Community Mental Health Nurse in Hitchin

Community Mental Health Nurse

The closing date is 01 June 2026.

Job Overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a Community Mental Health Nurse to join our Adult Community Mental Health Services Team in North Hertfordshire / Stevenage.

The area is well served with transport links to historic Hertfordshire and its countryside as well as to London and beyond. We are looking for a Community Mental Health Nurse who is passionate about delivering care to adults with mental health issues.

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an exceptional organisation with big ambitions; our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

We can offer a competitive salary, staff benefits package, excellent career development and training that comes from working for the Trust.

We are on a "Good to Great" journey, continuing to innovate, improve, transform and deliver the highest standards of care to the service users and communities we serve.

Responsibilities

Clinical Responsibility

• To manage a patient caseload, identified in consultation with medical, nursing and other professions and agreed by the CMHT Team Leader.
• To establish and maintain effective individualized nursing and social care by assessment of patients problems; planning; implementation and evaluation of agreed interventions; clear and concise documentation of individualised client care and use of electronic patient record systems.
• To be aware of the physical needs of people with mental health problems and refer physical conditions on as appropriate.
• Establish therapeutic relationships with individual clients, relatives and carers.
• Be responsible for the administration, carriage and storage of medication in accordance with relevant Trust policies. Ensure safe disposal of equipment used in the community such as syringes and needles in accordance with Trust policies.
• Be responsible for the administration of prescribed medical treatments and monitoring effects in accordance with clinical procedures adopted by the Trust.
• Use research findings in designing nursing care programmes and develop awareness of the significance of nursing research and wider evidence based practice in community mental health care.
• Participate and be responsible for running nurse led clinics such as Clozapine.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the needs of carers of patients with mental health problems and develop strategies to meet those needs; e.g. self‑help groups, respite care, Carers Act.
• Ensure the principle of continuity of care is maintained and that appropriate plans are made for client discharge and transfer from clinical areas in line with Care Programme Approach, Community Care Act 1990, Discharge Policies and the National Service Framework for Mental Health.
• Have a working knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 and subsequent legislation as it affects the client group.
• Participate in the Trusts adverse incidents reporting systems and comply with the Trusts procedure and techniques for managing risks.

Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility

• Assist in identifying training needs with the community team for self and team members.
• Act as preceptor and mentor for learner nurses.
• Participate in annual appraisal, professional development and mandatory training.
• Promote and support staff personal health and wellbeing at all times; include both physical and mental health and wellbeing.
• Support staff by directing employees to services available to everyone to help manage health and wellbeing.
• Be open, approachable and proactive in discussing and agreeing a process to monitor an employees mental and physical health.
• Assist the Team Manager to manage the Team budget effectively.
• Comply with relevant Trust and Team financial policies and procedures to ensure cost effective and efficient use of team and Trust resources.

Service Development and Improvement

• Be involved in clinical audit and evaluation of mental health services within secondary care, contributing to the team's contribution to achieving NSF objectives for the service at a local level.
• Contribute to data collection and entry as part of audit and evaluation of such services.
• Participate fully in training relevant to the delivery of the services outlined above.
• Actively seek supervision for all aspects of the post.
• Recognise personal and professional limitations.

Communications

• Provide and receive complex, sensitive and contentious information using developed skills of persuasion, motivation, negotiation, empathy and reassurance to ensure client assessments, care planning, reviews and other tasks can be completed.
• Communicate with clarity, tact and purpose in all relevant situations.
• Use effectively a range of modes of communication including verbal, by email, by telephone, in formal reports, written clinical notes and in presentations while respecting confidentiality.
• Communicate to people at various points within the hierarchy of relevant organisations.
• Ensure effective and confidential communication between medical, nursing, social care and health care agents on significant information governing patient care and treatment. Adhere to NMC Code of Conduct and the HPFT policies on confidentiality and information sharing.
• Keep accurate records on all clients in accordance with Trust Policy and guidance from professional bodies.
• Collect data in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
• Collect and submit activity statistics as required.

Other

Physical Working Conditions and Environment

The post holder is based within the Community Mental Health Team and will visit people within their own homes, or a variety of public places or voluntary organisations within the community as well as GP practices throughout the Trust.

The post holder will also be expected to carry out duties such as phlebotomy or giving intramuscular injections on a frequent basis and interact with people daily who display a full spectrum of behaviour from potentially violent and aggressive to suicidal and extremely distressed.

Travel throughout the County is required.

Knowledge and Skills Framework

The post holder will be expected to meet the requirements of the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) appropriate outline for the post.

Person Specification

• RMN or Dip/Bsc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing
• ENB 998 / Preceptorship and Mentorship
• Experience of working in an acute mental health inpatient/day care services
• ENB812/Bsc in Specialist Community Nursing Practice (Mental Health)
• Experience of working with acute mental health problems in a community setting
• Ability to teach and train others using multi‑media materials suitable for presentation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) will be required to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Address

Centenary House, Grammar School Walk, Hitchin, SG5 1JN

Salary

£39,959 to £48,117 a year pro‑rata

Contract

Permanent

Working Pattern

Part‑time

Reference Number

367-ACMS-101275

Job Locations

Centenary House, Grammar School Walk, Hitchin, SG5 1JN