Senior Mental Health Practitioner / Social worker / OT/ Nurse
At a glance
- Band
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Pattern
- Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
- Hours / week
- 37.5
- Posted
- 13/08/2026
- Closes
- 07/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This role is for an experienced Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join Livewell Southwest, working across specialist teams including Insight, Specialist Outreach Recovery Team (SORT), and Community Mental Health Services. The post holder will provide clinical expertise, shape community mental health services, and support people with complex mental health needs, particularly those with psychosis. Responsibilities include assertive support for discharges, care coordination, and working closely with families and carers. This position offers an opportunity for clinical leadership and direct influence on care quality.
Key responsibilities
- Make clear clinical decisions based on complex presenting difficulties, including being the decision maker for onward care plans for patients experiencing crisis mental health needs.
- Undertake holistic and comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessments and provide risk formulation and care plans for patients, in collaboration with family, friends, and carers.
- Provide a consultation-liaison service to clinicians and clinical teams, offering specialist advice on care, treatment, and patient management issues.
- Offer urgent mental health assessments and appointments in various settings, including patients' homes, GP surgeries, or Emergency Departments.
- Provide support and supervision to junior staff such as preceptor nurses, community support workers, and peer support workers.
- Maintain high standards of clinical care, formulate, implement, and evaluate care plans, and work within professional registration guidelines.
Essential criteria
- Evidence of post registration development.
- Clinical Risk Assessment.
- Safeguarding Adults and Children.
- Clinical Governance.
- Care program approach & person-centred framework .
- Psychological models of care and treatment.
- Sound working knowledge of Mental Health Act (1983), Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (2005).
- Understanding of National guidelines and initiatives related to provision of mental health services .
- Understanding of the provision of mental health care and recovery services in the community.
- Specialist knowledge of mental disorders and their impact on physical health.
- One of the following:
- RMN/Dip HE/BSc Mental Health Nursing NMC Registration.
- RGN/Dip HE/BSc Registered Nurse NMC Registration .
- Occupational Therapy Degree HCPC Registration .
- Social Work Degree HCPC Registration.
- Paramedic Science Degree/BSc/Dip HE HCPC Registration Registered .
- Have completed a BABCP or BPS accredited IAPT/Psychological Wellbeing Training (PWP).
- Psychological well-being practitioner. Degree/BCs in psychology and registered with British psychological Society as a Psychological wellbeing practitioner.
- Significant post-registration experience of working with people with complex mental ill health within the community, including those who may abuse drugs and/or alcohol.
- Significant experience as a care coordinator/ or Home Treatment/Crisis worker.
- Experience of working collaboratively with patients and their families/carers.
- Previous experience of working at a level relevant to the role, post registration experience in acute mental health.
- Completing complex mental health assessments in a variety of different settings in the community and signposting to relevant services.
- Relapse prevention and Recovery Principles.
- Experience of working with people in high levels of distress.
- Extensive post-qualifying experience of practicing low intensity CBT interventions with people with a range of mental health problems in a community mental health setting.
- IT skills.
- Ability to prioritise workload.
- Risk assessment and formulation skills, including safety planning.
- Robust and positive approach towards risk assessment.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Ability to prioritise and reprioritise work to meet clinical demand.
- Ability to identify and refer on for unmet need. Working effectively with patients who may have a variety of communication difficulties.
- Triaging referrals based on clinical urgency.
- Ability to manage environmental stress.
- Ability to work in a changing team.
- Articulate with a high level of communication skills.
- Ability to deal with high levels of emotional stress.
- Ability to sustain high levels of concentration.
Desirable criteria
- CBT skills.
- Problem solving skills.
- Solution focused therapy skills.
- Physical healthcare skills.
- Motivational interviewing skills.
- DBT skills.
- Cognitive assessment skills.
- Microsoft Outlook.
- Culturally competent assessment and intervention skills.
- SystmOne, Care First or other electronic records system also eCPA.
- Post qualification experience/training in mental health and related issues.
- Clinical Supervision training.
- Evidence of completion of statutory and mandatory training.
- Mentorship qualification or equivalent experience.
- Non-medical prescriber or willingness to work towards this where appropriate.
- Leadership qualifications. (Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Mental health nurse, psychological wellbeing practitioner).
- Experience of providing clinical supervision, mentoring, and teaching to students and other health professionals.
- Experience of working in an acute inpatient unit.
- Experience of working with older adults .
- Experience of working with people with an offending background.
- Experience of conducting basic physical health screening.
- Previous experience of working in a community mental health setting.
- Evidence of developing and contributing to service development.
- Experience of change in health care.
- Collaborative working with peer support organisations.
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
- Experience working with a psychologist or MH professional.
- Experience of managing or supervising junior staff.
- Managing a caseload of clients with a range of mental health presentation.
- Staff appraisal skills.
- Committed to developing new ideas and improving patient care.
- Physical healthcare skills.
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 6 at £37,338 – £44,962 a year, across England.
This advert: £39,959 – £48,117 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 17d ago · Closes in 9d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Livewell Southwest
Senior Mental Health Practitioner / Social worker / OT/ Nurse
The closing date is 07 September 2026
Job summary
37.5 hours per week.
Are you ready for a role that genuinely stretches your
clinical expertise while giving you the space to shape how community mental
health services evolve? Are you passionate about psychosis and people getting the right care.
We are looking for an experienced, forward thinking
practitioner to join us. Working across the organisation with specialist teams: Insight (Early intervention in psychosis),Specialist Outreach Recovery Team (SORT),
and Community Mental Health Services. You will work with people with complex
mental health needs; you will need excellent clinical skills. You will be able to assertively support discharges, transition across teams, and work with a caseload. You will work
closely with family and carers, providing both direct support and working with
staff to ensure safe and effective care. You will support the Specialist Mental
Health Practitioner to deliver excellent care across the services.
This is an opportunity to step into a position where your
clinical leadership, creativity and professional judgement will directly
influence the quality of care we deliver across the city.
This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for mo
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