Mental Health Practitioner - Primary Care

Job summary

Help shape the future of community mental health care in Cornwall.

North Kerrier West Primary Care Network is seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Mental Health Practitioner to join our growing Mental Health & Wellbeing Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward-thinking and innovative PCN that has invested significantly in developing new ways of supporting people with mental health needs within primary care. Working alongside GPs, fellow Mental Health Practitioners, Social Prescribers, Community Health & Wellbeing Workers and system partners, you will play a key role in delivering personalised, proactive and preventative care for our local population.

We are entering an ambitious new phase of development, building on an established multidisciplinary approach and helping to shape a broader neighbourhood mental health and wellbeing model. This role offers the opportunity not only to provide expert clinical care, but also to contribute to service development, innovation and reducing health inequalities.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about mental health, comfortable working autonomously and collaboratively, and motivated by helping design and deliver services that genuinely make a difference.

In return, we offer a supportive team environment, opportunities for professional development, support towards non-medical prescribing where appropriate, and the chance to be part of a service shaping the future of integrated mental health care.

Main duties of the job

As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will work as an embedded member of our multidisciplinary primary care team, supporting patients with a wide range of mental health needs from early intervention through to complex and enduring conditions.

You will:

• Assess, triage and manage patients presenting with mental health concerns within primary care.
• Provide evidence-based interventions, ongoing reviews and care planning for individuals with complex and severe mental illness.
• Work closely with GPs, Social Prescribers, Community Health & Wellbeing Workers and secondary care colleagues to deliver joined-up, person-centred care.
• Support proactive management of patients at risk of deterioration, crisis or health inequalities.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary discussions and collaborative decision-making across organisational boundaries.
• Help shape and improve innovative mental health pathways and models of care.
• Promote prevention, self-management and recovery-focused approaches.
• Contribute to teaching, learning and service development activities within the PCN.

This is an ideal opportunity for a practitioner who enjoys working beyond traditional service boundaries and wants to influence how community mental health services develop in the future.

About us

North Kerrier West Primary Care Network serves approximately 40,000 patients across Camborne, Pool, Redruth and surrounding communities through our member practices, Carn to Coast Health Centres and Godolphin Health.

We are proud of our reputation for innovation and collaboration. We have been early adopters of digital and AI-supported approaches within primary care and continue to explore new ways to improve patient and staff experience.

We have developed a successful Mental Health & Wellbeing Team, bringing together Mental Health Practitioners, Social Prescribers and partners to provide coordinated support for local people. We are now building on this success through ambitious neighbourhood-based mental health and wellbeing initiatives focused on prevention, integration, personalised care and reducing health inequalities.

You will join an established and supportive team with dedicated GP leadership, strong multidisciplinary relationships and a commitment to learning and development. Whether your passion lies in clinical practice, leadership, service improvement or innovation, you'll have opportunities to help shape the future of mental health care in our community.

This is a directly employed PCN role through our lead employer, Carn to Coast Health Centres. As a valued member of the North Kerrier West team, you will be fully integrated within our multidisciplinary workforce and play an active role in shaping services across the PCN.

Provisional interview date: 29/10/2026

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY:

Provide clinical expertise and support to GPs and practice clinicians to manage patients with mental health problems in primary care. From urgent presentations to longer term management, including the review of pre-existing mental health plans and medication to the formulation of diagnosis, treatment planning and prescribing. You will work in collaboration with a range of practice clinicians, fellow mental health practitioners, social prescribers, community health and wellbeing workers, secondary care, talking therapies and third sector organisations.

The post holder will always work to promote the safety and the wellbeing of these patients and their families/carers.

Support to undertake non-medical prescribing is available. The role may evolve to include education and training of clinical and non-clinical staff and trainees as a leadership role.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties and responsibilities of the post holder are detailed below, although the precise accountabilities of any job may be expected to change over time. Job holders would be contacted over any proposed changes before implementation.

• Triage and assessment of patients presenting with mental health problems
• Proactive follow-up of adult patients with low level and serious mental illness both in terms of mental and physical health
• Annual medication reviews for those on longer term antidepressants and antipsychotics
• Non-medical prescriber or opportunities to undertake prescribing course or other education programmes
• Active signposting to third sector organisations/ engage with in-house social prescribing team
• Attend fortnightly mental health meetings with local CMHT and Cornwall Talking Therapies.
• Help where appropriate to co-ordinate support for the more vulnerable groups of patients experiencing mental health problems e.g. the homeless, substance misuse, learning difficulties
• Consultations to be undertaken with patients both in surgery, over the telephone, video or home visits.
• Capable of working independently and proactively
• Active management of flexible caseload with awareness of dependency
• Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults. To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• Develop links and foster a culture of partnership between the practice and CPFT Adult Mental Health Services
• Promote and follow treatment protocols and care pathways leading to increased integration of service users within the primary care setting
• Takes professional responsibility with high-level decision making and clinical reasoning skills to assess, diagnose and triage of patients
• Manages and contributes to service delivery and the development of the practice
• Accountable for decisions and actions supported by a professional culture of peer networking/review and engagement in evidence-based practice
• Streamlines pathway of care by providing a responsive service so that patients receive timely access to care
• Ensures care is proactive, preventive in focus and population based, with an emphasis on early intervention
• Energetic individual capable of working effectively within MDT
• Provides care which is tailored to the individual needs. This would include, appraising the impact of individuals' clinical status on their general health, well-being, employment status
• Supports patients to set their own goals and be confident in their approach to self-management
• Communicates effectively and appropriately with patients and carers complex and sensitive information regarding diagnosis, pathology and prognosis.
• Provides learning opportunities for the whole multi professional team within primary care.
• Works with MDT to develop more effective and streamlined clinical pathways and services
• Exercises professional judgement, making, justifying and taking responsibility for decisions in unpredictable situations, including in the context of incomplete/contradictory information
• Manages interactions in complex situations, including with individuals with particular psychosocial and mental health needs and with colleagues across the primary care team, sectors and settings

• To follow the operational systems and procedures required by the organisation.
• To represent the organisation in a positive and professional manner at all times.

Leadership

• Operate as a full member of the primary care team, including contributing to leadership, service evaluation/improvement and research activity
• Manage and co-ordinate the care that individual patients receive, including through liaising with other members of the MDT and with patients' carers
• Contribute to the use of healthcare technologies to optimise the integration of service delivery (across teams, sectors and settings) and patients access and continuity of care
• Contribute to the development of primary care teams, including through contributing to others' learning

Engagement with Patients, Internal and External Stakeholders

• Initiate, develop and maintain excellent third party relationships