Senior Mental Health Practitioner

NHS; Middlesbrough; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading healthcare provider as a Senior Mental Health Practitioner in Middlesbrough, dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis. This role offers the chance to work in a supportive environment where you can develop your skills and make a meaningful impact on patient care. Ideal candidates will have experience in Early Intervention and a commitment to holistic, evidence-based practices.

Benefits

Comprehensive induction programme

Ongoing professional development support

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Candidates require 18 months post qualifying experience including sign off of appropriate preceptorship.
• Current professional registration with an approved professional body is essential.
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area is needed.

Responsibilities

• Deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions for individuals with psychosis.
• Conduct holistic assessments and ensure effective co-ordination of care.
• Participate in multi-disciplinary team activities and uphold professional standards.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Clinical Assessment

Intervention Strategies

Education

Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area

Current professional registration with an approved professional body

Job description

Go back Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 30 June 2025

An exciting opportunity is available for a Band 6 Senior Mental Health Practitioner to cover a 12 Maternity Leave (fixed term) within Middlesbrough Early Intervention in Psychosis Team (EIP).

This is an opportunity to be a part of a very supportive team, where your contribution and development are highly valued. The successful applicant will work exclusively with individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis in the Middlesbrough Area. Experience of working within EIP team would be essential as this is a 12-month fixed term post and training for initial assessment is not quickly available.

You will be able to work autonomously and will be willing and able to develop your skills and knowledge for this specialist role. You will be involved in completing holistic assessments and delivering evidence-based therapeutic interventions to people on your caseload. Care co-ordination is part of your role, however in EIP we aim to keep caseloads to a manageable level to enable our clinicians to focus on quality interventions and increased clinical contact, with an emphasis on recovery.

The service is committed to developing the skills of practitioners, so there will be ongoing opportunities to develop further clinical skills inhouse.

Carry out MDT activities, being on duty, clinic rota as appropriate and within sphere of profession. Work within TEWV policies/ procedures, professional and legal framework upholding the values and ethos of the organisation and profession.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will deliver interventions to individuals within an evidenced based, person-centred care pathway for people aged 14 to 65 and will ensure effective co-ordination of care across internal and external boundaries.

The successful candidate will assess patients with symptoms suggestive of a first episode of psychosis. They will be able to assess the needs of this client group, take to a validation clinic, feedback to patients, formulate and develop and implement programs of care as part of a multi-disciplinary team in the following areas:

Evidence based therapeutic interventions for psychosis.

To use a recovery focused approach to support the client's journey

The successful candidates will ensure that all appropriate & relevant people have been consulted with during every aspect of assessment, planning & evaluation and demonstrate their ability to engage with those with complex needs requiring an assertive approach to engagement.

If you are a motivated individual with the relevant experience and want to gain more knowledge and experience in this rewarding service this opportunity could appeal to you. An interest in a whole system approach to care is essential.

Practice within framework of one's Code of Professional Conduct, Adult and Child protection protocols, Mental Health and Capacity Acts.

Candidates require 18 months post qualifying experience including sign off appropriate preceptorship or competency framework.

About us

We're committed to co-creating a great experience for our colleagues. This means listening to what staff are telling us and working together to be the best employer we can be.

Our staff are our most important asset and recognising their excellent work and the vital contributions they make to patient care is very important.

All staff who join us are provided with a comprehensive induction programme, starting on their first day of employment.

Continuous professional development is important to us. Once you're comfortable in your new role, you and your manager will work collaboratively to form a Personal Development Plan (PDP), your personal career aspirations are taken into account and the trust will provide you with the resources you need to develop.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the specific role criteria before applying.

Due to the nature of the role, it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Candidates must have 18 months post qualifying experience including sign off of appropriate preceptorship or competency framework.

Applicants must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager that they can be released on a secondment basis. In the event that permanent funding is secured for this post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Current professional registration with an approved professional body.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• For registered nurses: MIP, FLIP, ENB 998 Teaching & Assessing in Clinical Practice or City & Guilds 730 Teaching in Adult Education. Must be achieved within agreed timescale.
• Recognised sign-off mentor, clinical educator or equivalent. Must be achieved within agreed timescale.
• Key skills in literacy, numeracy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent)
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area

Experience

• Significant experience working with people with mental ill health in a care environment.
• Working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers
• Providing clinical supervision to individuals or groups as professionally appropriate.
• Mentoring or facilitating students on practice placement.
• Working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Quality improvement activities
• o18 months post qualifying experience including sign off of appropriate preceptorship or competency framework
• Significant experience working with people with mental ill health in a community environment.
• Leadership or management experience
• Have previous experience with working in Early Interventions in Psychosis Team.

Knowledge

• Demonstrable knowledge to post-graduate level of evidence-based practice in caring for patients in the designated field.
• Understanding of relevant legislation (e.g. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act).
• Care Programme Approach and its application in practice.
• Detailed understanding of Safeguarding and its application in practice.
• Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice.
• Clinical Governance and its application in practice.
• Research and development methodology.
• Understanding of psychological models of care and treatment.
• The Trust's Quality Improvement System (QIS)

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.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust