Mental Health Practitioner

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams. We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience

Job overview

The Wellbeing Service is an NHS Talking Therapies Service, providing primary care assessment, advice and psychological interventions to people in Suffolk aged 16 and above. The service primarily caters for those who would like to access support with mild to moderate mental health difficulties including anxiety and depression.

The service is delivered via a partnership between Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT). We deliver a bio-psycho-social model which includes psychological, employment and social interventions across the county. Our treatments are delivered primarily by telephone, online via webinars, and face to face.

We require excellent communicators and self-motivated individuals who are committed to delivering a high standard of care. The role predominantly involves undertaking assessments of individuals within primary care including the assessment of risk to consider access or re-access to secondary mental health services. You will be undertaking screening and triage of referrals, to identify appropriate onward pathway. You will be providing support and advice to other health care professionals, including attending and chairing Interface meetings as appropriate. Ensuring that clinical practice is evidence based and consistent with relevant NICE guidelines, primary care and Trust policies and procedures.

Main duties of the job

This is an opportunity for a Mental health practitioner, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, or for a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner with at least 2 years post PWP qualification experience, who is passionate about the Step 2 model, to develop their career within the service.

You will assist the leadership team in the development of the Low Intensity part of the service, whilst helping the service achieve its required key performance indicators. The role will involve conducting clinical assessments, assessing and managing risk, as well as performing screening and triage of referrals to determine the appropriate onward pathway.

Risk assessment and management is an essential aspect of this role. You will be able to demonstrate experience of conducting thorough risk assessments, safety planning and support, as well as an ability to work in a dynamic fast paced team.

This position is located at Mariner House in Ipswich. If successful at interview, there may be flexibility regarding a base location at either Ipswich or Bury St Edmunds.

Hybrid working is an option, but it is expected that the post holder will be in either Bury St Edmunds or Ipswich for 3 days a week minimum.

Working for our organisation

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about. Wellbeing Suffolk delivers NHS Talking Therapies and is currently benchmarked in the top three NHS Talking Therapies Services in the country with workforce surveys evidencing high morale. The service was recently awarded continuation to deliver the Talking Therapies contract for a further five years, with a potential to extend for a further 5 years. This award builds on existing strengths to deliver the new model launched agreed in September 2024, so, a very exciting time to be joining the service.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Some of the benefits you can expect:

• NHS pension
• a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
• career progression
• starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
• staff physio service
• NHS discounts and many more.

Interviews date to be confirmed and will be held in Bury St Edmunds ( this may be subject to change) You will be contacted via email and invited to book a time. These emails may go to your SPAM, so please keep checking all your emails if applying.

Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page @NSFTjobs

This position is located at Mariner House in Ipswich. If successful at interview, there may be flexibility regarding a base location at either Ipswich or Bury St Edmunds.

Hybrid working is an option, but it is expected that at least 3 days per week will be spent on-site.

Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Nursing Degree or equivalent, Dip O.T., Social Work or Psychology Qualification
• Mentorship qualification or ENB 998.
• Higher Degree or post graduate certificate in area of clinical therapeutic practice.
• Ongoing professional development working towards degree level
• Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner qualification- 2 years post qualification experience.

Desirable criteria

• Good to great management course equivalent. APPT Trainer

Experience
Essential criteria

• Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of mental health practice from previous experience.
• Demonstrate effective risk management and risk management experience.

Skills
Essential criteria

• Care Planning skills.
• Risk Assessment knowledge and skills.

Desirable criteria

• Training re: Suicide prevention, Safeguarding and Medicine Management

Knowledge
Essential criteria

• Knowledge of medication and the monitoring of its effects
• An understanding of the policies and guidelines both local and national e.g. NICE guidelines

Desirable criteria

• Certificate in area of clinical practice

Other
Essential criteria

• Ability to travel independently

YOUR APPLICATION

We can provide all our job application materials in alternative formats so that these are accessible to everyone. Should you require any documents within this job pack in an alternative format, please do not hesitate to contact us at

PLEASE NOTE: If you use a hotmail, msn or yahoo e-mail account, you will need to check your "junk" mail regularly as these email providers will divert any communication from this Trust/NHS JOBS straight into your " junk" inbox.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Apart from its legal duties in relation to equality and diversity, the Trust recognises and actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.

As a part of the Disability Confident Employer Guaranteed Interview Scheme we interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job vacancy (outlined in the Person Specification).. We encourage you to indicate your eligibility through TRAC jobs when applying.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post may be subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements

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.

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