Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Early Intervention Practitioner

The closing date is 03 February 2026

Job summary

Are you looking for a change in career and do you like working in a challenging and rewarding setting? Do you want to build on and enhance the high level of skills and experience you already possess, why not consider this opportunity to join the Early Intervention in Psychosis team?

The service works with people between the ages of 14 - 65 who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis. We are looking for a qualified, motivated, enthusiastic, self-directed mental health practitioner to join the team as a Care Co-ordinator who will also maintain responsibility for assessments prior to acceptance into the service. You will be involved in the patient journey from triage, assessment through to offering interventions supporting service users to recover from psychosis.

The service delivers both managerial supervision and clinical supervision from specialist staff. There is in-house training on all aspects of the service including psychological formulation, Family Interventions, CBT skills and assessment skills. Preferably you will have experience of working in a community setting, but this is not essential.

Main duties of the job

St Helens and Knowsley Early Intervention in Psychosis Team provides assessment and intervention to patients based within our catchment area with a suspected/ diagnosed psychotic illness delivering care in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. If successful, you will be part of a multi disciplinary team delivering a range of evidence-based interventions that fall within NICE guidelines.

Our team consists of a lead Consultant Psychiatrist, Management Team (consisting of Clinical Team Manager, Deputy Team Manager and Clinical Lead), Care Coordinators, Psychology Team, Support Time Recovery Workers and IPS workers. The successful candidate will work along side all members of the team to ensure a holistic, recovery focus is maintained throughout the service user pathway.

The successful candidate will also work in partnership with other agencies/teams, such as CJLT, CRHT, social care and addictions services, to promote a collaborative focus on care.

We fully promote professional/personal training and development, and there are opportunities to train in-house CPD and develop your clinical skills through supervision, complex case discussions, and reflective practice. We also provide CAARMS training, which is a specialist assessment for psychosis, and further training on how to deliver family interventions which are an integral part of the service.

We are a supportive team, and the post holder would have support from the Service Managers, Clinical Leads and team members alike.

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

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year pro rata per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-MHC7656484-A

Job locations

Harry Blackman House

Peasley Cross Hospital

St Helens

WA9 3DE


Job description

Job responsibilities

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 identified in the care plan.

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

To undertake and supervise risk assessments and formulation of risk management plan for service users under your care, taking note of the contributions from other members of the team, family members carers and significant others.

To ensure Safeguarding Children and Adults requirements are followed and participate in meetings as appropriate.

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.

To communicate to other members of the multi-disciplinary team 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 barriers to effective communications.

To give and receive accurate up-to-date information regarding service users care in reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings etc. These reviews may be external to the trust.

To have accurate and up-todate knowledge of the Mental Health Act / Mental Capacity Act and other relevant legislation.

Where appropriate to job role 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 the entries made by unqualified staff.

Provide reports both in written and verbal formats as requested.

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

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 actively participate in team meetings.

Job description

Job responsibilities

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 identified in the care plan.

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

To undertake and supervise risk assessments and formulation of risk management plan for service users under your care, taking note of the contributions from other members of the team, family members carers and significant others.

To ensure Safeguarding Children and Adults requirements are followed and participate in meetings as appropriate.

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.

To communicate to other members of the multi-disciplinary team 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 barriers to effective communications.

To give and receive accurate up-to-date information regarding service users care in reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings etc. These reviews may be external to the trust.

To have accurate and up-todate knowledge of the Mental Health Act / Mental Capacity Act and other relevant legislation.

Where appropriate to job role 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 the entries made by unqualified staff.

Provide reports both in written and verbal formats as requested.

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

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 actively participate in team meetings.

Person Specification

Values

Essential

  • Continuous Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Respectfulness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Support
  • High professional standards
  • Responsive to service users
  • Engaging leadership style
  • Strong customer service belief
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Discreet
  • Change oriented

Qualifications

Essential

  • Up to date Professional Registration (to be maintained), on the appropriate part of the NMC register and hold a current NMC registration, or the equivalent qualification and registration for Social Workers or OTs.
  • Assessor/Mentorship Training*

Desirable

  • Post registration training in relevant field
  • Leadership/Management training

Experience/ Knowledge

Essential

  • Recovery Model
  • Mental Health Act (1983)
  • Effective Care Coordination
  • Relevant National policies and guidance
  • Evidence based and reflective practice
  • Mental Capacity Act
  • Vulnerable Adults Procedure and Child Protection.
  • Safety, Privacy and Dignity Guidelines
  • Experience of mentorship, supervision and co-ordination of staff.
  • Experience of Care Planning process
  • Working in a multiagency framework
  • Demonstrate a contribution to change management process
  • Demonstrate experience of problem solving approaches

Desirable

  • An overview of the Trust's objectives
  • Experience of working as a Nurse in Charge/Shift Coordinator
  • Experience in positive leadership of a team

Skills

Essential

  • Demonstrate sound leadership qualities and an understanding of management styles
  • Understanding of quality and change in the clinical setting
  • Ability to delegate and coordinate
  • Ability to work to deadlines
  • Ability to utilise Assessment skills and tools effectively
  • Ability to communicate in a variety of settings.
  • IT skills
  • Able to present factual information and refer questions to others where appropriate
  • Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy
  • Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues
  • Effective time & workload management
  • Mentorship skills and record keeping
  • Ability to identify and minimise risk effectively

Desirable

  • Project Management
  • Formulation of reports
  • Presentation skills
  • Resource and Budget management
Person Specification

Values

Essential

  • Continuous Improvement
  • Accountability
  • Respectfulness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Support
  • High professional standards
  • Responsive to service users
  • Engaging leadership style
  • Strong customer service belief
  • Transparency and honesty
  • Discreet
  • Change oriented

Qualifications

Essential

  • Up to date Professional Registration (to be maintained), on the appropriate part of the NMC register and hold a current NMC registration, or the equivalent qualification and registration for Social Workers or OTs.
  • Assessor/Mentorship Training*

Desirable

  • Post registration training in relevant field
  • Leadership/Management training

Experience/ Knowledge

Essential

  • Recovery Model
  • Mental Health Act (1983)
  • Effective Care Coordination
  • Relevant National policies and guidance
  • Evidence based and reflective practice
  • Mental Capacity Act
  • Vulnerable Adults Procedure and Child Protection.
  • Safety, Privacy and Dignity Guidelines
  • Experience of mentorship, supervision and co-ordination of staff.
  • Experience of Care Planning process
  • Working in a multiagency framework
  • Demonstrate a contribution to change management process
  • Demonstrate experience of problem solving approaches

Desirable

  • An overview of the Trust's objectives
  • Experience of working as a Nurse in Charge/Shift Coordinator
  • Experience in positive leadership of a team

Skills

Essential

  • Demonstrate sound leadership qualities and an understanding of management styles
  • Understanding of quality and change in the clinical setting
  • Ability to delegate and coordinate
  • Ability to work to deadlines
  • Ability to utilise Assessment skills and tools effectively
  • Ability to communicate in a variety of settings.
  • IT skills
  • Able to present factual information and refer questions to others where appropriate
  • Able to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy
  • Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues
  • Effective time & workload management
  • Mentorship skills and record keeping
  • Ability to identify and minimise risk effectively

Desirable

  • Project Management
  • Formulation of reports
  • Presentation skills
  • Resource and Budget management

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

Harry Blackman House

Peasley Cross Hospital

St Helens

WA9 3DE


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Harry Blackman House

Peasley Cross Hospital

St Helens

WA9 3DE


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

Rachel Roberts

Rachel.Roberts3@merseycare.nhs.uk

01744415612

Details

Date posted

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year pro rata per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

350-MHC7656484-A

Job locations

Harry Blackman House

Peasley Cross Hospital

St Helens

WA9 3DE


Supporting documents

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