Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 07 October 2025

Job summary

The Crisis Response and home Treatment Team offers an alternative to the 9-5 working

The team is a pan Borough service working across the four Boroughs .

The team offer urgent mental health assessments and have an extensive home treatment offer supporting complex young people in the community

Main duties of the job

As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will provide high standards of evidence based client centred care to children and young people with mental health [ problems within the THRIVE Framework for service delivery.

You will be expected to provide interventions, advice, consultation and supervision to both colleagues and colleagues within external partner agencies in line with THRIVE and clinical competency

As the post is identified within the CYPMH strategy, it is expected the role will continue to develop in line with national and local initiatives.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Details

Date posted

23 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-CC7468988

Job locations

Knowsley Recourse and Recovery Centre

Dragon Lane

Whiston

L355DR


Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

To coordinate the care of service users carrying out assessment planning, implementation and evaluation of their care under the guidelines of the care programme approach and under the supervision of the line manager

To ensure that the service users care plan is developed to meet the assessed need of the individual and that unqualified staff are delivering care as laid down in the care plan

To liaise with family members, carers and significant others when completing the assessment and developing a care plan

To develop a risk management plan for service users, taking note of the contributions from other members of the team. Ensure that all significant people are aware of the risk management plan and are actioning it appropriately.

To direct unqualified staff in order to ensure delivery of a high standard of care to service users

To participate in setting standards for care based on sound evidence based and research findings

To participate in the systematic monitoring and evaluation of service users that you have responsibility for with guidance from a Supervisor

To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure the communication of any relevant information which has an impact on the service users caresibility for with guidance from a supervisor

To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure the communication of any relevant information which has an impact on the service users care

To use verbal and non-verbal communication skills gained through training or experience to impart sensitive information.

To check understanding of information where there are often barriers to effective communications due to distress, psychiatric symptoms or where English is not the first language

To use skills gained through training and experience to give and receive information to other individuals with regards to a service users care in the reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings. These individuals may be external to the Trust

To have knowledge of the Mental Health Act / Mental Capacity Act and other relevant legislation. To support services users and their carers when the Mental Health Act is beingused to admit the service user to hospital. To ensure that service user rights under the Mental Health Act are effectively communicated to them and outcomes documented

To provide and co-ordinate the provision of a range of therapeutic activities for service users and monitor their effectiveness.

To take responsibility for the safe administration of medication to service users ensuring that the Trust policies and procedures and the Nursing & Midwifery Councils regulations are adhered to.

To ensure that all relevant information with regards to a service users care and treatment is documented accurately and legibly into the health record. To supervise and monitor theentries made by unqualified staff.

To under the guidance of a supervisor provide reports both in written and verbal

To contribute to teaching sessions in order to pass on knowledge and skills.

To use skills gained through training and experience to de-escalate situations where service users become physically or verbally aggressive

To ensure that unqualified staff members get appropriate support following violent or other untoward incidents

To ensure that all incidents or near misses are documented as per Trust policy and that any follow up action is taken.

. To actively participate in service user reviews ensuring that service user needs are met and that the team has all the relevant information on which to base their clinical decisions

To develop care plans that enable service users to reach and maintain their optimum level of health and independence to help them to remain in the community in their chosen setting.

To react pro-actively in cases of service user crisis and put in place immediate plans to resolve the situation with supervision and guidance as appropriate

To assist in the assessment and supervision of nursing and other students.

To assess and monitor the physical and mental health of service users, seeking advice and support from medical staff as appropriate.

. To actively participate in team meetings in order to positively influence team working and the development of research based practice.

PROFESSIONAL

To be responsible for maintaining own professional registration and PREP requirements.

To provide an effective link between mental health services and primary care, acting in an advisory capacity to professionals in other fields

To develop effective working relationships with other professional outside of the Trust in order to enhance the delivery of care to service users.

To participate as a supervisor and supervisee in the divisional performance management / supervision framework. Work towards and help others work towards goals and objectives as agreed in personal development plans.

To take responsibility for maintaining and developing own knowledge and sills within own area of work.

To attend, as appropriate, courses and conferences, and to feedback and share knowledge, gained from attendance.

To be professionally accountable for own actions as a registered practitioner.

To act, at all times, in accordance with Trust policies and procedures, ensuring that unqualified staff are adhering to policy and procedure.

To undertake mandatory training as identified by the Trust and ensure that all actions are in line with training.

To keep up to date with developments in professional practice and make recommendations for change to senior staff, as appropriate

To take and active role in the reporting of adverse incidents as per Trust policy. Ensure that junior staff follow the policy and appropriately report all incidents

To seek advice and further training, if appropriate, before carrying out any duty

To actively participate in the preceptorship process, working towards fulfilling any action plans, as agreed with the supervisor, and seeking advice and support to enhance skills and develop expertise.

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

To coordinate the care of service users carrying out assessment planning, implementation and evaluation of their care under the guidelines of the care programme approach and under the supervision of the line manager

To ensure that the service users care plan is developed to meet the assessed need of the individual and that unqualified staff are delivering care as laid down in the care plan

To liaise with family members, carers and significant others when completing the assessment and developing a care plan

To develop a risk management plan for service users, taking note of the contributions from other members of the team. Ensure that all significant people are aware of the risk management plan and are actioning it appropriately.

To direct unqualified staff in order to ensure delivery of a high standard of care to service users

To participate in setting standards for care based on sound evidence based and research findings

To participate in the systematic monitoring and evaluation of service users that you have responsibility for with guidance from a Supervisor

To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure the communication of any relevant information which has an impact on the service users caresibility for with guidance from a supervisor

To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure the communication of any relevant information which has an impact on the service users care

To use verbal and non-verbal communication skills gained through training or experience to impart sensitive information.

To check understanding of information where there are often barriers to effective communications due to distress, psychiatric symptoms or where English is not the first language

To use skills gained through training and experience to give and receive information to other individuals with regards to a service users care in the reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings. These individuals may be external to the Trust

To have knowledge of the Mental Health Act / Mental Capacity Act and other relevant legislation. To support services users and their carers when the Mental Health Act is beingused to admit the service user to hospital. To ensure that service user rights under the Mental Health Act are effectively communicated to them and outcomes documented

To provide and co-ordinate the provision of a range of therapeutic activities for service users and monitor their effectiveness.

To take responsibility for the safe administration of medication to service users ensuring that the Trust policies and procedures and the Nursing & Midwifery Councils regulations are adhered to.

To ensure that all relevant information with regards to a service users care and treatment is documented accurately and legibly into the health record. To supervise and monitor theentries made by unqualified staff.

To under the guidance of a supervisor provide reports both in written and verbal

To contribute to teaching sessions in order to pass on knowledge and skills.

To use skills gained through training and experience to de-escalate situations where service users become physically or verbally aggressive

To ensure that unqualified staff members get appropriate support following violent or other untoward incidents

To ensure that all incidents or near misses are documented as per Trust policy and that any follow up action is taken.

. To actively participate in service user reviews ensuring that service user needs are met and that the team has all the relevant information on which to base their clinical decisions

To develop care plans that enable service users to reach and maintain their optimum level of health and independence to help them to remain in the community in their chosen setting.

To react pro-actively in cases of service user crisis and put in place immediate plans to resolve the situation with supervision and guidance as appropriate

To assist in the assessment and supervision of nursing and other students.

To assess and monitor the physical and mental health of service users, seeking advice and support from medical staff as appropriate.

. To actively participate in team meetings in order to positively influence team working and the development of research based practice.

PROFESSIONAL

To be responsible for maintaining own professional registration and PREP requirements.

To provide an effective link between mental health services and primary care, acting in an advisory capacity to professionals in other fields

To develop effective working relationships with other professional outside of the Trust in order to enhance the delivery of care to service users.

To participate as a supervisor and supervisee in the divisional performance management / supervision framework. Work towards and help others work towards goals and objectives as agreed in personal development plans.

To take responsibility for maintaining and developing own knowledge and sills within own area of work.

To attend, as appropriate, courses and conferences, and to feedback and share knowledge, gained from attendance.

To be professionally accountable for own actions as a registered practitioner.

To act, at all times, in accordance with Trust policies and procedures, ensuring that unqualified staff are adhering to policy and procedure.

To undertake mandatory training as identified by the Trust and ensure that all actions are in line with training.

To keep up to date with developments in professional practice and make recommendations for change to senior staff, as appropriate

To take and active role in the reporting of adverse incidents as per Trust policy. Ensure that junior staff follow the policy and appropriately report all incidents

To seek advice and further training, if appropriate, before carrying out any duty

To actively participate in the preceptorship process, working towards fulfilling any action plans, as agreed with the supervisor, and seeking advice and support to enhance skills and develop expertise.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Appropriate professional qualification by RMN, AHP Social Worker

Desirable

  • Degree
  • Evidence of post registration study.
  • Approved training in phlebotomy

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with a range of people with mental health problems
  • Effective Care Co-ordination
  • Care Planning and evaluation
  • Quality and clinical audit
  • Health & Safety/Risk Management Mental Health Act
  • Demonstrate knowledge in the concepts of mentorship, preceptorship and supervision

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Experience of working with young people
  • Appreciate the process of standard setting and audit

Skills

Essential

  • Able to communicate effectively.
  • Possess good listening and negotiation skills
  • Ability to work as a member of a team
  • Professional attitude
  • Flexibility
  • Possess a caring, compassionate and empathic attitude

Values

Essential

  • Continuous Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Respectfulness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Support
  • Responsive to service users
  • Engaging leadership style
  • Strong customer service belief
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Discrete

Others

Essential

  • Access to transport
  • On going post-registration development
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Appropriate professional qualification by RMN, AHP Social Worker

Desirable

  • Degree
  • Evidence of post registration study.
  • Approved training in phlebotomy

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with a range of people with mental health problems
  • Effective Care Co-ordination
  • Care Planning and evaluation
  • Quality and clinical audit
  • Health & Safety/Risk Management Mental Health Act
  • Demonstrate knowledge in the concepts of mentorship, preceptorship and supervision

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Experience of working with young people
  • Appreciate the process of standard setting and audit

Skills

Essential

  • Able to communicate effectively.
  • Possess good listening and negotiation skills
  • Ability to work as a member of a team
  • Professional attitude
  • Flexibility
  • Possess a caring, compassionate and empathic attitude

Values

Essential

  • Continuous Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Respectfulness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Support
  • Responsive to service users
  • Engaging leadership style
  • Strong customer service belief
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Discrete

Others

Essential

  • Access to transport
  • On going post-registration development

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Knowsley Recourse and Recovery Centre

Dragon Lane

Whiston

L355DR


Employer's website

https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Knowsley Recourse and Recovery Centre

Dragon Lane

Whiston

L355DR


Employer's website

https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Team Manager

Alexandra Bellamy

alexandra.bellamy@merseycare.nhs.uk

01744415640

Details

Date posted

23 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-CC7468988

Job locations

Knowsley Recourse and Recovery Centre

Dragon Lane

Whiston

L355DR


Supporting documents

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