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Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Senior Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 30 September 2025

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Job summary

FIXED TERM 10 MONTHS

You will be an enthusiastic, professionally qualified Mental Health Practitioner who is committed to providing responsive and high-quality clinical services to mental health service users and their carers. You will have extensive relevant experience of working with service users in a range of settings, ideally with some community experience but this is not essential. A keen interest in all mental health issues affecting service users is required and up to date knowledge of treatments and protocols. You will be able to work autonomously, exercise clear and coherent decision-making skills and be able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the wider service.

Main duties of the job

You will work within the Wokingham Mental Health Services. You will hold a caseload and focus on delivery of a specific time-limited intervention using the recovery model. The care and treatment will focus on empowering service users to use their strengths, skills and special interest to help in their recovery whilst under the secondary services working with our Multidisciplinary Team. You will be offered regular clinical supervision and support from the Clinical Lead.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

  • Caring for and about you is our top priority
  • Committed to providing good quality, safe services
  • Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

  • Flexible working options to support work-life balance
  • 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
  • Generous NHS pension scheme
  • Excellent learning and career development opportunities
  • 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
  • Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
  • Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
  • Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
  • Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
  • Free parking across Trust sites

Details

Date posted

09 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£40,617 to £48,778 a year per annum (Incl of HCAS)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS789-C

Job locations

Resource House

20 Denmark Street

Wokingham

RG40 2BB


Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • Be a Mental Health Nurse along with relevant professional registration.
  • Hold a full UK Driving license and have use of a car for work purposes
  • Broad post qualification experience within a mental health setting

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed. We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Godfrey Karambakuwa (Joint Service Manager) or Kseniya Wimbush (Clinical Team Lead) on 0118 904 4800 or via email at godfrey.karambakuwa@berkshire.nhs.uk / kseniya.wimbush@berkshire.nhs.uk, who will be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • Be a Mental Health Nurse along with relevant professional registration.
  • Hold a full UK Driving license and have use of a car for work purposes
  • Broad post qualification experience within a mental health setting

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed. We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Godfrey Karambakuwa (Joint Service Manager) or Kseniya Wimbush (Clinical Team Lead) on 0118 904 4800 or via email at godfrey.karambakuwa@berkshire.nhs.uk / kseniya.wimbush@berkshire.nhs.uk, who will be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • RMN (current NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) registration)
  • Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Desirable

  • Diploma in psycho-social interventions, or similar post registration qualification relevant to the post

Previous Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of working with people who experience serious ongoing mental health problems
  • Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
  • Experience of assessing and managing crisis with those with a severe mental illness

Desirable

  • Experience of contributing to policy and procedure development and implementation
  • Experience of managing and supervising other staff
  • Experience of managing and monitoring budgets
  • Experience of perinatal work

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to assess clinical situations quickly and use initiative
  • Good time management skills and ability to prioritise
  • Effective team worker
  • Good IT skills
  • Clinical supervision skills

Desirable

  • Skills in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) or family work
  • Research and audit skills
  • Group facilitation skills
  • Report writing skills

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • An understanding and positive regard for the needs and rights of people with mental health problems and their carers
  • Ability to manage stress and work under pressure
  • Ability to work to ensure effective communication both within and outside the services
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • RMN (current NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) registration)
  • Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Desirable

  • Diploma in psycho-social interventions, or similar post registration qualification relevant to the post

Previous Experience

Essential

  • Demonstrable experience of working with people who experience serious ongoing mental health problems
  • Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
  • Experience of assessing and managing crisis with those with a severe mental illness

Desirable

  • Experience of contributing to policy and procedure development and implementation
  • Experience of managing and supervising other staff
  • Experience of managing and monitoring budgets
  • Experience of perinatal work

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to assess clinical situations quickly and use initiative
  • Good time management skills and ability to prioritise
  • Effective team worker
  • Good IT skills
  • Clinical supervision skills

Desirable

  • Skills in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) or family work
  • Research and audit skills
  • Group facilitation skills
  • Report writing skills

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • An understanding and positive regard for the needs and rights of people with mental health problems and their carers
  • Ability to manage stress and work under pressure
  • Ability to work to ensure effective communication both within and outside the services

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

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Resource House

20 Denmark Street

Wokingham

RG40 2BB


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Resource House

20 Denmark Street

Wokingham

RG40 2BB


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Joint Service Manager

Godfrey Karambakuwa

godfrey.karambakuwa@berkshire.nhs.uk

01189044800

Details

Date posted

09 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£40,617 to £48,778 a year per annum (Incl of HCAS)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS789-C

Job locations

Resource House

20 Denmark Street

Wokingham

RG40 2BB


Supporting documents

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