Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare trust in the UK is seeking a Senior Mental Health Practitioner to support patients in a community hospital setting. Successful candidates will deliver high-quality mental health support, advocate for patients, and work collaboratively with hospital staff. Ideal applicants will possess strong interpersonal skills and a solid understanding of mental health treatment principles. The role offers a range of benefits and opportunities for personal development.

Benefits

Free car parking

27 days leave plus bank holidays

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of various approaches to assessment of mental health.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the MHA and Mental Capacity Act.
• Knowledge of clinical and demographic risk factors associated with suicide and self-harm.

Responsibilities

• Provide an assessment service to inpatients with mental health issues.
• Deliver evidence-based psychosocial interventions to patients.
• Support decision-making in complex treatment situations.

Skills

Knowledge of key areas of mental health liaison work

Excellent skills in relation to assessment and treatment

Ability to analyse information

Job description

Overview

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people's own homes and in a range of other locations across the county. We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care. We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking "what matters to you". We’re passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and we are continually working to support healthy and happy high‑quality teams in all areas of the Trust.

Our application process aims to understand each candidate’s knowledge, skills and experience. We have found that candidates that use AI to generate their answers can lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description. It is really important to personalise your application to convey your individual skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively and for us to understand why you are applying for this role with GHC. We discourage over reliance on AI‑generated applications as it will lessen your chances of success in securing an interview with us.

Senior Mental Health Practitioner – Role Overview

The Mental Health Liaison Services at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust are looking for a Senior Mental Health Practitioner. You will work in partnership with patients in the Community Hospital setting as they complete their hospital treatment; providing practical, emotional and signposting support as well as acting as a patient advocate if requested. You will work alongside Community Hospital colleagues to improve patient experience, care and wellbeing. We will work with you to ensure that we support your personal and developmental needs, this includes a bespoke induction to ensure that you are fully prepared and supported in delivering this role. Our aim is to work closely with our Community Hospital colleagues to deliver a pro‑active, patient focussed service that delivers the right care at the right time and your work will ensure that the voice of the patient is fully recognised. If you have excellent interpersonal skills, the desire to deliver high quality care and you are ready to use your experience to support others then please get in touch to talk through the role.

Responsibilities

• Offer a visible, accessible presence within community hospitals in the provision of an assessment service to inpatients presenting with a broad range of mental health and psychological problems, and psychiatric illnesses. The nature of the role will also include the need for specialist assessments, treatments and interventions to older people with complex needs or enduring mental health issues.
• Deliver innovative and inspiring mental health training to support Gloucestershire Care Service priorities that enable the health and social care workforce and other priority groups to deliver high quality mental health services.
• Providing a mental health consultation, liaison and advice service throughout the hospital wards.
• Delivering a range of evidence based psychosocial interventions to individual patients who have or who are suspected to have a mental health issues.
• Assisting and supporting community hospital colleagues in making decisions about treatment and care in complex situations.
• Providing formal and informal clinical supervision to registered and unregistered staff.
• To be a positive role model that promotes social inclusion and equitable mental and physical health for people living with mental health issues and their carers.
• Providing a communication structure between secondary mental health services, primary care and non‑statutory services, as a means of ensuring the highest possible standards of patient care.

Qualifications & Experience

• Knowledge of key areas of mental health liaison work and the core skills required.
• Extensive knowledge of a variety of approaches to assessment of mental health and associated treatments.
• A conceptual understanding of the principles of recovery and social inclusion with the ability to apply to clinical practice.
• Excellent skills in relation to assessment and treatment and clinical management.
• Knowledge of the clinical and demographic risk factors associated with suicide and self‑harm.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the MHA and Mental Capacity Act.
• Effective resource management skills.
• Ability to analyse information.

Benefits & Working Conditions

• Free car parking at many of our sites.
• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service.
• A broad range of training and development opportunities, including apprenticeships up to Level 7 qualification.
• A multi‑professional preceptorship programme for all Newly Qualified Nurses, Nursing Associates, Internationally Educated Practitioners, Allied Health Professionals and Return to Practice Practitioners.
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours.
• Flexible, family‑friendly and agile working opportunities.
• Recognition and long service awards.
• Fast Track physiotherapy.
• Our Wellbeing line.
• Access to discounts and salary sacrifice schemes; including Cycle to Work, Car scheme and discounts on travel, leisure and retailers.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application.

For more information please see the attached ‘Additional Information for Applicants’ document.

The Trust is required to work in line with the Government’s UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas.