Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

NHS; Richmond; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 44,000; Part time

Job summary

A regional mental health service is seeking a part-time Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner in Richmond. The role focuses on providing support to GP practices for patients with mental health issues, improving health outcomes for those suffering from serious mental illnesses. The ideal candidate will be a registered mental health professional with relevant experience in clinical settings. Competitive salary offered, along with benefits for career development.

Benefits

Flexible working

Career development opportunities

Inclusive and diverse work environment

Qualifications

• Relevant clinical experience with serious mental health problems.
• Experience of supervision or mentoring of junior staff.
• Training in recovery approaches in mental health.

Responsibilities

• Provide medication education and adherence advice.
• Support patients in transitioning between primary and secondary care.
• Work with team members to ensure patient engagement with services.

Skills

Excellent written and oral communication skills

Ability to manage workload independently

Quality care responsiveness

Education

Registered mental health professional (Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker)

Evidence of continuing professional development

Job description

Go back South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 12 October 2025

We have an exciting opportunity to recruit for a part time Band 5 Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner in Richmond.

In this role you will work outside of three GP surgeries within the Richmond Primary Care Network (PCN), as part of the primary care team. You will be providing support to GP practices for patients presenting with mental health problems including; provision of advice, education, support and interventions to patients and carers. A main focus of this role is on improving health outcomes for patients with Serious Mental Illness (SMI); supporting access and carrying out physical health checks in their GP surgery to this population.

Main duties of the job

The practitioner's work will generally be for people whose needs cannot be met by IAPT services but who may not need ongoing care from secondary care community mental health services. The practitioner can facilitate onward access to other secondary care-based services, or third sector services integrated within the mental health pathway. The role will require a level of autonomous working and experience of working in a fast-paced environment.

The practitioner will also be embedded as part of the Primary Care Network Multi-Disciplinary Team and will receive clinical supervision, line management, support and training through the established Primary Care Mental Health Team within the Richmond Wellbeing Service. We welcome applicants from a registered mental health profession or non-registered psychological professionals who have specific competences and/or experience in evidence base interventions for people with SMI.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Job responsibilities

To provide medicine education and adherence advice and lifestyle advice for patients and their carers, presenting with mental health problems.

Assist in supporting early intervention and supporting shared decision-making around self management.

To work with patients and team members to support engagement with appropriate services and treatment which may include onward referral to secondary mental health services or signposting to other mental health services, social prescribers, voluntary services and community-based support groups.

To support patients to transition from secondary care to primary care by providing up to three step-down sessions at the point of step down from secondary care services.

To support patients to transition from primary care to secondary care when more specialist or intensive support is required

Person Specification

Experience

• Relevant clinical experience
• Experience of working with people who have experienced serious ongoing mental health problems
• Experience of research based/reflective practice e.g. understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills, attitude and knowledge and develop these by using evidence-based practice
• Experience of supervision and/or mentoring of junior staff and students
• Experience of working as a Recovery Support Worker in Mental Health

Training & Qualifications

• Registered mental health professional appropriate to the job role (Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Pharmacy technician)
• Non-registered psychological professionals (including those on voluntary and accredited registers) who have specific competences in evidence-based psychological therapies for severe mental health problems
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Training in support of people with mental health problems
• Training in recovery approaches in mental health

Knowledge & Skills

• Able to proactively and independently manage workload
• Ability to provide quality care that is responsive to service user needs, without close supervision
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

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 London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

£35,763 to £43,466 a year pro rata per annum Inclusive of outer London HCAS