First Contact Mental Health Practitioner in Bath

Location: Teesdale Primary Care Network, County Durham, UK.

Hours: 18.75 hours per week (days to be agreed).

Closing date: 02 July 2026.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated practitioner to join our multidisciplinary team within the Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. The role is key to developing and leading innovative, integrated mental health services in primary care.

Responsibilities

• Develop close working relationships with clinical staff, including other Mental Health Practitioners, and become a valued member of the Primary Care Team.
• Provide specialist mental health advice and expert clinical care for people with a range of mental health needs, ensuring that those with serious mental illness receive appropriate care.
• Act as a "first contact" mental health worker: undertake triage, assessments, brief interventions and reviews to improve access to services.
• Use networking and navigation expertise to facilitate access to appropriate mental health support across the community system.
• Manage daily clinics, act as a specialist advisor to GPs, and fulfil a pathway management function.
• Support the establishment of partnerships and networks with key stakeholders across the PCN and the wider mental health care system.
• Provide clinical advice, consultation, and support to other care providers within primary, secondary, voluntary and statutory services.
• Ensure systems and pathways are in place to enable smooth transition between primary care and secondary mental health services.
• Travel independently and operate a suitable vehicle for business purposes, with adjustments considered under the Equality Act 2010.

Person Specification

• Current professional registration with the relevant body in healthcare or social work.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• Certificate in mentorship, teaching & assessing in clinical practice (as appropriate).
• Clinical Supervisor.
• Key skills in literacy, numeracy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent).
• Post‑graduate qualification in a relevant area.
• Where applicable, NMP or willingness to obtain.

Skills & Experience

• Excellent communication of complex and sensitive information to patients, carers/families and multidisciplinary teams.
• Effective collaboration across complex organisations, pathways and services.
• Experience providing clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessment in clinical practice.
• Leadership or management experience.
• Experience working in primary care and multi‑agency settings.
• Involvement with quality improvement activities.
• Mentoring students on practice placement experience.

Knowledge

• Post‑graduate level evidence‑based practice in caring for mental health patients.
• Stepped Care model, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and relevant legislation.
• Safeguarding and its application in practice.
• Clinical Governance, Clinical Risk Assessment and Management.
• Psychological models of care and treatment, and delivery of psycho‑social interventions.
• Care Programme Approach, research and development methodology, and contemporary health and social care policy.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required.

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 per year (pro rata, per annum).