Senior Mental Health Practitioner

NHS; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Manchester seeks a Senior Mental Health Practitioner to provide urgent care support during mental health crises. This role involves delivering assessments and care planning over the phone, offering compassionate support to individuals in distress. The ideal candidate will possess a relevant mental health qualification, significant experience in community settings, and strong assessment skills. Join a supportive team dedicated to making impactful changes in lives, with competitive benefits and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Onsite Gym and Classes

Free Parking

Pay enhancements for evenings and weekends

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Blue Light Card Discounts

Qualifications

• Significant experience in community or inpatient settings.
• Experience managing complex cases and risks within mental health services.
• Detailed knowledge of safeguarding procedures and clinical risk assessment.

Responsibilities

• Provide complex mental health assessment and care planning via phone.
• Support callers in managing distress and challenges effectively.
• Collaborate with emergency responders for urgent assessments.

Skills

Sound assessment skills

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

High level mental health assessment skills

Experience within a multicultural framework

Education

Relevant core professional qualification in mental health

Evidence of current professional registration with NMC/Social Work England

Job description

Our newly created GMMH NHS 111 service is at the heart of our urgent care offer in Greater Manchester, providing compassionate, expert support to people, often in crisis and when they need it most. Whether it's guiding someone through a mental health crisis or helping them access the right care quickly, you'll be part of a team that truly changes lives. This is more than a job - it's a chance to make every call count, offering reassurance and practical help to those who need it most. You'll work alongside dedicated professionals in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where patient care and wellbeing are always the top priority.

A Fantastic Place to Work, Central Park, Manchester - Our service is based at Central Park, Monsall (M40 5BP), a modern hub designed to support both staff and service users. With excellent transport links, secure on-site car parking, and a range of facilities to make your working day easier, it's a space where you can thrive. From comfortable breakout areas to well‑equipped workstations, everything is set up to help you deliver the best care possible. Joining NHS 111 means joining a forward‑thinking team committed to innovation, professional development, and creating a positive, supportive workplace. If you're passionate about making a difference and want to be part of something truly impactful, this is the place for you.

Main duties of the job

The post involves working with people of all ages (Children and Young People, Adults or Older People) experiencing a mental health crisis via the telephone receiving calls from NHS 111 where the caller has selected the mental health option.

This service is provided in collaboration with Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust. Working as part of the wider multi‑disciplinary team, Senior Mental Health Practitioners will provide complex mental health assessment and care planning via the phone, as well as information, support, signposting, and advice. The post holder will provide compassionate and professional support to callers (including carers) and will support and assist individuals to cope more effectively with their mental health issues by assisting them with key aspects of their care plans, (if in place), supporting them in managing distress and challenges / difficulties which they might be struggling to deal with.

The post holder will take calls from the first responders with any call where the caller may require urgent assessment, or any call in which the appropriate response is unclear. The post holder will work with the assistant practitioners identifying frequent attenders, liaising with the teams that they are open to I order to formulate care plans in line with their current treatment that will offer structure and steer to the Mental health call handlers.

About us

Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7000 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 122 locations.

We provide inpatient and community‑based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.

Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.

Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.

Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.

Job responsibilities

See attached detailed job description and person specification

Benefits

• Onsite Gym and Classes
• Free Parking
• Pay Enhancements 36% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 72 % additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Blue Light Card Discounts

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

• Relevant core professional qualification in mental health.
• Evidence of current professional registration with NMC/ Social Work England and
• Experience of assessment, formulation and managing complex cases and risk with professional development.
• Training in one or more additional areas of practice.

Experience

• Significant experience in either community or inpatient settings which meet the core competencies of the post.
• Experience of assessment, formulation and managing complex cases and risk within a mental health service
• Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers
• Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life span and presenting with the full range of severity.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health, including the Mental Health Act and issues of capacity and consent.
• Detailed knowledge of safeguarding procedures, responsibilities and application in practice
• Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice.
• Knowledge of referral systems and general bed management procedures

Skills and Abilities

• Have sound assessment skills and ability to articulate outcomes to CYP, older people, families, other clinicians.
• Demonstrable commitment to the focus on quality, promotes high standards to consistently improve patient outcomes.
• High level mental health assessment and risk assessment and formulation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills enabling good working relationships with others across professional boundaries.
• Experience of working within a multicultural framework.

Other Requirements

• Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies.
• Candidates require an enhanced DBS check.

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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Building B, Central Park, Northampton Rd