Job summary
Are you a Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker looking for a role where you can genuinely change lives every day?

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Community Mental Health Team in Bridgwater. We're looking for a passionate and motivated Mental Health Practitioner who wants to play a key role in the ongoing transformation of mental health services across Somerset.

You'll become part of a highly supportive, experienced and compassionate multi-disciplinary team that responds rapidly to adults who need mental health advice, support and intervention. Every member of the team is valued, and you'll work alongside colleagues who are knowledgeable, approachable and deeply committed to delivering outstanding care.

As a trailblazer for the Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults, we have received significant investment to transform community mental health services and continue to develop innovative ways of supporting people within their communities. This is an exciting time to join a service that is shaping the future of mental health care.

We understand the importance of work-life balance and offer a range of working options, including full-time, part-time and compressed hours.

"Working as part of the Community Mental Health Team is one of the most rewarding roles I have undertaken. Every day is different, it is interesting, challenging and I love being able to make a difference. From the moment I started, I felt relaxed and included."

Main duties of the job
As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will manage a varied caseload of adults experiencing severe and enduring mental health difficulties, providing high-quality assessments, care planning and evidence-based interventions.

You will:

• Work collaboratively with individuals to identify strengths, promote recovery and develop personalised support plans.
• Deliver therapeutic and psychosocial interventions that help people achieve their goals and improve their wellbeing.
• Build positive, therapeutic relationships with service users, their families and carers.
• Assess and manage risk while supporting people through periods of crisis, relapse and recovery.
• Work closely with a wide range of partners across health, social care, voluntary services and community organisations to ensure joined-up care.
• Contribute to safeguarding processes and support vulnerable adults and families.
• Provide clinical leadership, supervision and support to junior colleagues, students and wider team members.
• Participate in service improvement, audit and development initiatives that help shape the future of community mental health care.
• Act as a champion for recovery-focused, person-centred care and support others to achieve the best possible outcomes.

About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job responsibilities
This is a fantastic opportunity to take on a senior clinical role within a forward-thinking Community Mental Health Service that has successfully challenged traditional boundaries between primary and secondary care.

Working autonomously and as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will use your professional expertise to assess needs, coordinate care and deliver effective mental health interventions for adults with complex mental health needs. You'll adopt a strengths-based, recovery-focused approach, helping people build confidence, independence and hope while supporting them to stay well within their communities.

You'll work alongside a broad network of professionals and partner organisations, including primary care services, inpatient teams, social care, housing providers, voluntary sector organisations and specialist services, ensuring individuals receive seamless and coordinated support.

As a senior practitioner, you'll be encouraged to contribute to service innovation and development, sharing your expertise, providing supervision and helping to maintain high standards of care across the team. You'll also have opportunities to support students, mentor colleagues and contribute to quality improvement initiatives.

We're looking for someone who combines strong clinical skills with compassion, resilience and a genuine commitment to recovery-focused practice. You will be an excellent communicator, confident in managing complex situations and passionate about helping people achieve meaningful outcomes.

To be successful, you will be a qualified and registered Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker with experience working within community mental health services. You'll thrive in a collaborative environment, be committed to continuous professional development and share our values of kindness, respect and teamwork.

Join us and be part of a service that is transforming mental health care across Somerset while making a lasting difference to the lives of the people we support.

Qualifications
Essential

• RMN, Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification
• Current registration with relevant professional body
• Evidence of post qualifying professional development in an acute setting.

Experience
Essential

• Significant post registration experience in multi-disciplinary community mental health services.
• Experience of managing risk of clients in crisis.
• Experience of assessment, care-plan, development and evaluation in conjunction with clients and carers.
• Experience and knowledge of working with people with mental health problems.

Desirable

• Experience of mental health difficulties.

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.

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).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).