Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner in Wales

Main area: Prison nursing

Grade: Band 6

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Long days rotation onto night duty)

Job ref: 110-NMR -A

Employer: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

Employer type: NHS

Site: HMP & YOI Parc

Town: Bridgend

Salary: £40,559 - £48,841 per annum

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 11/11/ :59

Thank you for your interest in joining Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board. Located in the heart of South Wales, we’re central to Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea. Deeply rooted in our community, as an NHS organisation we are dedicated to providing compassionate patient care and building healthier communities together. At CTM, you’ll be part of a supportive, inclusive team from diverse nations, cultures, and backgrounds. Every role counts, every person matters, and together, we’re creating a space where everyone can thrive.

The post-holder will be an extension of the primary care practice working alongside GPs and nurses within the prison healthcare team, providing an augmented mental health service to individuals who require support with medium term mental health problems. The post-holder will independently assess and provide high quality care and advice to patients with mental health problems as well as take decisions to signpost individuals onto appropriate community service support and to refer to the secondary care In Reach team within the prison setting. The post holder will work alongside all disciplines and professionals to help educate, develop and support a clear understanding of the complexities and scope of Mental Health need within the population. The post holder will liaise closely with Secondary Care Mental Health Services, Local Primary Mental Health Support Services (LPMHSS) and Third Sector Organisations to ensure cohesive and purposeful pathways of care. There will be an expectation to produce evidence that can be used to inform future service design and commissioning of services. This will include using outcome measures, and promoting the highest possible utilisation of the service. The post may include some unsocial hours. The post-holder will be required to provide services to a number of Primary Care Teams within a Cluster of GP practices.

Main duties of the job:

• The successful applicant will be responsible for managing a caseload of patients with primary care mental health needs.
• The post-holder will be an extension of the primary care practice working alongside GPs and nurses within the prison healthcare team, providing an augmented mental health service to individuals who require support with medium term mental health problems.
• The post-holder will independently assess and provide high quality care and advice to patients with mental health problems as well as take decisions to signpost individuals onto appropriate community service support and to refer to the secondary care In Reach team within the prison setting.

This post is advertised as Welsh Desirable. Whilst the candidate doesn't need to have skills in Welsh, we'll consider it an advantage when short-listing and selecting candidates. This isn’t ‘fluency’, just Speaking & Listening skills at Level 3 (equivalent to CEFR B2) or above. Level 3 means being able to communicate in Welsh during routine clinical situations, such as welcoming patients, discussing straightforward aspects of their care and answering routine questions. If you’re comfortable holding everyday conversations in Welsh, we encourage you to apply. Your Welsh language skills will help us provide person-centred care and enable patients to receive services in their language of choice.

Working for our organisation:

Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board, part of NHS Wales, serves a large population across a diverse and beautiful region, steeped in history and heritage. With nearly 13,500 staff, our health board is one of Wales’s largest employers. Together, we are Team CTM; a workforce dedicated to offering excellent patient care and support to the 450,000 people across our three regions, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taf. We operate three District General hospitals, several community hospitals, primary and community care facilities. CTM’s location offers the best of South Wales, just 20 minutes from Cardiff’s vibrant city life, the natural beauty of the Brecon Beacons, and the serene coastline at Ogmore. Whether you enjoy lively urban amenities, peaceful countryside, or seaside escapes, our location makes an ideal setting for both work and personal life.

Our values guide us daily:

• We listen, learn, and improve
• We treat everyone with respect
• We work together as one team

CTM employees enjoy benefits including; a leading pension, generous leave, flexible work, career growth, and access to ongoing learning and development. At CTM, you’ll find a welcoming, team-oriented workplace that values diversity and compassion, where you can take pride in your work and the difference it makes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

The Health Board currently operates a number of different shift systems. The most common are a 12.5 hour shift, inclusive of either one 30 minute or two 30-minute unpaid breaks. These shift patterns are subject to review and the Health Board reserves the right to change working arrangements. CTM is a Health Board committed to meaningful consultation with staff and to making balanced decisions that consider all aspects of our service and workforce.

Person specification:

Experience:

• Ability to demonstrate significant post registration experience of working with patients within a Community Mental Health setting and of the assessment of people presenting with mental health problems.
• Experience working in a secure environment.
• Experience of CBT or other brief interventions.

Registration:

• Professional registration - RMN.

Knowledge:

• Mental Health and Social Care legislation.

Skills:

• Clinically competent. Ability to assess and interpret patients' condition and take appropriate action.
• Welsh language speaking & listening skills at Level 3 and above/B2.

Equality and Diversity: We welcome applications from all protected groups under the Equality Act 2010. This includes, but is not limited to, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/reassignment, race/nationality, religion/belief, disability, pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnership, as well as those from the Armed Forces community.

Sponsorship: Applicants who are not UK or Republic of Ireland nationals will require sponsorship to obtain either a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa unless they already hold permission to work via another route. Prospective applicants should self-assess their eligibility for sponsorship by visiting the UK Government’s Work in the UK guidance.

Use of AI: We review applications against role-specific criteria. Whilst AI tools can be helpful, applications that rely heavily on AI-generated or generic content may not provide the necessary detail, which may reduce the chances of being shortlisted. To give your application the best chance, please ensure the information you provide is both accurate and authentic, and tailor your examples to the criteria in the Person Specification.

Correspondence: Please check your email regularly, as all recruitment correspondence will be sent to the address on your application. Applications are accepted in Welsh or English with no preference.

Additional information: We reserve the right to close a vacancy early or withdraw an advertisement to accommodate the redeployment of internal staff into suitable roles. All posts are subject to relevant checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks and, where required, Professional Registration verification.

We are proud to be a living wage employer.