Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust; Ashton-under-Lyne; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A dedicated mental health service provider in Ashton-under-Lyne seeks a Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join their Older Peoples Community Mental Health Team. The role involves triaging referrals, conducting assessments, and developing tailored care packages for older patients with mental health issues. Ideal candidates will have RMN/RNMH qualifications and experience working with older adults. This position offers opportunities for professional development and flexible working.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Flexible working opportunities

Access to CPD

Qualifications

• Experience of working with older people with complex mental health needs.
• Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience of providing supervision to junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Triage all referrals as the first level gatekeeper.
• Conduct thorough assessments including risk assessment.
• Develop individualised care packages and provide interventions.

Skills

Mental health assessment

Communication skills

Teamwork

Risk management

Leadership

Education

RMN/RNMH

Degree in relevant field or working towards

Job description

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Senior Mental Health Practitioner, Ashton-under-Lyne

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Client:

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

Location:

Ashton-under-Lyne, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

88cafdfbf7ea

Job Views:

4

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

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Job Description:

Job overview

A vacancy has become available within our Older Peoples Community Mental Health Team, Single Point of Entry service, based in the Etherow Building at Tameside General Hospital.

As a Band 6 you would work with the existing team of staff to triage new referrals. This will involve offering advice, support, signposting, initial assessments and onwards referrals to older people who are experiencing a mental health problem. There are two clinical pathways within our team, organic/dementia and functional. You need a real commitment to working with this client group.

Previous experience of working with community patients over 65 years of age is essential.

You will be supported by the team manager and existing team through clinical and managerial supervision

Main duties of the job

• To triage all referrals that are made to the service as the single point of entry and first level gatekeeper to older peoples community mental health services
• To make onward referral to the most appropriate service to meet the individual needs of the service user following triage
• To carry out a thorough assessment of the service users’ current mental health problems and individual needs, including a risk assessment
• To develop individualised packages of care for service users with mental health problems, including signposting where necessary
• To provide short term psychotherapeutic interventions as appropriate
• To provide short term risk management as appropriate
• To identify the need for protection in line with safeguarding children and the Protection of Vulnerable Adult Policy and to comply with statutory obligations
• To liaise and negotiate with other professions, statutory and independent agencies to ensure the best possible service is provided to service users and carers
• To evaluate systematically and record, outcomes of mental health assessments, adapting care on the basis of these outcomes
• To involve family and carers in the assessment and care planning with service users consent

Working for our organisation

We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
• Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
• Access to Continued Professional Development
• Involvement in improvement and research activities
• Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
• Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To assist the Team Leader in monitoring activity, caseload management, and allocation of work. To report any concerns or under-achievements to the team leader.

· To demonstrate practice as a clinical expert in the field of mental illness in old age and its management.

· To provide and/or facilitate clinical supervision in individual or group settings and to all grades of staff. Where necessary undertake live supervision and mentorship. To participate in mandatory individual and group supervision.

· To be involved in the clinical development of junior staff, including training and development planning; updates and research awareness. To notify Team Leader of any training needs identified in yourself or your supervisees.

· To deliver training to health staff and other agencies as directed by the Team Leader either in conjunction with other staff or individually.

· To plan, implement and review individualised care plans, ensuring standards are maintained regarding the quality of interventions provided.

· Provision of reports as required for the purposes of care planning, case conferences and case reviews.

· Participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings, Ward Rounds, CPA reviews, Section 117 reviews and care planning meetings as required.

· To work within the framework of the CPA, acting as assessment Co-ordinator.

· To work closely with service users, care home staff and carers ensuring they are involved as far as possible in planning and reviewing interventions.

· Maintain confidentiality and a high professional standard at all times.

· Participate in the promotion of research, audit and quality initiatives.

This job description is not exhaustive, but is intended to give an overall picture of the role. Other duties within the general scope of the post may be required from time to time. The duties of the post and job description can be reviewed through the agreed process.

Person specification

Education / Qualifications

• RMN/RNMH
• Evidence of on-going CPD
• Degree - or working towards completion.
• Further training in brief psychosocial interventions.

Experience

• Experience of working with older people with complex functional and organic mental health needs.
• Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience of providing supervision to junior staff
• Primary care mental health work experience
• Experience of working with a psychosocial model of care
• Experience of triaging referrals.

Knowledge

• Understanding of current mental health legislation, Safe Guarding and Child Protection Legislation
• Awareness of NICE Guidance in the treatment of mental health problems and knowledge of treatments and interventions appropriate for individuals with mental health needs
• Understanding of confidentiality and data protection issues.
• Knowledge of psychosocial assessment and risk assessment/management processes

Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive mental health and risk assessment skills.
• Ability to construct effective safety plans, care plans and risk management plans
• Ability to deliver a range of evidence based interventions.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to form productive working relationships with service users, carers and multi-disciplinary staff
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills.
• CBT/DBT qualification or training/further learning
• Experience in leadership/mentorship
• Supervisor or practice educator/preceptorship role experience

We also offer virtual application support sessions each month, where you will learn some hints and tips to support you in completing your application form. To secure your place, and to find out more visit the on our website.

Sponsorship - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the

What happens after your application has been received?

You will be informed about the progress of your application following shortlisting via email. Only applicants who clearly demonstrate the criteria listed in the person specification will be shortlisted for interview. Interview invites will be sent out via email.

What happens if I am offered the position after interview?

The hiring manager will make contact with you to verbally offer you the position. The hiring manager will then inform Recruitment of the decision and provide relevant paperwork. You will be sent a formal conditional offer via email.

What pre-employment checks will I need to complete?

By conducting pre-employment checks, the recruitment team will verify that you meet the pre-conditions of the role you have been offered. Pre-employment checks will be carried out according to . The checks are:

• Identity verification
• Right to work check
• Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role)
• Professional registration and/or qualification check
• Occupational health assessment
• Employment history and reference validation

All applicants external to the NHS will be required to provide their to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history and references as part of pre-employment checks.

If you are offered a position with us and you require sponsorship to support your right to work, we will review your eligibility in line with . If the role you have been offered is not eligible for sponsorship, and you are not able to evidence own your right to work, your conditional offer could be withdrawn.

What happens when pre-employment checks are complete?

Recruitment will liaise with you and the hiring manager to arrange a start date for your new position. You will then be booked on to a Trust Welcome Session and be sent your Pennine Care NHS Terms and Conditions.

Other important information

• We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and recognise the importance of ensuring our diverse service user population is reflected within our workforce. Unfortunately, we know that, at present, there is underrepresentation of our communities in our workforce. We welcome applications from people from diverse communities to help us grow, learn, be better and consider brilliant innovation diverse people bring.
• If you would like to be considered under the disability confident scheme, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria on the person specification for the post.
• If you require reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process please phone us on 0161 716 3181 at the earliest opportunity. We will support you to complete your application.
• Unfortunately we are not able to guarantee the transfer of lease cars, or cover the costs of early termination charges.
• We have a strict policy on unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies. Please do not contact our hiring managers directly.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date if a sufficient number of applications have been received. To ensure you application is considered, please submit at the earliest opportunity.