Assertive Outreach worker (Qualified)

Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others. There’s a place for you at CNWL. We’re passionate about delivering first‑class patient‑centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people. We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust.

With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career. With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Job overview: An exciting opportunity for an experienced Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) to join a developing Assertive Outreach pathway within the Westminster Community Mental Health Hub. The role focuses on engaging adults with severe mental illness (SMI) who are at risk of disengagement, with the aim of stabilising care, reducing risk, and preventing crisis. The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic, proactive, and highly organised mental health professional, capable of delivering high-quality, evidence‑based nursing care. They will demonstrate strong skills in assessment, care planning, and treatment, with a commitment to supporting individuals with complex mental health needs within a community setting.

Main duties of the job: The Assertive Outreach Worker will deliver time‑limited and intensive support to adults with severe mental illness (SMI) who are at risk of disengaging from care. This role will involve delivering person‑centred care, including assessment, care planning, risk management, and therapeutic interventions to individuals with complex needs. The service will be delivered in close collaboration with colleagues from partner agencies. Therefore, the ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team is essential.

• Provide assertive, flexible, and persistent outreach, including home visits, community‑based contacts, and phone/text engagement.
• Act as a consistent keyworker, building therapeutic relationships with individuals who find it difficult to engage with services.
• Work within a stepped 6‑month model of intensive support, transition, and reintegration into routine CMHH care.
• Deliver holistic, person‑centred interventions addressing mental health, physical health, housing, substance use, and social needs.
• Work collaboratively with the CMHH MDT, crisis services, inpatient wards, and external agencies to ensure continuity of care and safe transitions.

This role requires strong clinical skills, excellent risk management, and the ability to work autonomously in the community.

Working for our organisation: You will be in a friendly and supportive environment, where we encourage personal and professional development. You will be based within the Community Mental Health Hub within a large multi‑disciplinary team. There is access to in‑house and Trust wide training to support you in developing clinical and leadership skills.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

• Maintain accurate clinical records, care plans, and reports.
• Supervise Band 4 staff.
• Work both autonomously and collaboratively.

Core function: You will act as a dedicated Assertive Outreach keyworker, holding a small caseload (10–15 patients) and delivering intensive, time‑limited support over a structured 6‑month model:

• Next 3 months: step‑down and transition phase (≥2 attempts/week).
• Focus on reintegrating patients into routine CMHH care.

Key responsibilities:

• Outreach & engagement: Deliver assertive, flexible, and persistent outreach (home visits, community contacts, phone/text). Build strong therapeutic relationships using empathy and trauma‑informed care.
• Clinical care: Assessment and formulation, care planning and treatment, evidence‑based interventions (e.g. CBT‑informed approaches), address holistic needs: mental and physical health, housing, substance use, and social factors, conduct robust initial and ongoing risk assessments, manage and escalate risk appropriately, work within Mental Health Act (MHA), Mental Capacity Act (MCA), and safeguarding frameworks.
• Care coordination & MDT working: Collaborate closely with CMHH multidisciplinary team (MDT), crisis services and inpatient wards, statutory and voluntary agencies, coordinate interagency care plans and safe transitions, lead on step‑down and discharge planning.

Documentation & leadership: Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) with post‑registration experience. Strong skills in assessment, care planning, and therapeutic engagement, risk assessment and management, MDT and interagency working, knowledge of MHA, MCA, NICE guidelines, and safeguarding, ability to prioritise workload and work independently, excellent communication, empathy, and resilience, non‑medical prescribing, clinical skills (e.g. venepuncture, ECG), experience working at Band 6 level, experience delivering evidence‑based intervention, use therapeutic engagement to support patients to engage, supervision of band 4 support staff.

Person specification:

• Current Professional Qualification in either mental health nursing, social work or occupational therapy. Registration must be live with professional body.
• Evidence of post registration training and CPD.
• Training in Psychosocial Interventions.
• Other relevant training, e.g. psychosocial interventions, non-medical prescriber, counselling qualification.

• Experience of working in multidisciplinary mental health team with clients with acute/severe and enduring mental health problems.
• Work with clients with acute/severe and enduring mental health problems who are homeless/rootless.
• Work with people experiencing mental health crisis.
• Supervision of students and junior staff.
• Audit and research; teaching; working with people who use substances.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including report writing and presentations / IT skills.
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate comprehensive care plans for the identified client group, using a wide range of resources.
• Able to develop a comprehensive programme of intervention and support for the identified client group and their families.
• Skills in risk assessment and management.
• Can demonstrate understanding of psychosis and its impact on service users and carers.
• Knowledge of current legislation and guidance applicable to this client group.
• Can demonstrate understanding of the needs of diverse groups, e.g. residents of inner city; black and minority ethnic groups, and skills in engaging with them.
• Skills in psychosocial interventions.
• Skills in leadership: ability to motivate others, use initiative and manage change.
• Basic counselling and group work skills.
• Dual diagnosis or experience working in substance misuse services.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work. Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience. AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience. Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success. We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct. Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period. If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.