Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

Are you a Mental Health Practitioner who is passionate about establishing better access to Mental Health Support within the Community?

Oxford Health is excited to be working in partnership with Wallingford and Surrounds Primary Care Network on the introduction of Specialist Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) for Primary Care.

These new roles will enable patients aged 18+ to access dedicated mental health support in their surgery and, that support will have stronger links with specialist mental health services. Making it easier for patients to obtain the help they need, when they need it, within their community. This role needs someone who is proactive and passionate about innovative new ways of working and a holistic approach to caring for people in need of mental health support.

In Oxfordshire we are working in partnership to improve community mental health services and plug the gaps between primary and secondary care. Your role will be crucial to developing strong partnership working relationships between, other primary, secondary and third sector mental health support services at a community level.

As part of surgery Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) you will provide triage, assessment and mental health advice to patients presenting at their GP surgery. Your role will support primary care in offering enhanced support to patients with mental health conditions, facilitating early intervention, supporting recovery and helping them to live well in their community. You will be based within Wallingford and surrounds Primary Care Network (PCN) working on a day to day basis out of four GP surgeries, accountable to the PCN leadership in a matrix management style.

However, as an Oxford Health member of staff, you will be fully connected to our Trust mental health teams for line management and team support; whilst also receiving full training and clinical supervision through the Trust to support your continuous development.

There is access to specific training to enhance your skills in working with people over 18 in a primary care setting who have a complex and serious mental illness. For example; innovative approaches to working with people who have an established or emerging personality disorder; innovative approaches to helping support people with an eating disorder, and other training tailored to your needs in this role.

We aim to support everyone's well being in this role as well as one to one supervision we have opportunities for group clinical supervision focusing on specific areas of clinical work, we have a network across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West offering peer support sessions, and opportunities for reflective practice sessions.

Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include:

- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Staff accommodation
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme

**The “must haves” for you to be considered for this role**:

- Current professional registration: Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist or equivalent
- Community experience in mental health services for adults or older age adults with severe / significant / enduring mental illness
- Experience of providing a range of evidence-based interventions to people with a variety of mental health problems and serious mental illness.

**Please note**:

- New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
- Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
- Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.