Job summary
Are you a motivated and compassionate mental health professional ready to make a real impact? We are seeking a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner to join our dynamic Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). Based within Primary Care Networks (PCNs), you will play a vital role in providing expert mental health support across Somerset. You will work with individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health challenges, helping shape assessment, care planning and treatment pathways that make a real difference.
As the Mental Health Practitioner within the West Somerset Primary Care Network (PCN), you will be central to guiding assessment, formulation, and treatment planning for individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. You will offer expert input into the development of care plans, risk management strategies, and direct interventions, while supporting colleagues across primary, secondary, and voluntary sectors. Your role will combine clinical skills with collaborative teamworking at the heart of a forward-thinking and truly integrated neighbourhood care model.
This is a rewarding opportunity to work at the heart of mental health care transformation, removing traditional boundaries between services and offering truly integrated support for service users.
Main duties of the job
- Develop psychological formulations for patients and support other practitioners (including GPs and voluntary sector staff) to integrate these into their own caseloads.
- Act as the lead professional for a defined caseload, coordinating and reviewing care plans and providing both one-to-one and group interventions as appropriate.
- Undertake assessments of individuals with complex mental health needs, including those related to older age, and co-develop effective, person-centred treatment plans.
- Champion positive risk management practices, working closely with colleagues across services to ensure safe, consistent, and empowering care.
- Build strong liaison links with Primary and Secondary Care professionals, ensuring a seamless experience for service users, building on our neighbourhood links and relationships.
- Work collaboratively within a truly multidisciplinary environment--participating in PCN MDTs, local forums, and joint planning meetings.
- Support carer involvement by assessing needs and ensuring appropriate support or referrals are made.
- Promote mental health and wellbeing through education, information, and preventative advice.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be based within our dedicated PCN hub in Williton Hospital, working alongside a dynamic, friendly team including our Clinical Director, PCN Manager, pharmacy team, and a well-established social prescribing workforce(Care Coordinators, Village Agents, and Health Coaches). You'll also be integrated into our innovative 'Living Better' complex care service, alongside a Complex Care GP and specialist nursing team, offering you rich opportunities for collaboration, creativity, and impact.
Co- located within the hospital but also working within GP surgeries, you will have the opportunity to work in a truly neighbourhood-based service, built around continuity of care, cross-team trust, and shared purpose. Referrals are streamlined through a single point of access, and we maintain regular MDTs to ensure all voices are heard and care is coordinated.
This is not just another PCN post - it's a chance to join a supportive, open, and forward-thinking environment where your professional input will be valued, your wellbeing actively promoted, and your development nurtured. We regularly hold wellbeing and professional development days, and we pride ourselves on a warm team spirit, mutual respect, and -yes - a healthy dose of humour.
We're also proud to have embedded a Children and Young Persons Mental Health Practitioner, who has successfully helped develop a bespoke, community-rooted service within our neighbourhood. This demonstrates our commitment to innovation, staff-led service development, and responsive care. Crucially, like the post advertised, the CYP role is joint-funded, and we already have experience in navigating the unique challenges and benefits that this funding model presents. You'll be stepping into a PCN that understands what's required for success in this kind of integrated role - and supports it.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be based within our dedicated PCN hub in Williton Hospital, working alongside a dynamic, friendly team including our Clinical Director, PCN Manager, pharmacy team, and a well-established social prescribing workforce(Care Coordinators, Village Agents, and Health Coaches). You'll also be integrated into our innovative 'Living Better' complex care service, alongside a Complex Care GP and specialist nursing team, offering you rich opportunities for collaboration, creativity, and impact.
Co- located within the hospital but also working within GP surgeries, you will have the opportunity to work in a truly neighbourhood-based service, built around continuity of care, cross-team trust, and shared purpose. Referrals are streamlined through a single point of access, and we maintain regular MDTs to ensure all voices are heard and care is coordinated.
This is not just another PCN post - it's a chance to join a supportive, open, and forward-thinking environment where your professional input will be valued, your wellbeing actively promoted, and your development nurtured. We regularly hold wellbeing and professional development days, and we pride ourselves on a warm team spirit, mutual respect, and -yes - a healthy dose of humour.
We're also proud to have embedded a Children and Young Persons Mental Health Practitioner, who has successfully helped develop a bespoke, community-rooted service within our neighbourhood. This demonstrates our commitment to innovation, staff-led service development, and responsive care. Crucially, like the post advertised, the CYP role is joint-funded, and we already have experience in navigating the unique challenges and benefits that this funding model presents. You'll be stepping into a PCN that understands what's required for success in this kind of integrated role - and supports it.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse/Allied Health ProfessionalCommitment to Continuing Professional Development in the field of mental health.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of offering clinical supervision to other professionals
- Front line experience of using advanced assessment skills especially in determining the nature and severity of mental illness/health (functional and organic) and differentiation between physical and mental health symptoms and conditions.
- Demonstrable experience of working in/ within CMHT or primary care mental health services
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse/Allied Health ProfessionalCommitment to Continuing Professional Development in the field of mental health.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of offering clinical supervision to other professionals
- Front line experience of using advanced assessment skills especially in determining the nature and severity of mental illness/health (functional and organic) and differentiation between physical and mental health symptoms and conditions.
- Demonstrable experience of working in/ within CMHT or primary care mental health services
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is 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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is 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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
