Closing date: 28 October 2026
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum
Band: Band 6
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 311-R402-26-A

Job summary
An exciting opportunity for a senior mental health practitioner to work within the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Neighbourhood Mental Health Team

The post involves working collaboratively with individuals in a community setting to help them navigate and connect to a range of mental health services, community activities / services in line with their individual needs, circumstances and goals to enhance their health, wellbeing, quality of life.

Main duties of the job
Offer initial conversation / biopsychosocial assessments, collaboratively engage in person centered next step plan. Screen referrals and if required devise risk management plans with service users as part of the duty function. This pathway promotes self-management to enable service users' engagement with other parts of Neighbourhood/ PCN & offer advice to colleagues where necessary.

As a SMHP you will also be able to offer brief interventions (max 12 weeks) including devising coping strategies, problem-solving, motivational & behavioral activation work, anxiety management, risk management & suicide prevention work, medication support, promoting social & interagency support, providing psychological support & biopsychosocial education aimed at insight development, promoting self-help through resources & signposting & reviewing treatment plans with service users deemed too complex for primary care offers or who may not meet the criteria for secondary care services.

Key Requirements of the Person Specification: Applicants must possess RMN / RNMH / Social Worker / OT or equivalent.

Completion of Preparation for Mentorship / Practice Teacher, is desirable together with significant post-registration experience.

About us
We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We're really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we're a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

Person Specification
Education/Qualifications

• Essential: RMN / RNMH / Social Worker equivalent
• Essential: Completion of Preparation for Mentorship / Practice Teacher / Fieldwork Educator qualification or willingness to complete
• Essential: Evidence of on-going CPD
• Desirable: Further training in brief interventions.

Experience

• Essential: Significant post registration experience
• Essential: Proven experience of working with clients with complex needs
• Essential: Experience of working with individuals who present to mental health services in crisis and have symptoms of mental health illness
• Essential: Experience of working in multidisciplinary teams.
• Desirable: Primary care mental health work experience
• Desirable: Experience of screening referrals

Knowledge

• Essential: Understanding of current mental health legislation, Safe Guarding and Child Protection Legislation
• Essential: Awareness of NICE Guidance in the treatment of mental health problems and knowledge of treatments and interventions appropriate for individuals with mental health needs
• Essential: Understanding of confidentiality and data protection issues
• Essential: Knowledge of psycho-social assessment and risk assessment / management processes

Skills

• Essential: Comprehensive Risk Assessment and Formulation Skills
• Essential: Ability to construct effective care and risk management plans
• Essential: Ability to deliver a range of evidence based interventions
• Essential: Comprehensive I.T Skills
• Essential: Ability to form productive working relationships with service users, carers and multi-disciplinary staff.

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.

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

Employer details
Employer name: Pennine Care NHS FT
Address: Neighbourhood Mental Health Team, Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale, OL12 9QB, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk

For questions about the job, contact:
Operational Manager, Michelle Birtwell, michelle.birtwell@nhs.net, 01706676100

Apply through our website.