Mental Health Practitioner (Forensic)

Job overview

To provide specialist community mental health practitioner input to the Community Forensic Team in Hertfordshire. This will include the provision of specialist knowledge regarding the management of complex cases.

To work in close liaison with the Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists and other members of the multi – disciplinary team to co – ordinate the input of the team and to act as a key professional in the full assessment of individual care needs and to plan, implement and review appropriate care and risk management.

The Community Forensic Team (CFT) provides enhanced risk assessment and provides specialist treatment to people with mental disorder in the community who pose or could pose a significant risk of causing serious harm (usually physical) to others. Most (but not all) individuals registered with the CFT have been convicted of serious violent offending. Treatment is geared towards the safe management of risk and recovery of the individual.

Main duties of the job

• Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments (MSE, risk, formulation).
• Identify and escalate risks related to self‑harm, suicide, violence, vulnerability, absconding, and safeguarding.
• Contribute to risk management plans and ensure they are followed in practice.
• Develop person‑centred care plans with clear goals, interventions, and measurable outcomes.
• Deliver evidence‑based therapeutic interventions (CBT‑informed, DBT‑informed, psycho education, grounding, de‑escalation).
• Support medication adherence and monitor side effects (within scope of practice).
• Advocate for patient needs and ensure their voice is reflected in care planning.
• Liaise with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and external agencies.
• Maintain accurate, timely, defensible clinical records.
• Ensure all interventions, risks, and decisions are documented.
• Adhere to NMC standards, safeguarding policies, and legal frameworks (e.g., MHA, MCA).
• Make clinical decisions regarding safety, including early departure decisions based on risk, acuity, and task completion.
• Coordinate handovers, ensuring clarity, accountability, and risk communication.
• Ensure completion of essential tasks: observations, medications, documentation, property, incident reporting.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To work within the CFT to provide specialist mental health practitioner assessment and care planning. To take a lead role in the care planning process and work within the Care Programme Approach ensuring that CFT and Trust policies are adhered to. To take a lead role and work with those people who have more complex and challenging needs across the caseload. To develop practice within the teams in the assessment of health and well – being needs. Working closely with the Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists, act as a central link in the ongoing management of complex cases for the team. To provide specialist knowledge and advice to other agencies for the purposes of public protection, including through MAPPA processes. To provide written reports in respect of Mental Health Tribunals as required. To act as a Social Supervisor for those people who remain subject to mental health act restrictions whilst living out of hospital. Take part in the evaluation of the care of individuals at review meetings, case conferences, ward rounds etc. To attend and contribute to team meetings, providing specialist professional advice and support to staff regarding the management of individual service users and their programmes of care Where professionally appropriate may be responsible for the safe transport and administration of medicines in accordance with Trust policy, legal requirements and NMC guidance, administers intramuscular injections. To provide specialist clinical advice across the Trust as required. To liaise with community services; statutory and non- statutory and inpatient services

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.