Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 03 November 2025

Job summary

We are a developing service and our aim is to transform the way mental health support is delivered in North East Essex. We are a team that respect and value diversity, and innovation and have the passion to constantly evolve our practice, always striving for better.Our ambition is to deliver a first class offering to people in their communities and we want you to be a part of that ongoing vision. This will include working closely with the North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance. The Alliance brings together local authorities in North East Essex (Colchester and Tendring) with other commissioners and providers of health and wellbeing services, such as the NHS, County Council Social Services, and the voluntary and community sector, working together to tackle not just ill-health, but the causes of ill-health by having joint goals of reducing inequalities and creating healthy, resilient communities for everyone. As part of Live Well we promote healthy living in communities and families across Colchester and Tendring to improve physical and mental well being

Main duties of the job

To improve the lives of people with mental ill health by minimising the impact of their condition through the delivery of excellent services to promote recovery and wellbeing

To be compassionate in meeting the needs of patients and their cares

To work closely with Primary Care and Community health care colleagues within the locality regarding the mental health needs of their adult practice population

To be professionally accountable and responsible for patient care.

To promote social inclusion, community access and participation through the provision of patient care

To provide timely and time effective triage calls to patients and identifying patient's holistic needs. Including liaising with other services.

To provide follow-up support for the Mental Health Practitioners and General Practitioners within your PCN and

To promote at all times a positive image of people with mental ill health

About us

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.

Benefits

27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
£8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

Work bank: You can use the opportunity to supplement your income and develop your skills by working bank shifts.
Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Date posted

22 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

364-A-9196-A

Job locations

Severalls House

Colchester

CO4 5HG

Job description

Job responsibilities

Promote and maintain safety, privacy and dignity of all patients in the delivery of patient centred care, recognizing and respecting differences including spiritual and cultural beliefs

Act, wherever applicable, in accordance with the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and associated policies and procedures

Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of patient self-harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the patient. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk

Responsible for ensuring the highest professional standards and attitudes towards the care of patients are maintained and that care is delivered in accordance with evidence based practice at all times. Patients have a range of mental health conditions of mild to moderate severity (including issues relating to child abuse), they may have difficult family situations and may demonstrate behaviours that challenge at initial assessment, or as a result of unexpected changes during program of therapy

Undertake a comprehensive triage of referred patients, including those with complex needs and use clinical judgement and analysis to sign post to appropriate services, or to retain within the primary care mental health service for time-limited intervention

Support patients and their families / carers in the community, providing advice and liaising with other support services to co-ordinate individual support packages

Develop, implement and evaluate intervention / care plans as part of the multi-disciplinary team, statutory and non-statutory agencies and with the involvement of the patient and where appropriate, their carer or family

Ensure that intervention / care plans are based on current risk assessment evidence based practice, critical thinking and whole system support requirements that take account of relevant physical, social, cultural, psychological, spiritual, generic and environmental factors

Undertake risk assessments in accordance with Clinical Risk assessment and Management policy, devising and implementing actions and intervention plans which take the risk formulation into account

Where applicable, monitor patients mental health medication, identifying concordance/non-concordance, effectiveness and side effects, liaising with the prescriber as necessary

Provide health education and advice on health promotion to patients and their carers

Responsible for decision making and coordination in a crisis situation, where necessary seeking advice and guidance from other relevant professionals

Demonstrate safe breakaway techniques in the management of violence and aggression as required