Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust; Slough; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization is seeking a Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join their team in Slough. The role involves working with adults experiencing mental health issues, particularly those with co-occurring drug and alcohol problems. Key responsibilities include conducting assessments, providing support, and training staff. The organization values communication skills and offers flexibility, 27 days annual leave, and opportunities for professional development. Salary ranges from £40,617 to £48,778 annually.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave

Excellent learning and career development opportunities

'Cycle to Work' scheme

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Discounts at retailers and restaurants

Support networks for equality

Generous leave policies

Free parking across Trust sites

Qualifications

• RMN or equivalent professional qualification.
• Minimum two years caring for adults with mental health needs.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Respond to referrals and conduct psychosocial assessments.
• Liaise with acute hospital staff and community services.
• Provide training to hospital staff and contribute to team development.

Skills

Communication skills

Autonomy

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse or equivalent

Professional qualification in drug and alcohol use

Tools

IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Senior Mental Health Practitioner, with Special Interest in Drugs and Alcohol

The post holder will be joining a well-established team working with adults over 18 years old who are referred from the Emergency Department or the wards at Wexham Park Hospital. The work can be dynamic and complex and there are many opportunities to develop strong working relationships with our key stakeholders at Wexham Park Hospital and across mental health services. The East Berkshire Psychological Medicine Service is part of the Berkshire urgent care pathway, and we are keen to develop staff to ensure the service comprises highly skilled and competent professionals.

The team supports patients presenting with a wide range of mental health issues as well as co‑occurring drug and alcohol problems. This is a new role, and the post holder will be integral in supporting the team's development and understanding of co‑occurring mental health and drug and alcohol problems for those patients who are referred. In addition, you will build relationships with community drug and alcohol services and support training within the acute hospital.

The post holder will carry out psychosocial assessments of patients who are referred as well as liaison work with the wards for patients admitted with medical issues but also present with mental health problems.

You will work alongside both the working age team and the older adult team within the East Berkshire Psychological Medicine Service.

Main duties of the job

The post is suited to someone who can work in a fast and dynamic environment and is able to work autonomously while remaining calm. Good communication skills are key as there is significant liaison with colleagues in the acute hospital.

You will work Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm.

To respond to referrals made by the Emergency Department and the wards at Wexham Park Hospital and carry out a psychosocial assessment of the patient and to formulate a safe discharge plan. You will have a special interest in the group of patients who have co‑occurring mental health and drug and alcohol problems and liaise with other agencies, adopting a multi‑disciplinary approach to ensure a safe care plan is formulated.

The post holder will act as the link between the Trust Drug and alcohol Specialist, the community drug and alcohol teams and the acute hospital specialist and will provide training on to the acute hospital and within the team.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work‑life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

FOR SECONDMENT ROLES ONLY - If the secondment role becomes permanent, the successful candidate may be offered the permanent position.

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

• RMN or equivalent Professional Qualification
• Broad experience gained over a minimum of two years, acquired by caring for adults with mental health needs in a range of community/inpatient settings
• Minimum 2 years as Band 6 grade mental health services
• Evidence of on‑going professional development

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Sue Barclay on 07890 606956, or email: [e-mail] who will be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

• Registered Mental Health Nurse or equivalent
• Professional qualification in drug and alcohol use

Continuous Professional Development

• Evidence of further post graduate training
• Experience of being a student assessor
• Demonstrable evidence in developing skills and improving understanding of co occurring metal health, alcohol and drugs

Previous Experience

• Minimum 1 year post registration experience in working with people with mental health needs.
• Considerable experience in the assessment and management of clinical risk
• Experience working in an Emergency Department environment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision
• Competent IT skills including word, outlook, excel and power point.
• Ability to prioritise workload effectively, meeting expected deadlines.
• Excellent analytical and decision‑making skills.
• Advanced interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate and work with a wide range of professionals

Additional Requirements

• Recognise peoples' right to privacy and dignity, treating every person with respect
• Willingness to embrace new ways of working.
• Willingness to be flexible in approach and attitude
• Ability to foster good inter‑agency working.
• Ability to represent the team / service / Trust in a professional manner.

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.

£40,617 to £48,778 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)