Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Mental Health in Workington

To provide expert mental health care within a primary care setting, working autonomously and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team. The Mental Health ANP will assess, diagnose, and manage patients with common and complex mental health needs who would traditionally be seen by the General Practitioner, contributing to improved access, continuity, and quality of care. The role is underpinned by the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research. The Mental Health ANP will be able to demonstrate advanced level critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process. They will work with the practice team to meet the needs of the service users and provide clinical professional leadership to the team.

Main duties of the job

• Demonstrate an expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills, and competences for expanded scope of advanced clinical practice ensuring they are able to meet the competencies as set out in NHSEngland Mental Health Curriculum and Capabilities Framework (2020).
• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments, including risk assessments and formulation.
• Make diagnostic decisions based on consultation, history, presentation & pathology.
• Diagnose and manage a range of common mental health conditions, including Depression, Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), Panic disorder, Phobias, Obsessive compulsive disorder.
• Develop and implement evidence-based care plans in partnership with patients, families, and carers.
• Initiate, prescribe and monitor the impact and outcome of treatments and medication including efficacy, side effects, contraindications, and risk in line with local formulary and NICE Guidance.
• Screen patients for early signs of disease and risk factors and relapse indicators.
• Identify and signpost concerns with physical illness.
• Draw on a diverse range of knowledge in their decision-making to determine evidence-based therapeutic interventions, which will include prescribing medication where legally allowed and actively monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
• Carry out where appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with due regard to mental capacity and advance decisions.
• Plan and manage complete episodes of care, working in partnership with others, delegating and referring as appropriate to optimise health outcomes and resource use, and provide direct support to patients and clients.
• Refer to and liaise with secondary care services, substance misuse services, and voluntary sector services as appropriate.
• Order and interpret diagnostic tests & investigations.
• Manage and proactively identify patients at risk of relapse or deterioration, supporting their ongoing wellbeing and preventing crisis where possible.
• Review patient annually on the SMI register to ensure they receive appropriate care and treatment.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous, and complete patient records consistent with legal and professional guidelines.
• Ensure dignity, privacy and cultural and religious beliefs are always respected.
• Adhere to professional code of conduct, work within the boundaries of their scope of practice and always manage associated clinical risk effectively.

Person Specification

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Masters level qualification in Advanced Clinical Practice (Mental Health) or equivalent.
• Extensive post-registration experience in mental health, ideally in both primary and secondary care.
• Demonstrated competence across all four pillars of advanced practice.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Experience in assessing and managing clinical risk according to local policies.
• Experience in service development or transformation.
• Knowledge of local mental health pathways and resources.
• Experience in teaching, supervision, or research.
• Formal training in specific psychological therapies (e.g. CBT).
• Evidence of audit experience.

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.

£54,449.62 to £61,582.35 a year dependent on experience and qualifications.