Worthing NMHT Acute and Community Transition Practitioner

Job overview

We are seeking a Band 6 Nurse, Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist to join our Worthing Neighbourhood Mental Health Team as an Acute and Community Transition Practitioner.

This is a pivotal role bridging acute and community mental health services, ensuring clients experience a smooth, well-coordinated transition as they move between settings.

Key Responsibilities:

• Attend all relevant acute and community meetings, including Crisis Team MDT meetings, ward risk huddles/bed meetings, ward rounds, discharge planning meetings, and ATS zoning meetings.
• Act as Lead Practitioner for all new admissions to SPFT acute hospitals and ECR beds who are not already known to the service — providing active involvement from admission through discharge, and for 4–6 weeks post-discharge. At the end of this period, either discharge to primary care, signpost to other agencies, refer to Pathfinder, or request allocation to long-term support.
• Liaise effectively with carers and families, and maintain strong links with Urgent Care, Havens, and the Staying Well Service.
• Coordinate with team Lead Practitioners supporting clients currently in hospital, facilitating liaison with ward staff as required, including discharge coordinators and clinical bed managers.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with external organisations, including CGL, Adult Social Care, and West Sussex Talking Therapies.

Main duties of the job

As an Acute and Community Transition Practitioner you will be working closely with colleagues in our hospital discharge teams, to ensure that we achieve timely and safe discharges for patients. You will have oversight of all patients identified with complex needs, ensuring that the discharge planning and pathways are being robustly and proactively managed for these individuals.

You will play a key role in supporting our inpatient services in achieving timely discharges, supporting our aspiration to offer care and treatment for all patients within the most appropriate environments.

In line with our Trust value of 'People First', evidence shows that people who are treated nearer home and in the least restrictive manner, have better outcomes. You will work collaboratively with our multidisciplinary team and our Adult and Older Adult Services, to help us provide this opportunity for the people of Sussex.

This post offers the Trust's £2,000 Golden Hello or Relocation Incentive for Band 6 Nurses & Practitioners, (pro rata and subject to terms and conditions; please see attached Protocol Document for full details).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Effective communication and clinical leadership skills, a sound clinical knowledge base, and a commitment to caring for patients in the community must be demonstrated. You must be enthusiastic, self-motivated, flexible and able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Requirements:

In order to be a successful Acute and Community Transition Practitioner in our team you will be:

• A qualified Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist with the relevant professional registration.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced and varied role
• Experienced working within a mental health setting
• Organised and be able to stick to deadlines

It would also be advantageous if you are:

• Experienced working in a discharge role

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

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.