Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner

Job overview

As one of the 12 ‘early implementer’ sites for integrated community mental health services, we are expanding our community mental health offer. Our new services are centred around the Primary Care Networks and aspiring to comprehensive engagement with Integrated Care Systems using a whole person, whole population health approach.

The model utilizes all the community resources available including health, social care, Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organizations and local communities and consider resources to support wellbeing outside of mental health services alone.

These new teams enable and support people to access mental health services wherever and whenever they need it and support individuals to manage their mental health supported in their local community. We are therefore looking for skilled and enthusiastic individuals.

Through this work, an exciting opportunity has arisen for an innovative role of Mental Health Practitioner within each borough. As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will be employed by West London NHS Trust and will be key in the development of pathways of care in the local community mental health team (MINT). This role would also provide an opportunity to be mentored or to mentor, career progression and continued education.

We are seeking applications from Registered Mental Health Nurses, Social workers or Occupational Therapists, who have experience of working in community services.

Main duties of the job

• Provide holistic and specialist bio-psycho-social assessment for anyone experiencing mental health difficulties and offer specialist nursing assessment where required
• Provide advice to primary care to help them provide better support to patients and to (where preferable) meet their mental health needs within a primary care setting.
• Carry out robust risk assessments, working collaboratively with the patient and their carer to provide a plan that will support them remaining safe.
• Provide access to a broad range of specialist psychosocial interventions for individual patients where needed.
• Provide expert advice regarding the pharmacological treatment options available to mental health patients to patients and non-mental health professionals, seeking clinical guidance from the designated Consultant Psychiatrist/GP in relation to any specific prescribing advice.
• Where required, nurses working within the team will administer intra muscular medication to patients for whom this is prescribed, assessing the effects and side effects at each appointment, working within the NMC guidelines and the Trust’s medicines policies
• To maintain and the safe handling and storage of medication at all times, ensuring the safe disposal of clinical waste and all sharps.
• To ensure infection control measures are strictly adhered to both on site and when visiting off site locations. ·

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.