Primary Care Mental Health Specialist Practitioner

As part of a Primary Care Sustainability Project, a successful pilot led to a new and innovative Primary Care Liaison Service. We continue to develop and have opportunities to work in our primary care service in Cardiff and/or the Vale of Glamorgan and the Universities across Cardiff and the Vale. You will be mental health professionals available to support the work of General Practitioners and other inhouse practitioners, providing expert advice to patient and primary care practitioner, assessment, referral on to appropriate services, signposting, follow-up reviews, and mental health first aid. You will be instrumental in supporting patients much earlier in their pathway to improve patient experience and access to specialist support closer to patients’ homes in line with Care Aims. We are looking for a further 2.4 Practitioners to join our 17 other team members to provide care to all 9 of the clusters of GP Practices in Cardiff and Vale. We have also developed a new service that is based in the Universities of Cardiff. In addition to the Liaison Service, the UHB have enhanced 3rd Sector support to provide Tier Zero and Guided Self Help (CCI) interventions within each Cluster, as a direct support to the Primary Care Liaison Service.

Do you want to be part of the continued development of the Primary Care Liaison Service? We offer excellent training opportunities working across primary care services and empower patients within the GP setting. Interested? We want to hear from you.

Ability to speak Welsh is desirable; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Boardis one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 15,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services.

Our mission is “Caring for People, Keeping People Well”, and our vision is that every person’s chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. As an organisation we are unashamedly ambitious for our population’s health, rising to the challenges of today and tomorrow through our 10-year strategy, Shaping our Future Wellbeing. We are contributing to a healthier Wales with great emphasis placed on innovation and improvement, learning from around the world and leading the way in clinical research. Partnership working is strong at Cardiff and Vale, and we work closely with our staff and our community.

Cardiff, the thriving Welsh capital, is a fantastic city to live and work in with an abundance of sports, arts and cultural attractions. Situated to the west of Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan offers a combination of beautiful Welsh countryside and a dramatic natural coastline. Whether city life or rural living, Cardiff and the Vale offers the best of both worlds.

This role will provide mental health advice and referral guidance to GPs and patients in Primary Care, signposting to the appropriate clinically indicated pathway within designated GP practices in the area. The role will also provide support & advice giving on management & care planning to the Primary Care team. Liaison with the local CMHT will be essential. The post may include some unsocial hours. The postholder will be required to provide services to a number of Primary Care Teams within a Cluster of GP practices.

You will work as part of Cluster Team, (providing services to a number of GP Practices) supervised by a Senior Band 7 Senior Liaison Worker. The service is headed up by a Service Lead who links the Mental Health and PCIC UHB boards to the Primary Care clusters in a co-produced service.