Lead Mental Health Practitioner - Primary Care Network

Job overview

We are seeking a full-time Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) to join the Middlewood Partnership Primary Care Network (PCN), covering Bollington, Disley and Poynton. Jointly funded by the PCN and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), this role supports integrated working across primary and secondary care.

The postholder will work across four GP practices serving approximately 34,000 patients, delivering mental health support focused on prevention, early intervention and improving access to care closer to home. Working alongside GPs, the wider multidisciplinary team and the local Community Mental Health Team, the successful candidate will help provide coordinated, patient-centred care.

This role offers the opportunity to bridge primary and secondary care services, improving patient outcomes through collaborative working. The successful applicant will join an established multidisciplinary team including Clinical Pharmacists, Paramedic Practitioners, First Contact Physiotherapists, Social Prescribing Link Workers and Advanced Nurse Practitioners.

Middlewood Partnership PCN is committed to high-quality care and staff wellbeing. The postholder will benefit from clinical supervision, professional development opportunities across both organisations, and support from the PCN Clinical Education Lead. There will also be opportunities to contribute to service development and innovation across health, social care and voluntary sector partners.

Main duties of the job

The Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) will work across the four GP practices within Middlewood Partnership PCN, supporting a population of approximately 34,000 patients. The role focuses on improving access to mental health services through early intervention, prevention, and the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.

The postholder will undertake mental health assessments, including risk assessment and management, provide brief interventions, and manage a defined caseload. They will develop and review care plans, support recovery, and signpost or refer patients to appropriate services.

Working closely with GP practices, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and the local Community Mental Health Team, the practitioner will act as a key link between primary and secondary care, ensuring seamless and timely access to support.

As part of a multidisciplinary team, the postholder will collaborate with GPs, pharmacists, physiotherapists, paramedics, social prescribers, and nursing staff to deliver integrated care and improve outcomes.

The role will contribute to service development, quality improvement, and enhancement of mental health support within primary care. Maintaining accurate clinical records, participating in governance processes, and adhering to professional standards will be key responsibilities. This is an excellent opportunity to deliver integrated community-based mental health care within a supportive and innovative team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please download a copy of the job description (see ‘documents to download’ section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.

At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.

CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.

Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.

An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: [email protected] or by calling 01244 393100.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!