Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; Brighouse; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional NHS Foundation Trust in Brighouse is seeking a Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner to assess and address the mental health needs of clients. You will engage in therapeutic work, provide staff training, and collaborate with various care teams. This role is essential in promoting mental well-being and supporting individuals in primary care settings. Ideal candidates will have relevant qualifications and a strong interest in mental health. Join us in improving community health outcomes.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Training and professional development

Qualifications

• Registered as a Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist.
• Post-registration experience in mental health is mandatory.
• Ability to work in community settings delivering mental health services.

Responsibilities

• Conduct mental health assessments with referred individuals.
• Provide therapeutic support and refer to appropriate services.
• Develop training for staff on mental health issues.

Skills

Mental health assessment

Brief therapeutic work

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Client support

Supervisory leadership

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse

Social Worker

Occupational Therapist

Job description

Go back South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 30 December 2025

We have an exciting opportunity for a band 6 practitioner to work in Calderdale in a SWYT role in partnership with the Lower Valley Primary Care Network (PCN). These roles are now established in Calderdale and provide specialist mental health support in a local setting in primary care.

As a primary care practitioner, you will be responsible for conducting a mental health assessment with all people referred to him/her, determining what the individual's mental health needs are and the most appropriate service/ agency to meet those needs. You may engage in brief therapeutic work with the person referred, refer them to another service/agency or advise them of other sources of support that they could access.

You will build and maintain effective links with all disciplines within the PCNs (Primary Care Networks), and will work as an integrated part of the PCN MDT through the emerging Integrated Neighbourhood Health system.

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

Main duties of the job

Your 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.

You will also provide easily accessed advice for the integrated care teams and support identification of the training needs of staff on mental health issues. As a mental health specialist, you will participate in providing training and supervision, as required, for staff within the PCN on mental health issues. You will also undertake a training, consultancy and support role within the team and for the wider integrated care workforce.

—This role is part of the wider primary care mental health transformation process so will also involve feedback and input into the service improvement and development.

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 we are accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we 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

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The postholder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed.

The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the postholder when necessary and in line with the service developments.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

The post holder will be responsible for conducting a mental health assessment with all people referred to him/her, determining what the individual's mental health needs are and the most appropriate service/ agency to meet those needs. The post holder may engage in brief therapeutic work with the person referred, refer them to another service/agency or advise them of other sources of support that they could access.

The post holder will build and maintain effective links with Housing Officers within the 3 neighbourhoods, and will work as an integrated part of the Social Investment Team.

The post holder's approach should be driven by the underpinning philosophies of mental health promotion, empowerment and personal responsibility. This work will focus on the tenants of Wakefield and District Housing who are identified as requiring mental health support to successfully maintain their tenancy and improve their wellbeing.

The post holder will also provide easily accessed advice for Wakefield and District Housing teams and support identification of the training needs of staff on mental health issues. The post holder will participate in providing training and supervision, as required, for staff at Wakefield and District Housing on mental health issues.

The post holder will also undertake a training, consultancy and support role within the team and for the wider workforce in Wakefield and District Housing, Trust, Council and wider community.

The post holder will also be expected to work as an autonomous practitioner.

Freedom To Act:

Act independently and use own initiative in order to manage workload and solve problems within appropriate professional guidelines, with performance and outcomes reviewed through supervision from your line manager.

Maintain professional integrity in line with relevant Codes of Ethical and Professional Conduct.

Liaise with external agencies as required to fulfil job role.

1. Take responsibility for the management of a case load ensuring an efficient workflow and referral to the relevant pathway / agency.

2. Undertake a comprehensive assessment of complex health care needs and formulate agreed outcomes with the tenant. Implement and regularly evaluate agreed treatment, using the most up-to-date evaluation tools.

3. To work autonomously in the primary care / housing setting, where the nature of the work is unpredictable.

4. To manage the risks, to self and others, associated with unpredictable client groups in settings where there may be no other mental health professional support.

5. To manipulate the physical environment where possible to provide a setting which is conducive to client work?

6. To determine the most appropriate course of action, for the client, following assessment.

7. To maintain good links with the specialist mental health services and associated agencies (including social care and voluntary agencies) and provide advice to these agencies in the management of primary care mental health issues.

8. Provide appropriate individual treatment based on a recovery approach and aim to discharge service users safely to primary care, undertaking group interventions relative to caseload priorities.

9. Offer support, knowledge and guidance, to the team regarding support for people tenants with mental health needs.

10. Offer guidance and support in decision-making to team members on situations beyond their experience and skills.

11. Maintain the highest degree of tenant confidentiality in undertaking the assessment and where appropriate providing brief intervention and advice.

12. Formulate and adhere to risk assessments and management plans ensuring appropriate risk documentation is available to appropriate individuals and agencies.

13. Maintain effective communication with referring teams as appropriate, regarding outcomes.

14. Demonstrate a clear understanding of up-to-date evidence based practices and demonstrate flexibility to undertake practical and functional duties as required.

15. Maintain a high level of professional core mental health skills.

16. Maintain effective links with colleagues, carers and where appropriate relatives of tenants.

17. Undertake supervision of junior staff as required.

18. Engage in regular supervision in line with professional and employer policies. Monitor, evaluate and modify approach to work with tenants with multiple and complex needs in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of the intervention.

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

Physical Attributes

• 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).

Personal Attributes

• Flexible.
• Personal Integrity.
• Drive and enthusiasm.
• Ability to work in an inter-disciplinary multi-agency environment.
• Demonstrates and recognises difference and doesn't discriminate because of these differences.
• Genuine interest in working with client group.

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse or
• Social Worker or
• Occupational Therapist.
• PSI training.
• AMHP.

Special Knowledge & Skills

• Understanding by the post holder of their responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983.
• Understanding by the post holder of their responsibilities under the Care programme Approach, Clinical Governance, Risk Assessment and Child Protection Legislation & NICE guidelines.
• Ability to analyse and present complex information to professional colleagues.
• Supervisory leadership skills.
• Basic Keyboard Skills.
• Ability to inspire confidence in service users, carers and senior and junior staff.
• Influencing and Negotiating skills.
• Ability to prioritise workload.
• 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).

Experience

• Post registration experience in mental Health.
• Demonstrate experience of working within a community setting, delivering mental health services on a 1-1 basis with service users.
• Experience of brief therapeutic work with people referred.

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.

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust