Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 11 November 2025

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) in Newbury as Mental Health Practitioner Band 5. The team delivers high-quality, compassionate care to individuals experiencing acute mental health crises, offering a viable alternative to hospital admission through intensive home-based support.

Operating 24/7, the multidisciplinary service includes professionals from medicine, pharmacy, psychology, and mental health disciplines. You'll be part of a well-supported team, including a Service Manager, Deputy Manager, Nurse Consultant, Clinical Managers, and administrative staff.

This role is pivotal in reducing inpatient admissions and enhancing community-based crisis care, aligning with our strategic goals for integrated mental health services. The post holder will be actively involved in formulating plans and support the delivery of care specified within the plans of care formulated and directed by the broader multidisciplinary team.

We welcome applications from qualified Registered Mental Nurse (RMN), Occupational Therapist(OT), Allied Health Professionals (AHP), or Social Workers with additional clinical or leadership qualifications. This is a full-time role (37.5 hours/week) based in Newbury, with flexible shift patterns across five days. Hybrid working is not applicable.

Main duties of the job

  • To be a consistent point of contact and maintain relationships with professionals external to the area of service, service users and their significant others (where appropriate) within area of service/specialism.
  • To deliver interventions and elements of planned programmes of care to service users autonomously as well as under the direction and clinical supervision of a clinical lead.

  • To ensure services are delivered in a manner that is appropriate, relevant and respectful to all community members, recognising the diversity of ethnicity, culture, belief, privilege and capacity of service users and carers

  • To have a flexible approach in providing support, including administrative tasks, duties and activities as and when required across the service

  • To effectively communicate routine information and advice to service users, other professionals, and external agencies.

  • To help service users gain access to relevant information and advice on services and external support (such as benefits and housing)

  • To be responsible for the accurate maintenance of clinical record keeping and the required communication of individual patient care packages for the post holder's area of responsibility/specialism

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

FOR SECONDMENT ROLES ONLY - If the secondment role becomes permanent, the successful candidate may be offered the permanent position.

Details

Date posted

04 November 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

371-MHS879-B

Job locations

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • Previous knowledge and experience of working in a care environment and with service users who have complex mental health needs.
  • Good interpersonal, communication, observation, and reporting skills
  • Able to empathise, be supportive and sensitive to the needs of others as well as being able to cope with distressing circumstances.
  • Able to work flexibly on a shift pattern to cover 24hrs of CRHTT Service as required and the ability to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements of the position

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.

Were 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: Zvino Mufuka, Clinical Manager on 07825115651 or zvinofadza.mufuka@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl 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:

  • Previous knowledge and experience of working in a care environment and with service users who have complex mental health needs.
  • Good interpersonal, communication, observation, and reporting skills
  • Able to empathise, be supportive and sensitive to the needs of others as well as being able to cope with distressing circumstances.
  • Able to work flexibly on a shift pattern to cover 24hrs of CRHTT Service as required and the ability to travel independently between locations to fulfil the requirements of the position

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.

Were 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: Zvino Mufuka, Clinical Manager on 07825115651 or zvinofadza.mufuka@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl 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

  • Degree in health/social care or equivalent qualification /experience.

Desirable

  • Qualification attained in mentoring would be ideal but not essential.

Previous Experience

Essential

  • Previous knowledge and experience of working in a care environment, through placements in an area of discipline, with service users who have complex mental health needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Effective and competent interpersonal, influencing, communication, observation and reporting skills.

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Evidence of continuing professional development
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Degree in health/social care or equivalent qualification /experience.

Desirable

  • Qualification attained in mentoring would be ideal but not essential.

Previous Experience

Essential

  • Previous knowledge and experience of working in a care environment, through placements in an area of discipline, with service users who have complex mental health needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Effective and competent interpersonal, influencing, communication, observation and reporting skills.

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Evidence of continuing professional 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

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Manager

Zvino Mufuka

zvinofadza.mufuka@berkshire.nhs.uk

07825115651

Details

Date posted

04 November 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

371-MHS879-B

Job locations

Hillcroft House

Rookes Way

Thatcham

RG18 3HR


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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