Senior Community Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary

37.5 hours per week.

We are seeking to recruit an experienced Community Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) to work as part of the new multi-disciplinary Core Community Mental Health Service delivering specialist mental health interventions.

You will be joining the Community Mental Health Services at an exciting time influencing how Community Mental Health Care will be delivered and leading local services in providing outstanding care in the community for Service Users.

As a Community Mental Health Practitioner you will have the opportunity to provide a range of evidence based, recovery focussed interventions on both an individual and group basis to service users and their carers. Additionally you will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with and provide consultation to the wider support networks.

"please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility"

All Livewell Southwest staff are expected to able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

Job Share(s) Considered

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity

Main duties of the job

You will, as part of a Multi Disciplinary Team in accordance with Livewell policies, work collaboratively with service users with a significant degree of mental health complexity, their carers and other agencies, enabling them to access mental health specialist support when required in line with Recovery and Trauma Informed Principles.

You will manage a defined caseload, working closely with other statutory and non statutory agencies to provide specialist mental health assessment and evidenced based treatments (both individual and group work based) for people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties and complex presentations through. You will deliver care in line with agreed principles and policies.

You will act as shift lead on a rota basis, coordinating the service delivery, prioritising workload and providing clinical advice to junior staff.

You will also be able to offer consultation to other services and contribute to multi agency forum, you will contribute to the training of others.

You will participate in, and chair, Risk Management and Professionals meetings.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Details

• Date posted: 03 September 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: B9832-2026-NM-10419
• Job locations: Cumberland Centre, Damerel Close, Plymouth, PL1 4JZ, United Kingdom, Avon House, Mount Gould Hospital, Plymouth, PL4 7QD, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

The post holder will be expected to be able to make clear clinical decisions based on the analysis of often complex presenting difficulties; this can include being the decision maker in terms of the onward care plan for patients experiencing crisis mental health needs.

To receive and triage referrals for the teams.

Undertake holistic and comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessment of patients referred to the service.

Utilise a range of highly specialised clinical skills appropriate to the needs of individual patients and the clinical/ home setting in which they are seen

Ability to match patient need with available skills and resources.

Work closely with peer support workers and volunteers to enhance patient experience.

Provide a consultation-liaison service to clinicians and clinical teams referring to the teams. This will include giving specialist advice on care, treatment and patients management issues.

To be part of a multi-disciplinary team approach responding to individuals requiring a same day response or signposting due to a mental health crisis

To provide skilled telephone advice to referrers, patients, and carers

To provide skilled telephone-based support to help contain a crisis and avoid further escalation of an issue

To offer an urgent mental health assessments and appointments in a location most convenient/appropriate for the patient; this may be in their home, GP surgery or Emergency Department.

To provide MH assessment to patients deemed to be at risk of inpatient psychiatric admission, presenting with acute mental health disturbance of a functional nature.

Identify the most appropriate intervention required for patient, with an emphasis on positive risk management, and refer, as necessary.

Following assessments provide high quality assessment reports/letters to the relevant professionals. Monitor reports by junior staff to ensure they are of the same standards.

Maintain high standards of integrity when communicating with patients and others.

Demonstrate ability to use IT systems effectively including email and clinical systems used by the team.

Possess a good working knowledge of mental health legislation including Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty safeguards and use this in relation to advising and planning care, independently or with other professionals.

The post holder will provide nursing care and other interventions in the setting most appropriate to meet the patients needs.

Emergency judgments and clinical decision-making.

Maintain high standards of clinical care to patients.

Formulate care plans, implement, and evaluate them alongside patients and carers ensuring informed consent is obtained.

Demonstrates safe clinical skills when providing care for patients receiving specialist treatments e.g., commencement of Clozaril in the community or supporting a patient through ECT treatment.

To work within their professional registration (NMC, HCPC, BCAP) only.

5.1 Responsibility for People Management

Provide clinical supervision and line management supervision for junior members of staff.

Have the ability to challenge staff where the standard falls below expectations.

Have the ability to foster capability and support staff to develop.

Assist in education programmes provided for junior staff.

Provide mentorship for students both formally and informally.

Participate regularly in recruitment and selection of staff.

The post holder will actively participate in line management supervision with the Team Manager of the Team.

Provide line management for junior staff.

The post holder will actively participate in clinical supervision in accordance with Livewell SW policy.

The post holder will actively participate in the Livewell SW appraisal system and provide appraisals for junior staff.

Support the Team Practice Leads in the effective running of the team and monitoring of standards through effective clinical supervision of junior staff.

To take a clinical lead in absence of managers/ Practice leads.

5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

To comply with Livewell Southwest financial policies and procedures.

Exercise a duty of care in relation to use of the organisations equipment and resources in a cost-effective manner.

To maintain equipment as issued to them by Livewell Southwest for the job role - Lone working devise, mobile phone and IT equipment.

The post holder would be responsible for the safe storage and stock control levels of medication (NMC registered).

The post holder would be expected to be an authorised signatory for the ordering and authorisation of medication. (NMC registered).

5.3 Responsibility for administration

Maintain all records used by the team securely in line with the organisations policy and local practice.

The post holder will be responsible for updating their own practice, knowledge, and skills within their sphere of practice including Livewell SW mandatory training.

Knowledge of Mental Health and Mental Health service delivery.

To take a lead role in the co-ordination of shift ensuring appropriate allocation of work with the available skill mix utilising, prioritising, negotiation, and delegation skills.

Regularly take a lead in clinical meetings ensuring all patients are reviewed and decisions and plans are put into action and represent the patients views.

Liaise with other services to arrange appointments that both meet patient and service demands.

Responsible for electronic contacts and monitor the standard of work of junior staff.

Maintain confidentiality of the patients as per policy whilst sharing information when appropriate to do so.

Keep accurate and contemporaneous electronic/written patient records and comply with professional and organisational record keeping policies.

Comply with local and national policies in relation to confidentiality and information sharing protocols.

5.4 Responsibility for people who use our services

Advise referrers/family/patients, medical and other professional staff on the management of patients and contribute to care planning to meet identified needs.

Conduct risk assessments on all patients presenting to the service in line with up-to-date guidance and Livewell Southwest policy. The post holder will have highly developed risk assessment skills to manage complex presentations.

Evaluate effectiveness of care interventions with all disciplines of staff, adjusting care plans where necessary.

Refer and signpost people to appropriate mental health services as required both within and outside of the organisations area. Assist people to complete self-referrals when this is in their best interests.

Involve carers and families of people with mental health needs, providing support and advice as needed.

Provide education to patients and carers to enhance their knowledge therefore improving longer-term concordance.

Promote RECOVERY

Provide education to patients and carers in line with current policy and good practice guidelines.

Demonstrate the ability to analyse often large amounts of complex information from a range of other services, assimilate these and their relevance to a persons mental health needs.

Formulate a clinical opinion including an assessment of risk and advise on an appropriate care plan.

Take a lead role in the collaboration and the planning of individual care with patient, carer, other Teams and Services. Including maintaining the safety of patients, staff, and the public in challenging, potentially violent situations.

Adhere to the Policy for the Safe, Secure and Handling of Medicines and local Home Treatment protocols ensuring patients receive medication in a safe and timely fashion.

Assess and monitor the effect of medication and report observations to medical staff.

5.5 Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments

Expected to take an active role in the development of the teams including the formulation of protocols.

Provide a positive role in clinical audit and evaluation of teams to ensure high levels of clinical effectiveness.

Demonstrate a commitment to the improvement of patient care in relation to development of the service provided for all adults with mental health problems.

5.6 Other Responsibilities

Be required to have ability to travel to other clinical sites for attendance at meetings.

Ability to plan the safest most cost-effective route for community visits.

The post holder will be required to work over a 7 day period.

Act as a role model for all staff.

The post holder will behave in a manner that does not bring the team or Livewell SW into disrepute.

Demonstrate the ability to manage conflicting demands on time and the ability to prioritise clinical work effectively.

Demonstrate the ability to organise work schedules as well as re-prioritising work in light of changing demand.

The post holder will be individually accountable for their practice in accordance with the NMC professional Code of Conduct or Health and Care Professions Council.

Adhere to Policy and Legislation relating to Mental Health e.g., Mental Health Act 1983, Mental capacity act 2005, Equal Opportunity Law, Disability Discrimination Act, Human Rights Act, person centred framework (PCF).

Please see attached full Job Description and Person Specification for full details

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).