Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

The Methodist Church in Britain; Tudhoe; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing programmes

Ongoing training and development

Flexible working patterns

Parking and childcare vouchers

NHS discount schemes

Holiday 27 days + 8 bank holidays

NHS Pension

Relocation incentives £2,000 (Band 6)

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Mental Health Practitioner to triage referrals, assess patients, and deliver brief interventions within the Lewes Neighbourhood Mental Health Team. You will work with GP-based practitioners and partner organisations to shape triage hubs and neighbourhood services.

Applicants must hold current registration in mental health nursing, social work, or occupational therapy, with CPD evidence and experience delivering low-intensity psychological

Qualifications

• Registration and current professional registration to practice in the role
• Evidence of CPD and ongoing professional development
• Experience delivering low intensity psychological interventions by various modes

Responsibilities

• Carry out clinical assessments, including risk assessments
• Deliver brief interventions
• Triage referrals into the service and NHS Talking Therapies
• Make onward referrals to secondary or urgent care services as needed
• Provide signposting advice
• Offer expert advice and support to colleagues
• Collaborate with GP-based practitioners, NMHT colleagues, partner organisations and NHS Talking Therapies teams
• Liaise with stakeholders and third sector organisations
• Contribute to triage function development and local Triage Hubs operations
• Support the expansion of the Mental Health Practitioner role across Sussex and the Neighbourhood model

Skills

Clinical assessment

Risk assessment

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Registration in MH nursing / social work / OT

Job description

This post sits in the Primary Care and Partnerships team of the Lewes Neighbourhood Mental Health Team, part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The practitioner triages referrals into the service and NHS Talking Therapies, carries out assessments and brief interventions, and refers onward where needed. Work is shared with GP-based practitioners, voluntary sector partners and other neighbourhood services, and includes helping to shape triage hubs and the wider neighbourhood model. Registration as a mental health nurse, social worker or occupational therapist is essential.

What the job involves

• Carry out clinical assessments, including risk assessments
• Deliver brief interventions
• Triage referrals into the service and NHS Talking Therapies
• Make onward referrals to secondary or urgent care services where needed
• Give signposting advice
• Provide expert advice and guidance and support colleagues
• Work with GP-based practitioners, NMHT colleagues, partner organisations, VCSE providers and NHS Talking Therapies teams
• Liaise with key stakeholders and third sector organisations
• Contribute to the development of the triage function and the operation of local Triage Hubs
• Contribute to enhancing the Mental Health Practitioner role across Sussex and the Neighbourhood model

What’s required

Qualifications

• Registration as a mental health nurse, social worker or occupational therapist
• Current professional registration appropriate to the role
• Evidence of continuous professional development

Experience

• Extensive post-qualifying experience of clinical work with people with a range of mental health problems across all age and disability groups
• Partnership working across statutory and non-statutory teams and agencies
• Working consultatively with professionals
• Delivering low intensity psychological interventions, including self help, behavioural activation, solution focused, guided self help and CBT informed approaches, by telephone, face to face, individually and in workshops
• Conducting clinical assessments, including risk assessments

Skills & knowledge

• Excellent clinical skills in assessment and risk assessment
• Strong communication skills

What’s offered

• Access to wellbeing and support programmes
• Supervision programmes with ongoing training and development
• Flexible working patterns
• Reimbursed parking and childcare vouchers
• Access to NHS discount schemes
• Holiday from 27 days plus 8 bank holidays, depending on length of NHS service
• NHS Pension contributions
• £2,000 Golden Hello or Relocation Incentive for Band 6 (pro rata, subject to terms and conditions)