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Job overview
Our newly created GMMH NHS 111 service is at the heart of our urgent care offer in Greater Manchester, providing compassionate, expert support to people, often in crisis and when they need it most. Whether it’s guiding someone through a mental health crisis or helping them access the right care quickly, you’ll be part of a team that truly changes lives. This is more than a job – it’s a chance to make every call count, offering reassurance and practical help to those who need it most. You’ll work alongside dedicated professionals in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where patient care and wellbeing are always the top priority.
A Fantastic Place to Work, Central Park, Manchester - Our service is based at Central Park, Monsall (M40 5BP), a modern hub designed to support both staff and service users. With excellent transport links, secure on-site car parking, and a range of facilities to make your working day easier, it’s a space where you can thrive. From comfortable breakout areas to well-equipped workstations, everything is set up to help you deliver the best care possible. Joining NHS 111 means joining a forward-thinking team committed to innovation, professional development, and creating a positive, supportive workplace. If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to be part of something truly impactful, this is the place for you.
Main duties of the job
The post involves working with people of all ages (Children and Young People, Adults or Older People) experiencing a mental health crisis via the telephone receiving calls from NHS 111 where the caller has selected the mental health option.
This service is provided in collaboration with Pennine Care Foundation Trust and the VCSE. Working as part of the wider multi-disciplinary team, The First Responders will provide mental health assessment and care planning via the phone, as well as information, support, signposting, and advice. The post holder will provide compassionate and professional support to callers (including carers) and will support and assist individuals to cope more effectively with their mental health issues by assisting then with key aspects of their care plans, (if in place), supporting them in managing distress and challenges / difficulties which they might be struggling to deal with.
The post holder will work with the assistant practitioners identifying frequent attenders, liaising with the teams that they are open to I order to formulate care plans in line with their current treatment that will offer structure and steer to the Mental health call handlers.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The NHS 111 Mental Health First Responder is a registered practitioner responsible for delivering frontline telephone-based clinical assessment, advice, and signposting within the NHS 111 service, working within established clinical pathways, protocols, and supervision arrangements.
The role operates as part of NHS 111 Option 2 for Mental Health, which provides a single universal point of access for urgent mental health support across Greater Manchester, forming part of the wider Urgent and Emergency Care pathway.
Practitioners working in this role undertake structured clinical triage and risk assessment for callers of all ages presenting with a range of needs, from acute crisis to emotional distress. The First Responder delivers safe, timely advice, brief interventions and safety planning, and with the support of a senior practitioner on duty, ensures appropriate escalation, referral, or signposting to relevant services including emergency services, crisis teams, community services, or voluntary sector organisations.
The role requires practitioners to identify and manage clinical risk, including suicide risk, self-harm, safeguarding concerns and risks to others, escalating complex or high-risk presentations with the support of senior clinicians where required. Practitioners are expected to work within clearly defined professional boundaries, maintaining accurate, concise, and defensible clinical records in line with governance standards.
The role requires at least 1 year's Mental Health Practitioner experience and excludes Preceptees.
NHS 111 Option 2 operates a 24/7 urgent mental health triage model, focused on providing immediate clinical assessment, stabilisation, and onward referral, rather than ongoing therapeutic support.
Person specification
Desirable
Desirable
- Working within a busy environment
- Able to use own initiative
Essential
Essential
- • Qualified to degree level in nursing, social work, occupational therapy, counselling, psychological therapy, other health related subject or equivalent
- • Registration with NMC/HCPC or equivalent
- • Evidence of working with people who have suffered with a mental health problem (Children and Young People, adults and older people)
- • Be eligible to work in the UK with appropriate visa authorisation
- • Have completed preceptorship (for Nurses), with over 18 months of post qualified experience
- • Application of evidenced based interventions relevant to the clinical services in previous roles/through preceptorship
- • Evidence of working with people of any age who have experienced a mental health problem
- • Show how you have used evidence based interventions relevant to the clinical service
- • Knowledge of multidisciplinary team working and participation in an MDT environment
- • Applied the learned skills to care
- Knowledge and understanding of both adult and children’s safeguarding guidance
- Knowledge of the mental capacity act and deprivation of liberty safeguards
- Relevant specialist course/training
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with users of services experiencing a wide range of complex mental health presentations
- Ability to form Promoting positive therapeutic relationships with users of services, carers and other professional bodies
- Ability to assess situations, make decisions, coordinate and organise appropriate responses Assessment, planning and evaluation of mental health difficulties
- Able to risk assessment Ability to work without direct supervision
- Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision
- Able to prioritise work to reflect changing needs
- Ability to manage own time
- Willingness to undertake 3 12.5hr shifts and to work flexibly over a 24 hr period
Desirable
- Ability to participate and present information in a group setting Have an awareness
- Ability to maintain personal boundaries. Experience in applying psychologically informed interventions. Research awareness Supervising learners and other staff
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for First Responder with Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Ambulance and emergency care role. The advertised salary is £32,073 - £39,043 per annum pro rata. The contract type is Permanent: Lily Lomas at [email protected]. The application deadline is 06 Aug 2026.
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