Senior Mental Health Practitioner

• Provide advanced clinical assessment, formulation, and intervention for individuals experiencing acute mental health crisis.
• Lead and coordinate crisis response within a multidisciplinary team, ensuring safe and effective care planning.
• Offer clinical supervision, mentorship, and support to junior staff and students.
• Act as a point of escalation for complex cases, providing expert guidance on risk management and safeguarding.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate integrated care and smooth transitions across services.
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement initiatives, and audit processes.
• Uphold and promote trauma-informed, recovery-focused, and person-centred approaches.
• Participate in the delivery of 24/7 crisis services, including rota-based working across evenings and weekends.
• Support the implementation of Trust policies, procedures, and strategic priorities within the crisis pathway.

Essential

• Extensive post registration experience working at band 5 in both inpatient and/or community settings within a mental health and/or learning disabilities setting.
• Evidence of acting as nurse in charge on a regular basis and being able to undertake the role of shift co-ordinator.
• Substantial experience of managing/leading a busy caseload of clients with a range of mental health conditions within a community setting and without supervision.
• Experience of clinically supervising junior and unqualified staff and mentoring students.
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.
• Proven expertise in crisis intervention, mental health assessment, and risk management.
• Experience of leading clinical decision-making and supervising staff.

Desirable

• Experience in service development or leading change initiatives. Experience in managing complex cases involving co-occurring needs (e.g. substance misuse, neurodiversity, trauma).
• Working within a community mental health setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector.

Essential

• A professional mental health qualification eg RMN, Social Work Degree or equivalent, on the appropriate professional body register and hold current registration with no restrictions.
• Significant post qualified experience (minimum 2 years)
• Evidence of relevant continuing professional development. Mentoring students in line with professional requirements.

Desirable

• Clinical Supervision qualification.
• Training to level 3 in Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for Health Care staff.
• Evidence of leadership/management training within a core service.

Essential

• Strong understanding of safeguarding, legal frameworks (e.g. MHA, MCA), and ethical practice.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work flexibly and manage competing demands in high-pressure environments.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and service improvement.
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health problems.
• Able to solve own problems and get involved in the solutions.
• Able to plan creatively to maximise effectiveness of care plans.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team Excellent clinical assessment skills.
• Excellent de-escalation skills.

Desirable

• Familiarity with local crisis pathways, community resources, and integrated care systems.
• This role involves frequent travel across Devon, including to locations not well served by public transport. Applicants must be able to meet these travel requirements reliably. Access to suitable transport will be necessary and candidates will need to independently use appropriate arrangements (e.g. access to a vehicle).