Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Single Point of Access Mental Health Practitioner
The closing date is 22 November 2026

Job summary
This new role will work collaboratively between Primary Care and Access Wellbeing Services as part of an Integrated Model of Care.

The intention is to focus services on local communities and local GP practices to help rebuild and reconnect healthcare teams across the communities they serve. This practitioner role will provide screening, triage and referral advice and guidance for the local area.

This role will work across an identified Locality covering a number of Primary care Networks to provide screening and triage for all referrals into the Access Wellbeing model in the Locality.

This role will also provide oversight of the patient pathway from the SPOA into the virtual MDT to help support the identification and progress of the patients intervention and pathway.

The role will provide supervision, support and oversight for the Single Point of Access model in the Locality.

Employment in this post requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of.

Main duties of the job

• Work collaboratively with Primary Care within identified Locality to undertake screening, triage of referrals into the Access Wellbeing offer, and to provide advice and guidance around referrals, interventions and treatment pathways.
• Take a person-centred care approach to enable collective decision-making with patients.
• Proactively and effectively engage with virtual MDT meetings to provide clinical updates.
• Work closely and creatively with colleagues in Mental Health Services to determine the most appropriate service for a patient whose needs exceed those which can be met in a primary care setting.
• Work closely with local Community Mental Health Teams by attending Team meetings, jointly meeting patients, and generally integrating with the team to help form a seamless care pathway for patients.
• Use complex decision-making to inform, formulate plans and manage episodes of care within a broad scope of practice.
• Screen and triage patients, including same-day triage and undertake urgent or emergency assessment if required.
• Offer advice, guidance, support and supervision to other colleagues within the SPOA.
• Make necessary referrals to other members of the primary care team or other mental health services as required.
• To be responsible for organising and prioritising own workload in the day-to-day allocation of work.

About us
At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.

We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.

Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do, and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities, and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion, and expertise in all we do.

Details
Date posted: 06 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year p.a./pro rata for part time
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 152-M305.26B
Job locations: Hope House, St Johns Church, 2 Dorchester Road, Weymouth DT4 7JS, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidates individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.

All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety. Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements. Where we have concerns that AI has been used to generate content that misrepresents your experience and suitability for the role, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net.

Person Specification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential

• Registered RMN, OT, Social Work or Psychologist qualification and registration to degree/diploma level plus masters degree level or equivalent experience.
• Experience of teaching and assessing students and other members of staff.
• Demonstrable knowledge of legislation relevant to area of clinical practice.

Desirable

• Non-Medical Prescriber (if professionally appropriate).

Job Specific Experience
Essential

• Experience at Registered Practitioner Band 5 level.
• Able to demonstrate specialist expertise and knowledge underpinned by theory acquired through CPD in relation to clinical assessment, treatment and evaluation.
• Experience of developing specialist programmes of care for an individual or groups of patients/clients and of providing highly specialist advice.
• Able to demonstrate specialist clinical reasoning skills to assimilate information in order to make a clinical judgement regarding diagnosis and intervention.

Information technology / Resources
Essential

• Able to analyse data and produce reports using Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Confident in the use of computer systems, spreadsheets, databases, data collection and co-ordination, word processing and report writing.
• Experience of using electronic patient / service user record systems.

Personal Qualities / Attributes
Essential

• Able to communicate effectively at different levels of the organisation and with staff, patient/service users, visitors or external organisations both verbally and in writing in the exchange of highly complex, sensitive or contentious information which may require the use of negotiating and/or persuasive skills.
• Able to overcome barriers to understanding where there are physical or mental disabilities.
• Experience of planning and organising complex activities requiring the formulation and adjustment of plans e.g. organizing own time, co-ordination with other agencies and plans for sudden, unforeseen circumstances.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Hope House, St Johns Church, 2 Dorchester Road, Weymouth DT4 7JS, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/work-for-us

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: CMHT Clinical Team Leader, Heidi Marshallsay, heidi.marshallsay@nhs.net, 01305362060

Supporting documents
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