Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

ESSEX PARTNERSHIP UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday + bank holidays

NHS pension 14.5%

Staff discounts

Bank shifts

Annual leave entitlement

Job summary

ESSEX Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a motivated Mental Health Nurse to join the Primary Care Mental Health Team covering the Braintree and Maldon locality. You will triage, assess, and care for patients with common mental health difficulties in a GP setting, collaborating with GPs, PCNs, secondary care, and community partners to ensure timely, person-centred care.

The role requires autonomous clinical decision-making, strong risk management, and a solid knowledge of

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Experience working in mental health services.
• Excellent communication in English (verbal and written).
• Ability to work autonomously within multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Triage and assess patients in the Primary Care Mental Health Team.
• Develop and review person-centred care plans.
• Coordinate care with GPs, PCNs and secondary services.
• Provide safe and timely triage, risk assessment and follow-up.
• Support service improvement and governance.

Skills

RMN

CPD

MH experience

English fluency

Risk assessment

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Job description

We are seeking a motivated and experienced Mental Health Nurse to join our Primary Care Mental Health Team covering the Braintree and Maldon locality. Working within General Practice, you will provide triage, assessment, care planning, and follow‑up support for patients experiencing common mental health difficulties. You will work collaboratively with GPs, Primary Care Networks, secondary care services, and community partners to ensure individuals receive timely, person‑centred care and are supported to access the most appropriate services. The successful candidate will be a confident and autonomous practitioner with excellent assessment, risk management, and clinical decision‑making skills. A strong knowledge of local mental health pathways and a commitment to high‑quality, recovery‑focused care are essential. Provide a seamless service to support patients' recovery and wellbeing plans within the community.

• Work collaboratively with GPs, Primary Care teams, to ensure patients are supported within the most appropriate clinical practice environment from a multidisciplinary perspective.
• Triage and assess patients effectively. You will maintain a clear focus on prevention, early detection, and intervention, while promoting self‑management through empowerment and partnership working with service users.
• Deliver effective, safe, and responsive services that support the key principles of clinical and practice governance.
• As the Primary Care model continues to develop, the post holder will support the team's ongoing commitment to continuous service improvement, while safeguarding and maintaining high standards of care.
• Undertake and provide detailed physical health investigations, including BMI monitoring, blood pressure checks.
• Act as a signpost for both internal and external services appropriate to the needs of service users, ensuring timely access to relevant support and interventions where required.
• Contribute to the development of integrated care pathways, promoting collaborative working across services to enhance continuity of care and improve outcomes for service users.

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you. Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.

• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling., OurEmployee Assistance Programme (EAP)is a free counselling service which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is designed to provide you with independent, free and confidential information, advice and support to help you improve your wellness and wellbeing.
• Occupational Health support via either management or self referrals.

The post holder will provide a person‑centred service that supports patients' recovery, wellbeing, and physical health needs within the community. Working collaboratively with GPs, Primary Care teams, Consultant Psychiatrists, and other partner agencies, the post holder will ensure patients receive timely access to the most appropriate support and are managed within the most suitable clinical setting.

Key responsibilities include:

• Triaging referrals and facilitating access to appropriate services and interventions.
• Undertaking comprehensive mental and physical health assessments.
• Developing and reviewing person‑centred care plans that promote recovery and wellbeing.
• Conducting physical health investigations, including BMI monitoring, blood pressure checks, ECGs, and requesting blood tests where clinically appropriate.
• Maintaining safe clinical practice in accordance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards, the NHS Constitution, and organisational policies.
• Supporting effective clinical governance and contributing to continuous service improvement initiatives.
• Working within a multidisciplinary framework to deliver safe, responsive, and high‑quality care.
• As Primary Care Mental Health Services continue to evolve, the post holder will play a key role in supporting service development while maintaining high standards of patient care.

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) qualification with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Experience working within mental health services.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in English.
• Ability to manage challenging situations with sensitivity, professionalism, and objectivity.
• Strong assessment, risk management, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and across organisational boundaries.
• Due to the geographical area covered by the service and the limited availability of public transport in some locations, the ability to travel independently across the locality is essential.

Benefits

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
• Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• Work that wraps around your needs
• Work bank: You can use the opportunity to supplement your income and develop your skills by working bank shifts.
• Annual leave entitlement
• you will be entitled to 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays.