Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dedicated and compassionate Community Mental Health Practitioner to join our Community Mental Health Service based in Taunton. This role is suitable for a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) or Occupational Therapist who is passionate about supporting adults with severe and enduring mental health difficulties.

As a key member of a multidisciplinary team, you will manage a defined caseload and deliver high-quality assessments, care coordination and evidence-based psychosocial interventions. Using a recovery-focused and strengths-based approach, you will work collaboratively with individuals, their families and partner agencies to promote independence, wellbeing and positive outcomes.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills within a supportive team environment while making a meaningful difference to the lives of people experiencing complex mental health challenges.

Main duties of the job

• Manage and coordinate a defined caseload of adults with severe and enduring mental health difficulties.
• Undertake comprehensive assessments and develop personalised recovery-focused care plans and risk management plans.
• Deliver evidence-based psychosocial interventions using approaches such as solution-focused practice, motivational interviewing and recovery principles.
• Build and maintain therapeutic relationships with service users, carers, families and significant others.
• Assess, monitor and manage risk, responding appropriately to changes in mental health presentation and levels of risk.
• Work collaboratively with a wide range of health, social care and voluntary sector partners to ensure coordinated and effective care.
• Participate in safeguarding processes for both children and adults, identifying concerns and taking appropriate action.
• Act as a duty worker and contribute to team rotas as required.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and documentation in line with professional standards and organisational policies.
• Contribute to service development, staff wellbeing initiatives, audit activity and the promotion of recovery-focused practice across the service.

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
As a Community Mental Health Practitioner, you will play a vital role in delivering high-quality mental health care to adults experiencing serious and enduring mental health conditions within the community. Working autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will provide assessment, care coordination and interventions that support recovery and improve quality of life.

You will work closely with individuals to understand their needs, strengths and goals, using a collaborative approach to develop recovery plans that promote independence and resilience. Your interventions will be informed by evidence-based practice and supported by knowledge of psychological approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other psychosocial models.

A significant aspect of the role involves positive risk management, requiring you to assess and respond to complex presentations, often involving challenging circumstances. You will work in partnership with service users, carers and other professionals to ensure risks are managed effectively while promoting choice, autonomy and recovery.

The successful candidate will develop strong working relationships with colleagues across mental health services, primary care, social care, housing providers, safeguarding teams, voluntary organisations, substance misuse services and other partner agencies. Effective communication and partnership working will be essential to achieving positive outcomes for service users.

You will also contribute to the wider development of the team by supporting colleagues, sharing specialist knowledge, promoting staff wellbeing and participating in service improvement initiatives. The post holder will be expected to maintain professional registration, engage in supervision and appraisal, undertake mandatory training and keep up to date with developments in mental health practice and policy.

Qualifications
Essential

• Professional care qualification
• Registration with the NMC, HPC or GSCC

Desirable

• A degree in nursing or commitment to work towards.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working in a community mental health setting.
• Knowledge of care coordination.
• Experience of working with families, carers and significant others
• Knowledge of mental health and community care legislation and policy
• Knowledge of Recovery

Desirable

• Experience of Recovery focused practice
• Knowledge of Child and Adult Protection

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).