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Senior Mental Health Practitioner

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Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You'll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.

Join us and you'll do the best work of your life - and make a difference to other people's lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

You will work as a member of the MDT in providing high quality, evidence-based, holistic assessments and care to patients in line with your professional code of conduct and Trust policies.

You will work within a fast paced urgent community care pathway offering an urgent and crisis response to those experiencing mental distress within the community. You will work with non-statutory and statutory services to support people while in crisis.

Main duties of the job

You will conduct initial assessments, develop and agree collaborative care plans, and deliver a range of interventions based upon individual needs. Assessments and interventions can take place in patient's homes, team bases, hospital and other community settings or via tele coaching and through the use of assisted technology and on line forums. The successful candidate will be working within the North East Essex area conducting assessments and interventions over a twenty four hour period.

As required by your manager, you will have responsibility for the day to day supervision and management of lower banded staff within your team locality. This will include the management of these staff in line with agreed Trust HR processes.

You will be expected to work collaboratively with key partner 9rganisations, patients, carers, clinicians and other practitioners within the multi-disciplinary team in delivering services; providing a 7- day a week service over a twenty four hour period.

In delivering your duties you are expected to display behaviours that are aligned with the Trust values and in accordance with the NHS Constitution at all times.

Working for our organisation

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.

  • Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
  • Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
  • If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
  • We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.

Benefits

  • 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.
  • Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
  • Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
  • £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
  • Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.

Work that wraps around your needs

  • Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
  • Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see job description for full details and the main responsibilities of this role.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential criteria

  • Registration (Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker)

Desirable criteria

  • Post graduate qualification or commitment to work towards this Non-medical prescribing qualification

Knowledge

Essential criteria

  • Proven experience of working in a health, social care or community setting as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Desirable criteria

  • Knowledge of working with external agencies involved in the care of people with mental health problems

Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.

As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.

The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.

Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.

Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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

  • Job Description (PDF, 672.5KB)
  • Person Specification (PDF, 576.3KB)
  • Candidate Privacy Policy (PDF, 336.6KB)
  • Right to Work Information (PDF, 293.6KB)
  • Employer Recognition Scheme - Gold Award (PDF, 27.7KB)
  • Values of the NHS Pension (PDF, 151.3KB)
  • Staff Benefits (PDF, 152.7KB)

Senior Mental Health Practitioner

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Harlow, UK
Full-Time

Published on 01/03/2026

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