Senior Community Practitioner

NHS; Croydon; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health trust in Croydon is seeking a Registered Mental Health Nurse to provide specialist assessments and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. The ideal candidate will have robust communication skills, experience in mental health, and the ability to support both service users and community practitioners. This permanent, full-time role offers a competitive salary and the chance to impact diverse populations positively.

Qualifications

• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Experience of working in a CMHT.
• Experience with diversity and multicultural framework.

Responsibilities

• Conduct specialist mental health assessments for adults.
• Supervise community practitioners.
• Provide evidence-based care according to NICE guidelines.

Skills

Communication skills

Mental health assessment

Crisis intervention

Autonomy

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist, or Social Worker

Job description

Overview

Are you an experienced Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN), Mental Health Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist looking to take the next step in your career?

This is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your professional experience and deepen your expertise within a supportive and forward-thinking multidisciplinary team. We provide specialist mental health services to adults aged 18-65 living in the London Borough of Croydon. Our team offers timely assessments, expert advice, and tailored care planning for individuals experiencing moderate to severe mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. Working alongside dedicated professionals, nurses, doctors, social workers, you\'ll collaborate closely with service users, their carers, and GPs to ensure holistic, person-centred care.

Responsibilities

• As a Senior Practitioner you will operate as a highly skilled and autonomous clinician, delivering specialist mental health assessments, care planning, and brief interventions for adults referred to the service.
• Conduct comprehensive needs assessments and develop tailored care plans.
• Provide short-term interventions (up to 12 weeks) to support recovery and wellbeing.
• Signpost service users to appropriate external services and facilitate safe discharge to primary care where suitable.
• Supervise and support community practitioners, contributing to their development and ensuring high standards of care.

You will work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals and services on a daily basis, including:

• Multidisciplinary colleagues within the team.
• Other borough-based mental health teams.
• External agencies and primary care providers.

In addition to clinical responsibilities, you will support the Team Leader and Service Manager in maintaining service delivery, which includes:

• Monitoring performance against key targets.
• Managing staff absences and ensuring adequate team coverage.
• Providing supervision to junior staff.
• Offering management support and leadership in the Team Leader\'s absence.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Registered Mental Health Nurse/ Occupational Therapist or Social Worker

Experience

• Experience of working in a CMHT
• Experience of working with and addressing issues of diversity including experience of working within a multicultural framework
• Experience of conducting biopsychosocial assessments and risk assessments
• Experience of working with service users with depression, anxiety and personality difficulties using evidence-based interventions - NICE guidelines

Knowledge

• An understanding of the relationship between primary and secondary care services
• Knowledge of key legislation and guidelines in relation to statutory mental health responsibilities, including Safeguarding Adults, Young people and children
• An understanding of the stepped care model of delivery of psychological therapies for depression, anxiety and personality disorder
• Knowledge and expertise in the management of complex risk and crisis
• Understanding of KPIs

Skills and abilities

• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and sensitive information to clients, families and colleagues
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate and to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive and/or challenging behaviour

Details

Date posted: 19 September 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £53,751 to £60,651 a year PA pro rata for staff working part time inc HCAS

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 334-NUR-7454019-LF

Job locations: Jeanette Wallace House, Edridge Road, Croydon, CR0 1ER

Job description

Responsibilities

1. Offering comprehensive, specialist, initial assessments and formulations to service users. To manage the provision of appropriate interventions/treatments to a small case load of service users experiencing transitional mental health problems. To exercise autonomous professional judgement for the assessment, coordination and transfer to the relevant team of a designated caseload. To provide comprehensive ongoing assessment and outcome monitoring of all allocated clients. To participate in the team assessment and duty rota. To liaise closely with crisis services and emergency out of hours services. To provide evidence based care as outlined in NICE guidance.
2. Attend regular clinical and management supervision and appraisal. To provide specialist teaching and training of mental health professionals and other staff working in the service. To undertake the mentorship of students working in the service.
3. Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice/Codes of Conduct according to the employer and regulating and professional bodies (NMC/HCPC). Ensure client confidentiality is maintained at all times. Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with manager. Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives. Maintain accurate and timely written records.
4. Form and maintain effective working relationships with all services in the borough, including Home Treatment, Promoting Recovery, inpatient units and psychiatric liaison teams. Maintain and develop effective primary care liaison/link working with aligned GP practices. Ensure that the views of users and carers are sought and incorporated into all care delivered. Ensure that care is sensitive to a diverse population.
5. Contribute to the development of best practice within the service. Maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services. Take responsibility for own health and safety and the health and safety of colleagues, patients and the general public. Deputise in the absence of the clinical lead. Undertake the role of duty senior on a regular basis. Undertake any other duties as appropriate to grade as requested by the Clinical service Lead.
6. All employees are expected to comply with statutory requirements and the Trust\'s employment policies while carrying out their work. All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
7. This post is one of continual development and the post holder will be encouraged to develop skills and capabilities, including participation in projects and training events. Accordingly, the range of duties and responsibilities outlined above may change from time to time to reflect the changing needs of the organisation.

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information, please visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18) are also subject to this requirement.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see the NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Jeanette Wallace House, Edridge Road, Croydon, CR0 1ER

Employer's website: https://www.slam.nhs.uk/