Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic Mental Health Practitioner to join the Somerset Team for Early Psychosis (STEP). We are looking for a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker who is passionate about supporting young people and adults experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

Working within a supportive and innovative multidisciplinary team, you will play a key role in reducing the duration of untreated psychosis through timely assessment, outreach, education and therapeutic intervention. The team embraces a biopsychosocial approach and delivers creative, recovery-focused support, including individual and family interventions, group activities and community-based programmes.

This is an excellent opportunity to work within a specialist service that values collaboration, innovation and person-centred care, while contributing to service development and providing leadership and support to colleagues.

Main duties of the job

• Triage and assess referrals for individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis or those at risk of developing psychosis.
• Deliver specialist assessments and develop personalised recovery-focused care plans and risk management plans.
• Provide individual therapeutic interventions using evidence-based approaches including motivational interviewing, solution-focused techniques and cognitive behavioural approaches.
• Deliver family interventions and work closely with families, carers and significant others to support recovery.
• Build effective therapeutic relationships that promote engagement, recovery and independence.
• Assess, manage and respond to risk, safeguarding concerns and changes in mental state.
• Liaise effectively with a wide range of internal and external partners, including primary care, inpatient services, community mental health teams, CAMHS, housing providers and voluntary sector organisations.
• Contribute to service development, audit, quality improvement and evaluation activities.
• Provide supervision, mentoring and support to Band 5 and unregistered staff, students and peer support workers.
• Support team leadership activities and deputise for the Team Manager when required.
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical records in line with professional and organisational standards

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About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job responsibilities

As an Early Intervention Psychosis Mental Health Practitioner, you will be a valued member of the STEP service, working with young people and adults experiencing early psychosis. Your role will focus on delivering high-quality assessments, therapeutic interventions and recovery-focused care that enables people to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life.

Working within a multidisciplinary team of nurses, psychologists, peer support workers and other mental health professionals, you will use specialist skills and evidence-based interventions to support individuals through their recovery journey. You will undertake comprehensive assessments, formulate recovery plans and provide therapeutic support tailored to individual needs.

A key aspect of the role involves delivering family interventions and supporting carers and significant others. You will work collaboratively with individuals and their support networks to promote understanding, resilience and long-term recovery.

You will be responsible for assessing and managing complex risks, safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, and responding appropriately to changing clinical presentations. The ability to communicate complex and sensitive information effectively to service users, carers and professional colleagues is essential.

The successful candidate will work closely with a broad range of agencies and services across health, social care and the voluntary sector to ensure coordinated and effective care. You will contribute to service development initiatives, participate in audits and quality improvement work and help drive innovative practice within the team.

As a senior practitioner, you will provide supervision and mentorship to colleagues, support student placements and actively contribute to team leadership. You will also have opportunities to influence service development and promote high professional standards across the service.