Senior Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Hatching Green; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in the UK seeks a Mental Health Nurse responsible for mental health assessments and triage in GP surgeries. This role involves autonomous working within a multidisciplinary team, focusing on community care integration and reducing unnecessary referrals to secondary care. Candidates must have current registration as a Mental Health Nurse and relevant training. The trust values a supportive and inclusive culture focused on high-quality care.

Qualifications

• Current registration as a Mental Health Nurse is essential.
• Post-registration training in relevant methodologies is required.
• Willingness to undertake Independent Prescribing within a year.

Responsibilities

• Provide mental health assessments and brief interventions in GP surgeries.
• Conduct early triage and assessments, including safeguarding.
• Coordinate care for service users addressing social care needs.

Skills

Mental health assessments

Triage and risk management

Motivational interviewing

Brief interventions

Education

Current registration as a Mental Health Nurse

Post-registration training in CBT

Job description

The role involves travel between PCN sites and HPFT sites for mandatory training. You will work alongside clinicians in a multidisciplinary team within the PCN. The role requires autonomous working to triage, assess, case manage, and discharge patients without GP referral when appropriate. You must be able to advise on medications, identify social needs, order investigations, and refer to secondary care services as necessary. You will act as a first point of contact in primary care, accepting referrals for triage and supporting early treatment pathways across statutory and voluntary sectors. The role includes providing short-term interventions via telephone, video, at the surgery, or in the patient's home.

Main duties include:

1. Providing mental health assessments and brief interventions in GP surgeries.
2. Conducting early triage, assessments, treatment, and risk management, including safeguarding.
3. Contributing to case discussions and service meetings, ensuring good links with secondary care.
4. Coordinating care for primary care-based service users, addressing social care needs.
5. Participating in service development, audits, and training of colleagues.
6. Supporting the integration of mental health services within primary care and developing community resource awareness.
7. Reducing unnecessary referrals to secondary care through collaboration and consultation.
8. Leading collaborative efforts across physical and mental health services to ensure accessible care.
9. Promoting strengths-based, community asset-focused ethos within the PCN.

Qualifications and experience:

• Current registration as a Mental Health Nurse.
• Post-registration training in motivational interviewing, brief interventions, CBT, and psychosocial approaches.
• Willingness to undertake Independent Prescribing within 12 months.

Desirable criteria include:

• Independent Prescriber status.
• Postgraduate clinical or leadership qualification.
• Experience in community mental health, risk management, physical health assessment, and multi-agency collaboration.
• Leadership experience and involvement in service development and training.
• Experience working in CAMHS or OPMH services.

Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker visa should review eligibility criteria on the GOV.UK website. The Trust is rated 'Outstanding' by the CQC and values a supportive, inclusive culture focused on high-quality care and staff wellbeing.