Job Description

The closing date is 3rd Jun 2025

Job summary

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As a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker, the post holder will provide assessment and psychosocial, evidence-based interventions to a caseload of people with mental health difficulties. A focus on a collaborative and strengths-based approach is essential to this role.


The post holder will work within a Community Mental Health Service that has challenged the traditional boundaries between primary and secondary care in partnership with Service Users and the Voluntary Sector and Community Enterprise.


The post holder will be working within boundaries with regular supervisory support to ensure ongoing growth in skills and competence. The post holder will contribute to the clinical leadership of the team, providing supervision for other team members as agreed with the Team Manager. The post holder will participate in team and service development and evaluation. Liaison with a wide range of partners is central to the role.


The post holder must have a full driving licence and have permanent access to own transport with appropriate business insurance.

Main duties, tasks & skills required

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Personal responsibility will be paramount and this role will have oversight from a higher-banded registrant who will ensure a guided approach to all professional duties via supportive supervisory sessions. The higher-banded registrant will act as a mentor to this role.


Service Users


Families and Carers


Supervisor/Line Manager


Ward/Team Nurse Manager


Recovery Partners


Service Manager


Head of Profession


Consultants


Voluntary Sector and Community Enterprise Partners


Doctors in training (Trust Grades and Trainees)


Other members of the Unit/Team


The post holder will liaise and work in partnership with voluntary agencies, GPs, acute inpatient services, home treatment teams, other community mental health services, primary care, out of hours GP service, Emergency Duty Team, Community Directorate, housing providers, substance misuse services, NHS Direct and the Safeguarding Children Team.

About us

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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 description

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To maintain and further develop high standards for the delivery of care through co-operative work with colleagues, through audit and supervision.


To be aware of and adhere to Trust policies and procedures.


To receive regular clinical and management supervision in an agreed and appropriate format.


To keep abreast of developments in the field of mental health, research and service development.


To develop and lead therapeutic interventions for service users with a range of mental health difficulties.


To promote and deliver effective interventions.


To participate in relevant Trust clinical governance initiatives.


To participate in and promote clinical audit within the Service.


To liaise with other disciplines and agencies, as appropriate, to ensure best practice is shared.


Providing effective assessment using a recovery approach and strengths model. Establishing, maintaining and ending purposeful, therapeutic relationships with people experiencing mental health difficulties. Practice will be creative and underpinned by specialist knowledge of, and skills in, evidence-based and psychosocial interventions. Delivering services using a recovery and strengths approach where solution focused intervention, motivational interviewing and communicating hope are central. Using developed persuasive, negotiation and re-assurance skills to facilitate and enable engagement. Working with people experiencing relapse using a recovery approach to promote strengths and reduce the risk of dependency on mental health and other services. Assessing risk in collaboration with people experiencing mental health difficulties, significant others and other workers/professionals, alongside use of own professional judgement and team processes. This involves exploring individual's risk of harm to themselves and/or others and may involve working with challenging, hostile and distressing behaviour. Identifying strengths-based Recovery Plans and Risk Management Plans with individuals and other relevant people.

Person specification

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Qualifications

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Essential

RMN, Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification


Current registration with relevant professional body




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Desirable

Evidence of post qualifying professional development in an acute setting.


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Experience

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Essential

Good knowledge of resources and working practices across health and social care.


Ability to be innovative in practice.




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Desirable

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 or experience of mental health difficulties.




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Additional Criteria

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Essential

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including presentation of cases to multi-disciplinary case conferences.


Able to carry out evidence-based interventions.


Compassionate - exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with patients, carers and relatives about complex and sensitive issues remaining sensitive and empathetic.


Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.


Ability to work effectively as part of a team.


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Desirable

Experience of multi-disciplinary working in a community setting.


Awareness of the need for clinical audit, research and quality improvement. Awareness of national guidance and policy that directs our service delivery.


Good awareness of Clinical Governance related to our services.


Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities for staff and patients.




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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.


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UK Professional Registration

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


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For help with your application, contact:

Laura Scott


laura.scott@somersetft.nhs.uk


07385112425


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Pay scheme

Agenda for Change


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Band

Band 5


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Salary

29970.00 to 36483.00 Yearly
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Contract

Permanent


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Working pattern

Full-Time


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Reference number

184-OL-GR-2534


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Job locations

Foundation House

Wellsprings Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA2 7PQ