Senior Community Mental Health Practitioner - Op COURAGE Veterans

Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A health care organization in Colchester seeks a passionate clinician to support the Armed Forces community in mental health and well-being. Responsibilities include managing patient care, assessing needs, and coordinating referrals. This role requires understanding the unique challenges faced by veterans and providing person-centered care. The ideal candidate will work Monday to Friday with occasional weekends and will contribute to a vital service covering the East of England.

Benefits

Season Ticket Loans

NHS discounts for staff

Excellent training facilities and opportunities

Buying and selling annual leave scheme

Opportunity to work bank shifts

Day One Flexible Employer

Qualifications

• Experience working with the Armed Forces community is desirable.
• Ability to work in flexible environments, adapting to patient needs.
• Knowledge of community support services for veterans.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of community-based patients.
• Assess patient needs and create individualized care plans.
• Provide face-to-face and remote contact with patients.
• Liaise with various health and support services for referrals.

Skills

Understanding of Armed Forces Community

Mental health assessment

Care planning and coordination

Facilitation of therapeutic relationships

Advocacy for mental health needs

Education

Relevant mental health qualification

Job description

Role Summary

Are you a member of the Armed Forces Community? Maybe you have experience working with the Armed Forces Community? Or perhaps you are someone with the desire to support those who have given so much to our country? If so, consider joining us in Op COURAGE- The Integrated Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.

We need a passionate clinician who understands the need to tailor mental health care for the Armed Forces community and who is sensitive to the unique experiences that life in the Armed Forces brings. We provide ongoing training opportunities and encourage our staff to attend learning and networking events, to improve the care we can give to our patients.

You will be responsible for the care of a caseload of patients in the community, under the Op Courage Community Veterans Mental Health Service.

The service is primarily a Monday-Friday 9-5 service, however there will be an expectation to work one weekend on a rota basis roughly every 8 weeks, with two weekdays off during this week.

This service covers the six counties that fall within the geographical patch of the East of England. A blend of face-to-face and remote working is required for working across this geography.

You will

• Manage a caseload of community based patients and be responsible for assessing need, care-planning and coordinating care, and discharging from services when care is complete.
• You will provide face-to-face and/or remote contact with your patients.
• You will have an understanding of what is available for this community across the social prescribing and charity sector, and provide referrals to these other organisations that can help meet identified needs.
• Advocate for the needs of the Armed Forces Community.
• Empower people to address specific needs in relation to health and wellbeing and enable individuals to become experts in managing and taking responsibility for their own condition.

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment.

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

You will be able to provide the main duties of the job listed above, by;

• Building up rapport and establishing a therapeutic working relationship
• Understanding the specific needs of the Armed Forces Community and the challenges they may have faced with service life
• Assessing personal, social, and medical history and identify and verify factors including contra-indications apparent from patient history
• Sensitively be able to elicit a picture of the military service and challenges this have brought to the individual and their family
• Identify clinical mental health disorder, or those at risk of
• Develop a person-centred and needs-led care plan
• Refer-on to other appropriate healthcare services
• Liaising with relevant statutory and non-statutory services involved with provision of care
• Being aware of military related charities and community provision for Armed Forces community in their area
• Evaluating potential efficacy of planned intervention
• Presenting cases to the MDT for clinical decision making and update the MDT on progress working towards discharge from the service
• Ensuring that care plans, risk assessments and all patient care records are completed and maintained in line with set key performance indicators
• Taking responsibility for and assist in the management of incidents, ensuring timely investigation and reporting of any incidents
• Keeping up-to-date with current practices, local and national policies and agendas in relation to Veterans mental health
• Empower people to address specific needs in relation to health and wellbeing and enable individuals to become experts in managing and taking responsibility for their own condition
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of qualified service providers within the local region

This advert closes on Tuesday 14 Oct 2025