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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Part time
  • Flexible working
22.5 hours per week
Job ref
354-AE-21077
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Cavendish House
Town
Hastings
Salary
£37,338 - £44,962 Pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
10/06/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust logo

Community Mental Health Duty Practitioner

NHS AfC: Band 6

Come and join us

We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Hastings and Rother Assessment and Treatment Service for a registered Community Mental Health Practitioner (Community Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker) who has experience of working with people in a community mental health setting. 
The Assessment and Treatment Service are an Adult Community Mental Health Treatment Team supporting adults with complex mental health needs. Your role will involve responding to clinical support needs, urgent work and reviews coming into Duty. You will be working with individuals with complex needs, liaising with their families and other agencies to support recovery and manage risk.
You will need to possess strong decision making, communication and clinical skills and be able to work under some pressure.  The ability to work autonomously will be a requirement, however you will be supported by a team of multidisciplinary colleagues on a daily basis and have access to decision making forums within the team where further discussions are required.
You will be joining a warm, friendly, highly supportive team of dedicated colleagues who work together to offer the best possible service to the people we see. In return, we offer access to training opportunities to assist you in realising your potential and achieving a greater degree of job satisfaction.

Main duties of the job

To maintain patient safety, in collaboration with patients, carers and families.
To maintain professional standards of care at all times
Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of patient harm, abuse or neglect and taking all reasonable steps to protect the patient.
Provide clinical advice on complex issues to other members of the clinical team and staff from other disciplines.
Undertake risk assessments.
Responsible for decision making and coordination in a crisis situation.
Take responsibility for the management of complex people who present to the team when their Lead Professional is absent from work and the person requires an urgent response.
To liaise with other services e.g.: Police and Ambulance as required.
Responsible for participating in the setting of quality standards and offering a consistent approach to people open within the team.
Support the team to deliver a range of interventions in accordance with the agreed plan of care.
Maintain an effective reporting system by observing and reporting verbally and in writing on patient conditions.
Support members of the team with other specialist assessments, as required for example, application of the Mental Capacity Act 2005; Knowledge of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, s42 Care Act regarding Safeguarding Adults and Making Safeguarding Personal.

Working for our organisation

As a mental health trust Sussex Partnership places a huge focus on the wellbeing of their staff, their reward packages reflect the immensely important work their staff do.
If you are looking for the opportunity to work within a busy but rewarding Assessment and Treatment service in a seaside town like no other, then we would love to hear from you. Hastings is a vibrant seaside town, offering affordable coastal living along with independent shopping and a variety of cafes, bars and restaurants and a very creative music and artistic scene.
As a practitioner in our team we can offer you:
Access to numerous wellbeing and support programmes
Excellent supervision programmes, with ongoing opportunities for training and development
Flexible working patterns
Reimbursed parking
Child care vouchers
Access to a host of NHS discount schemes (including gyms, shopping, restaurants and cars)
A position within a trust rated as 'Outstanding' for caring and 'Good' overall by the CQC
Generous holiday entitlement (dependent on length of NHS service) starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays
NHS Pension contributions
We encourage flexible working.
We know that a positive work/ life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, part time hours, flexible start/ finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Essential Qualifications
Registered Practitioner with current registration (Mental Health or Learning Disabilities Nurse /Social Work/ OT) appropriate to the role

Evidence of continuous professional development

Essential Knowledge
Experience of working alongside people with complex mental health needs in the designated care group.
Experience of providing a range of clinical interventions to people in the designated care group with a variety of mental health problems
Experience of working consultatively with other professionals
Experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessments
Experience of partnership working within and across various statutory and non-statutory teams and agencies
Experience of working within the CPA process
Knowledge of MHA (1983/2007).
Knowledge of Mental Capacity Act (2005), to include practical knowledge of FACE documentation, DOLS and Best Interest decisions.
Child and Adult safeguarding procedures.
Change management and organising and prioritising their workload.
Demonstrate ability to enhance care through evidence-based knowledge.
Demonstrate professional development relevant to the specific care group.

Person Specification
Essential Qualifications
Registered Practitioner with current registration (Mental Health or Learning Disabilities Nurse /Social Work/ OT) appropriate to the role
Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent
Evidence of continuous professional development

Experience/Knowledge
Significant post qualifying experience in the relevant care group
Experience of working alongside people with complex health problems in the designated care group
Experience of supervising staff
Experience of providing a range of clinical interventions to people in the designated care group with a variety of health problems
Experience of working consultatively with professionals
Experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessments
Experience of partnership working within and across various statutory and non-statutory teams and agencies
Experience of working within the CPA process
Previous experience of working in the community

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Practitioner with current registration (mental health/LD/Adult/Social Work/OT), appropriate to the job role
  • Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent
  • Evidence of continuous professional development

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDisability confident leaderDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardStep into healthPride In Veterans

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Joy Mashawa
Job title
Service Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
0300 304 0244
Additional information

For any information or to arrange informal visits , please contact Joy Mashawa (Service Manager) or Sarah Lawson (Duty Lead) on 0300 304 0244, Monday to Friday 9-5pm

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