Job summary
Please see our additional info sheet for full details of our service
Are you passionate about transforming urgent mental health care? Join our award-winning Integrated Access Partnership (IAP) as a Specialist Practitioner and be part of an innovative service that's revolutionising crisis care.
As a Specialist Practitioner in the IAP, you'll primarily work to provide expert mental health assessments and interventions over the phone but also with occasional face-to-face assessments in IAP settings, including:
1. 999 Emergency Operations Centre.
2. NHS 111 Mental Health Clinical Assessment Service.
3. Mental Health Response Vehicle for community assessments.
You'll work on a rotation basis across these services, delivering timely and compassionate care to those experiencing mental health crises. Your clinical expertise will be vital in triaging calls, conducting face-to-face assessments, and supporting both patients and emergency service colleagues.
This is a 24/7 service, and specialist practitioners will be required to work a variety of shifts including weekends and bank holidays, rotating across the model.
We offer:
* Competitive NHS Band 6 salary.
* Generous annual leave and pension scheme.
* Ongoing professional development and training opportunities.
* Chance to be part of an award-winning, innovative service.
* Supportive team environment focused on staff wellbeing.
Main duties of the job
As a Mental Health Specialist Practitioner, you will demonstrate specialist practice and lead by example. You will also help supervise staff, supporting senior practitioners and team managers in working towards shared objectives.
You will work collaboratively with colleagues from Police, Ambulance, and Fire services, triaging and supporting people of all ages.
Through our collaborative approach, we aim to achieve:
* Reductions in inappropriate detention for S136 MHA.
* Reductions in demand for ambulance resources in relation to mental health.
* Improved communication as a result of partnership working.
* Improved emergency service confidence in dealing with people suffering mental health issues.
* Faster responses to deal with those suffering from mental health problems.
* Reductions in numbers of people accessing A&E when this is not the most suitable service for their needs.
* Improved information sharing between agencies.
* Improved patient outcomes and experience.
* Improved working relationships between police and health services.
* Reductions in police dispatch to mental health incidents.
* Direct access to mental health services.
Find out more about the IAP in the information document below and through watching our service video:
About the Mental Health Integrated Access Partnership - YouTube
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust), a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire, and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP, we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities, and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Date posted: 11 April 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £37,338 to £44,962 a year (pro rata)
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 342-BR063-0425
Job locations: Bristol – Based at either Bradley Stoke or Whitchurch with rotational working across all bases within the service
Bristol
BS32 4QJ
Job description Job responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
* Conduct comprehensive mental health triage and assessments for people in crisis.
* Provide clinical leadership and supervision to unregistered staff.
* Deliver brief therapeutic interventions and develop care plans.
* Work autonomously while collaborating closely with multi-agency partners.
* Contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives.
This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with AWP trust policy, all newly qualified social workers (NQSW) will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances in which case it may be extended for a further 2 years.
If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role, this will be an automatic progression, following confirmation of your successful ASYE completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 post, you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy upon successful ASYE completion.
Person Specification Qualifications Essential
* Registration relevant for the role
* Diploma level/degree in relevant health/social care profession
Desirable
* Relevant post-registration qualifications
Experience Essential
* Substantial post-registration experience in frontline mental health services
* Developed understanding of the recovery principles and role of secondary mental health services
* Experience of assessing and managing risk and developing risk strategies
* Ability to articulate detailed understanding of relevant legal frameworks/legislation
Desirable
* Experience gained in a wide variety of settings
* Experience of mentoring/assessing students and learners
* Evidence of additional training/ development
Skills Essential
* Able to deliver from a range of key therapeutic interventions
* Highly developed verbal communications skills, ability to engage with a wide range of professionals, agencies, and services
* Highly developed active listening skills
* Highly developed written communications skills, experience of completing extensive documentation and reports
* IT skills including competent use of Microsoft Office and use of electronic record keeping systems
* Mobile with the facility to move quickly across a geographically dispersed area
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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
Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Address
Bristol – Based at either Bradley Stoke or Whitchurch with rotational working across all bases within the service
Bristol
BS32 4QJ
Employer's website
http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)
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