Mental Health Practitioner

Job Description – Community Mental Health Practitioner

Post Title: Community Mental Health Practitioner
Band: Band 6 (£22 - £24 per hour)
Directorate: Adult Community Mental Health Services
Location/Base: Designated Adult Community Mental Health Team / Locality Base
Responsible to: Team Manager / Clinical Team Lead
Accountable to: Senior Manager, Community Services

Job Summary

The Community Mental Health Practitioner works as a registered Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner within an Adult Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), providing safe, personalised, recovery-focused and trauma-informed care to adults experiencing serious and complex mental health difficulties.

The post holder works as part of a multidisciplinary team and is responsible for assessing, planning, delivering and reviewing person-centred care. The role involves working collaboratively with service users, carers, families, GPs, local authorities, voluntary and community organisations, inpatient teams, crisis services and other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated and effective care.

The practitioner works flexibly across the community mental health pathway and may undertake assessment, clinical formulation, care planning, therapeutic intervention, ongoing treatment, complex case management, risk management, assertive outreach, review and discharge planning.

Key Responsibilities

Assessment and Care Planning

Undertake comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments of adults experiencing complex mental health difficulties.

Develop person-centred formulations and personalised care and support plans in collaboration with service users and carers.

Identify and respond appropriately to mental health, physical health, social, safeguarding and risk-related needs.

Regularly review and update care plans in response to changes in a person's needs, circumstances or level of risk.

Use appropriate outcome measures, including DIALOG+, to monitor progress and support shared decision-making.

Clinical Intervention

Deliver evidence-based, recovery-focused and profession-specific mental health interventions.

Provide brief interventions, psychosocial interventions, relapse prevention and longer-term therapeutic support where appropriate.

Support individuals experiencing deterioration in their mental health and escalate concerns through appropriate clinical pathways.

Support individuals who may be difficult to engage or who require assertive outreach due to complexity, risk or deterioration.

Promote independence, recovery and positive outcomes for service users.

Caseload and Named Worker Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of service users with complex mental health and social needs.

Act as Named Worker where required, coordinating care and maintaining continuity of therapeutic engagement.

Monitor progress, risks and outcomes and ensure appropriate follow-up.

Participate in clinical huddles, MDT meetings, case reviews, supervision and reflective practice.

Ensure appropriate handover arrangements are in place when unavailable.

Risk and Safeguarding

Complete and regularly review risk assessments, risk management plans and safety plans.

Apply positive risk management, least restrictive practice and shared decision-making principles.

Identify and appropriately respond to safeguarding concerns relating to adults and vulnerable individuals.

Contribute to crisis management, inpatient discharge planning and post-discharge follow-up where required.

Recognise and respond appropriately to clinical emergencies and changes in risk or presentation.

Multidisciplinary and Partnership Working

Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team to support shared clinical decision-making and effective care coordination.

Liaise with GPs, primary care networks, local authorities, voluntary and community organisations, inpatient services, crisis teams and other healthcare professionals.

Contribute to effective communication and continuity of care across organisational and service boundaries.

Attend and contribute to MDT meetings, clinical huddles, supervision and relevant partnership meetings.

Clinical Governance and Professional Practice

Maintain accurate, timely and confidential clinical records in accordance with professional and organisational requirements.

Work within professional registration requirements, relevant legislation, clinical guidance and Trust policies.

Participate in clinical audit, quality improvement, service evaluation, incident reviews and implementation of learning.

Contribute to the development and implementation of clinical pathways, procedures and service improvements.

Maintain professional knowledge and skills through continuing professional development, supervision and reflective practice.

Communication and Therapeutic Engagement

Establish and maintain compassionate, respectful and therapeutic relationships with service users, carers and families.

Communicate effectively with individuals experiencing distress, complex mental health difficulties or heightened emotional states.

Use trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, strengths-based and recovery-focused approaches.

Provide clear information regarding care plans, treatment, safety planning, review arrangements and access to support.

Safeguarding, Health and Safety and Confidentiality

Comply with safeguarding policies and procedures relating to children and vulnerable adults.

Maintain confidentiality and comply with information governance and data protection requirements.

Follow infection prevention and control procedures and relevant health and safety requirements.

Identify, report and appropriately manage incidents, accidents, complaints, near misses and other risks.

Ensure all clinical and organisational information is recorded accurately and maintained securely.

Skills and Professional Requirements

The post holder should demonstrate:

Current professional registration as a Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Mental Health Social Worker.

Experience working within a multidisciplinary mental health environment.

Experience managing a caseload involving individuals with complex mental health, social and/or risk-related needs.

Strong assessment, formulation, care planning and risk management skills.

Ability to develop effective therapeutic relationships with service users and carers.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team.

Ability to prioritise workload and manage competing demands safely.

Commitment to recovery-focused, person-centred, trauma-informed and strengths-based practice.

Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and reducing health inequalities.

Commitment to continuing professional development, reflective practice and ongoing learning.

Working Arrangements

The role may require flexibility to work across the Adult Community Mental Health pathway in response to service demand, clinical complexity and staffing requirements. There may also be an occasional requirement to travel across the Trust's geographical footprint to attend meetings, training and other work-related events.

This job description is intended to provide an overview of the role and is not exhaustive. Duties may be reviewed and amended in line with service requirements, organisational developments and changes to the Adult Community Mental Health operating model.

Please contact Mathure for more information.