Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 16 November 2025

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Community Perinatal Mental Health Service. Our county-wide Norfolk & Suffolk Perinatal Community Mental Health service are offering a one-year secondment opportunity for a band 6 mental health nurse, working within a specialist multi-disciplinary setting, offering a range of MDT clinical specialisms.

You will be part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of Consultant Psychiatrists, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, a Therapies team, Registered Nurses, Social Workers, Assistant Practitioners, Peer Support Workers, Nursery Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Community Team Managers, a Matron and a Service Manager specialising in perinatal mental health.

We are looking for an experienced B6 Mental Health Nurse with relevant mental health and community experience to join our Perinatal Community Mental Health Team. This vacancy is based in the county of Suffolk. Within our specialist service you can look forward to a supportive and collaborative team with low manageable caseloads, with friendly, visible and accessible senior staff and medics. We offer specialist perinatal training, line management, caseload and clinical supervision monthly.

As this is a community post, it is expected most of our work is completed face to face in service user's homes or in the community, so a valid UK full driving licence is essential. Access to your own vehicle is preferred, though pool cars can be booked through the Trust's hire car system.

Main duties of the job

The Perinatal Community Mental Health Team provides prevention, detection and management of mental health problems that complicate pregnancy and the postpartum year.

You will be responsible for:

  • Managing a caseload of women with moderate to severe mental health needs within the perinatal period.
  • Undertakinginitial assessments.
  • Formulating an appropriate plan of care/ signposting to other services.
  • Thinking about the parent infant relationship.
  • Participating in Duty rota.
  • Escalating concerns about safeguarding to ECFS /Children's Services.
  • Ensuring all service users have a co-produced care plan and up to date combined assessment.

The team offers therapeutic interventions, nursery nurse interventions, medication reviews, Consultant appointments and advocacy through Peer Support.

We are a cohesive, friendly, and kind team and will support you every step of the way.

About us

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Details

Date posted

03 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Pro rata

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

246-CEN7536032

Job locations

Wedgwood House, West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane,

Bury St Edmunds,

IP33 2QZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse, Occupational Therapist OR Social Worker with the relevant professional registration
  • Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor training (NMC registrants) or Practice Educator (AHP & Social Worker Registrants)
  • Ongoing professional development working towards degree level (if professional registration is following a diploma level course)

Desirable

  • Recognised Leadership/Management training
  • Higher degree or post graduate certificate in area of clinical / therapeutic practice

Experience

Essential

  • Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of mental health practice from previous experience
  • Demonstrate effective risk assessment and risk management experience
  • Experience supervising others/students including preceptorship programme, student placements etc

Desirable

  • Experience in delivering group based interventions
  • Experience working in the specific area

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent communication and engagement skills Conflict resolution and Breakaway training (or requirement to undertake within first 12 weeks)
  • Care planning and Risk assessment knowledge and skills
  • Computer skills and experience of using an Electronic Patient Record system

Desirable

  • Able to time manage and reflect on clinical practice
  • Prevention and Management of Suicide training

Knowledge

Essential

  • Have the ability to discuss, identify and escalate safeguarding issues in a sensitive way to protect those who are vulnerable
  • The ability to use clinical assessment tools and outcome measures effectively and collaboratively

Desirable

  • Developing knowledge of local wider systems and networks

Other

Essential

  • Ability and willingness to travel independently to meet the needs and requirements of the service
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse, Occupational Therapist OR Social Worker with the relevant professional registration
  • Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor training (NMC registrants) or Practice Educator (AHP & Social Worker Registrants)
  • Ongoing professional development working towards degree level (if professional registration is following a diploma level course)

Desirable

  • Recognised Leadership/Management training
  • Higher degree or post graduate certificate in area of clinical / therapeutic practice

Experience

Essential

  • Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of mental health practice from previous experience
  • Demonstrate effective risk assessment and risk management experience
  • Experience supervising others/students including preceptorship programme, student placements etc

Desirable

  • Experience in delivering group based interventions
  • Experience working in the specific area

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent communication and engagement skills Conflict resolution and Breakaway training (or requirement to undertake within first 12 weeks)
  • Care planning and Risk assessment knowledge and skills
  • Computer skills and experience of using an Electronic Patient Record system

Desirable

  • Able to time manage and reflect on clinical practice
  • Prevention and Management of Suicide training

Knowledge

Essential

  • Have the ability to discuss, identify and escalate safeguarding issues in a sensitive way to protect those who are vulnerable
  • The ability to use clinical assessment tools and outcome measures effectively and collaboratively

Desirable

  • Developing knowledge of local wider systems and networks

Other

Essential

  • Ability and willingness to travel independently to meet the needs and requirements of the service

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Address

Wedgwood House, West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane,

Bury St Edmunds,

IP33 2QZ


Employer's website

https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Address

Wedgwood House, West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane,

Bury St Edmunds,

IP33 2QZ


Employer's website

https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Team Manager

Emma Redmond-Smith

emma.redmond-smith@nsft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

03 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year Pro rata

Contract

Secondment

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

246-CEN7536032

Job locations

Wedgwood House, West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane,

Bury St Edmunds,

IP33 2QZ


Supporting documents

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