
• Use of psychosocial assessment methods
• Higher level communication skills, both written and oral
• Ability to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively
• Sufficient clinical knowledge to be able to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems and judgement about available options, with senior clinical support/supervision
• Team/self management and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service

Personal Qualities

• Ability to frequently work under pressure and maintain intense concentration, particularly in unpredictable situations where there will be exposure to highly distressed and/or disturbed patients, often exhibiting challenging behaviours and the risk of physical violence
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Commitment to equal opportunities
• Ability to accept constructive feedback
• Self-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence when required.
• Exercise initiative, flexibility and tact and self awareness
• Willing to use peer and group supervision creatively
• Be able to work flexibly if required
• Be aware of the limitations in your competencies and seek appropriate senior advice and leadership.
• Personal experience of a mental health condition

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.

£44,806 to £53,134 a year per annum inclusive of 20% HCAS