Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner (SPCMHP)

Job overview

We are seeking a motivated and experienced Mental Health Nurse to join our Primary Care Mental Health Team covering the Braintree and Maldon locality.

Working within General Practice, you will provide triage, assessment, care planning, and follow-up support for patients experiencing common mental health difficulties. You will work collaboratively with GPs, Primary Care Networks, secondary care services, and community partners to ensure individuals receive timely, person-centred care and are supported to access the most appropriate services.

The successful candidate will be a confident and autonomous practitioner with excellent assessment, risk management, and clinical decision-making skills. A strong knowledge of local mental health pathways and a commitment to high-quality, recovery-focused care are essential.

Main duties of the job

Provide a seamless service to support patients’ recovery and wellbeing plans within the community.

• Work collaboratively with GPs, Primary Care teams, to ensure patients are supported within the most appropriate clinical practice environment from a multidisciplinary perspective.
• Triage and assess patients effectively. You will maintain a clear focus on prevention, early detection, and intervention, while promoting self-management through empowerment and partnership working with service users.
• Deliver effective, safe, and responsive services that support the key principles of clinical and practice governance.
• As the Primary Care model continues to develop, the post holder will support the team’s ongoing commitment to continuous service improvement, while safeguarding and maintaining high standards of care.
• Undertake and provide detailed physical health investigations, including BMI monitoring, blood pressure checks.
• Act as a signpost for both internal and external services appropriate to the needs of service users, ensuring timely access to relevant support and interventions where required.
• Contribute to the development of integrated care pathways, promoting collaborative working across services to enhance continuity of care and improve outcomes for service users.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will provide a person-centred service that supports patients' recovery, wellbeing, and physical health needs within the community.

Working collaboratively with GPs, Primary Care teams, Consultant Psychiatrists, and other partner agencies, the post holder will ensure patients receive timely access to the most appropriate support and are managed within the most suitable clinical setting.

Key responsibilities include:

• Triaging referrals and facilitating access to appropriate services and interventions.
• Undertaking comprehensive mental and physical health assessments.
• Developing and reviewing person-centred care plans that promote recovery and wellbeing.
• Conducting physical health investigations, including BMI monitoring, blood pressure checks, ECGs, and requesting blood tests where clinically appropriate.
• Maintaining safe clinical practice in accordance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards, the NHS Constitution, and organisational policies.
• Supporting effective clinical governance and contributing to continuous service improvement initiatives.
• Working within a multidisciplinary framework to deliver safe, responsive, and high-quality care.

As Primary Care Mental Health Services continue to evolve, the post holder will play a key role in supporting service development while maintaining high standards of patient care.

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) qualification with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Experience working within mental health services.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in English.
• Ability to manage challenging situations with sensitivity, professionalism, and objectivity.
• Strong assessment, risk management, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and across organisational boundaries.

Due to the geographical area covered by the service and the limited availability of public transport in some locations, the ability to travel independently across the locality is essential.

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.