Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 04 November 2025

Job summary

The Berkshire Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (EIP) is looking for a passionate and enthusiastic Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner to join their innovative and dynamic team.

The EIP team is a trust wide service, with teams based at each locality. We are a specialist service working with individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis or who are presenting with an at-risk mental state, between the ages of 18 to 65.

We operate a Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm service, although some flexibility is required and working onsite or in the community. This advert is for Slough New Horizons, working four days per week onsite/in the community and 1 day from home as needed.

You will have a clear passion for supporting people and their family in their recovery. You will work with our integrated team of psychiatrists, psychologists, psychological therapists, and STR workers to empower and support our clients to understand their experiences and return to college, university or employment.

We work with our clients for up to 3 years and the majority do get transferred back to their GP, therefore it is a rewarding team to work with.

Main duties of the job

  • The post holder will ensure that each individual plan is developed in consultation/agreement with the patient and informed by the wider multidisciplinary team.
  • The post holder will be responsible for delivering a plan of care as identified from the multidisciplinary team to deliver the plan of care and expected health/social outcomes which are evidenced based and lead to recovery and minimise risk.
  • To work in partnership with the individual service user and their families and carers as appropriate to ensure the delivery of the care plan, and to enable the development of a plan to facilitate their safety, promote their well-being and support their independence and inclusion in the community. This may include working closely with partner agencies such as voluntary sector agencies, schools and colleges which may be able to more appropriately help the service user complete these tools.
  • The post holder will operate within the principles of recovery and as such support each patient to develop a Wellness Recovery Action Plan and Relapse Prevention Plan to reduce dependence on Secondary Mental Health Services and enable a planned integration into local community facilities.
  • To have clinical responsibility for a case load as specified by the EIP 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

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£32,602 to £39,686 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS848

Job locations

New Horizons

Pursers Court

Slough

SL2 5BX


Job description

Job responsibilities

The "must haves" for this role:

  • Registered Mental Health Nurse/ Occupational Therapist/ Social Worker
  • Experience in a leadership role
  • Recent and relevant experience in an adult mental health setting.
  • Excellent Risk Assessment skills and understanding of triangulation of risks
  • Able to work onsite four days a week and one day from home at New Horizons Slough.

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 contact Ashim Goswami on 07983702549 or email Ashim.Goswami@berkshire.nhs.uk, who'll be happy 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:

  • Registered Mental Health Nurse/ Occupational Therapist/ Social Worker
  • Experience in a leadership role
  • Recent and relevant experience in an adult mental health setting.
  • Excellent Risk Assessment skills and understanding of triangulation of risks
  • Able to work onsite four days a week and one day from home at New Horizons Slough.

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 contact Ashim Goswami on 07983702549 or email Ashim.Goswami@berkshire.nhs.uk, who'll be happy 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

  • Registered Mental Health Practitioner whereby the person is licensed to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for patients with mental health problems.
  • Degree in health/social care or equivalent qualification/experience.

Continuous Professional Development

Essential

  • Willingness to develop practice, knowledge and skills to meet the needs of our service.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge and understanding of the health & social care systems and operating frameworks, clinical observations and the Mental Health Act
  • Willingness to work in a multi-agency environment.
  • Effective and competent interpersonal, influencing, communication, observation and reporting skills.
  • Organisational skills and ability to analyse situations and be able to make the right decisions.
  • Ables to empathise, be supportive and sensitive to the needs of others as well as being able to cope with distressing circumstances.
  • Ability to cope in a pressurised environment and apply practical problem-solving skills in everyday situations.
  • Competent IT skills and the ability to navigate around various systems and software packages (such as MS Office).
  • Ability to work flexibly on a shift pattern as required and the ability to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements of the position.
  • Ability to work effectively in a team, work on own initiative, work unsupervised and manage own workload.

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Manage difficult situations with service users that have complex mental health conditions and challenging behaviours.
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Registered Mental Health Practitioner whereby the person is licensed to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for patients with mental health problems.
  • Degree in health/social care or equivalent qualification/experience.

Continuous Professional Development

Essential

  • Willingness to develop practice, knowledge and skills to meet the needs of our service.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge and understanding of the health & social care systems and operating frameworks, clinical observations and the Mental Health Act
  • Willingness to work in a multi-agency environment.
  • Effective and competent interpersonal, influencing, communication, observation and reporting skills.
  • Organisational skills and ability to analyse situations and be able to make the right decisions.
  • Ables to empathise, be supportive and sensitive to the needs of others as well as being able to cope with distressing circumstances.
  • Ability to cope in a pressurised environment and apply practical problem-solving skills in everyday situations.
  • Competent IT skills and the ability to navigate around various systems and software packages (such as MS Office).
  • Ability to work flexibly on a shift pattern as required and the ability to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements of the position.
  • Ability to work effectively in a team, work on own initiative, work unsupervised and manage own workload.

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Manage difficult situations with service users that have complex mental health conditions and challenging behaviours.

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

New Horizons

Pursers Court

Slough

SL2 5BX


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

New Horizons

Pursers Court

Slough

SL2 5BX


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Associate Nurse Consultant

Ashim Goswami

Ashim.Goswami@berkshire.nhs.uk

07983702549

Details

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£32,602 to £39,686 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-MHS848

Job locations

New Horizons

Pursers Court

Slough

SL2 5BX


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)