Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Senior First Contact Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 14 July 2025

Job summary

Are you Independent and supplementary Prescriber or willing to train?

Are you a registered Mental Health Nurse?

Do you have a passion for improving access to high quality, innovative and compassionate services for people with mental health needs?

As a Senior First Contact Mental Health Practitioner, the post holder will work as part of a dynamic team in delivering an effective service supporting Primary Care Networks (PCN's) to deliver high quality mental health support within primary care. This is a specialist role working at an advanced level and is embedded into GP practices.

As well as triage and assessment the post holder will offer expertise in networking and navigation to promote the ease of access to a range of mental health support services. This role ensures that each person receives the best possible care in the right place at the right time and by the right person.

Main duties of the job

  • Undertake clinical duties within a GP practice as an autonomous Mental Health practitioner working independently, offering a comprehensive triage (including risk assessment) without the need to see a GP first. These appointments are typically 30-minutes with patients aged 16 & over and through a range of contact mechanisms such as face to face, telephone calls & home visits (where appropriate).
  • You will diagnose (within scope of practice) and develop appropriate management plans based evidence based practice/ NICE guidance
  • In addition to risk assessments, you will also provide short term risk management intervention(s) when safe to do so within a primary care setting, working with patients and their significant others to develop risk management plans, which, may include safety planning and self-harm management.
  • Identify when risk cannot be managed safely in primary care and make appropriate and timely referrals to specialist mental health services, ensuring the safety of patients is maintained and close liaison with these services.
  • You will be required to make referrals to many different services across primary and secondary care mental health services, 3rd sector and health and social care services.

About us

Black Country Healthcare is encouraging positive workplace who welcomes staff, with a desire to perform at a high level.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, following the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (covering Wolverhampton and Sandwell) and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

Combining resources, strategies and a talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving. We currently employ over 3,000 members of staff and just like the population we serve, we are made up of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Why is this the place to work?

  • Beautiful, and peaceful hospital grounds, with seating areas
  • Good transport links around the midlands
  • Flexible working
  • NHS discount schemes
  • Working together with the local community to support patients and staff
  • Good performance outcomes
  • Training opportunities
  • Excellent staff support facilities, dedicated Health & wellbeing team, reflective practice, supervision, and debrief sessions
  • Opportunities to work with other services within the trust
  • New, up and coming digital processes and support

Details

Date posted

30 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

285-5076-MH

Job locations

Dudley PCN's

Dudley

DY2 9PS


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Undertake clinical duties within a GP practice as an autonomous Mental Health practitioner working independently, offering a comprehensive triage (including risk assessment) without the need to see a GP first. These appointments are typically 30-minutes with patients aged 16 & over and through a range of contact mechanisms such as face to face, telephone calls & home visits (where appropriate).
  • You will diagnose (within scope of practice) and develop appropriate management plans based evidence based practice/ NICE guidance
  • In addition to risk assessments, you will also provide short term risk management intervention(s) when safe to do so within a primary care setting, working with patients and their significant others to develop risk management plans, which, may include safety planning and self-harm management.
  • Identify when risk cannot be managed safely in primary care and make appropriate and timely referrals to specialist mental health services, ensuring the safety of patients is maintained and close liaison with these services.
  • You will be required to make referrals to many different services across primary and secondary care mental health services, 3rd sector and health and social care services.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Undertake clinical duties within a GP practice as an autonomous Mental Health practitioner working independently, offering a comprehensive triage (including risk assessment) without the need to see a GP first. These appointments are typically 30-minutes with patients aged 16 & over and through a range of contact mechanisms such as face to face, telephone calls & home visits (where appropriate).
  • You will diagnose (within scope of practice) and develop appropriate management plans based evidence based practice/ NICE guidance
  • In addition to risk assessments, you will also provide short term risk management intervention(s) when safe to do so within a primary care setting, working with patients and their significant others to develop risk management plans, which, may include safety planning and self-harm management.
  • Identify when risk cannot be managed safely in primary care and make appropriate and timely referrals to specialist mental health services, ensuring the safety of patients is maintained and close liaison with these services.
  • You will be required to make referrals to many different services across primary and secondary care mental health services, 3rd sector and health and social care services.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Leadership qualification or training or experience
  • Experience of managing an SMI register
  • Degree or equivalent qualification or experience in evidence based psychological therapies relevant to Pathway

Desirable

  • Non-Medical Prescriber or willingness to work towards
  • Experience of working in both Primary and Secondary Care
  • Supporting staff in the day to day provision of clinical services
  • Experience of issuing fit notes
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Leadership qualification or training or experience
  • Experience of managing an SMI register
  • Degree or equivalent qualification or experience in evidence based psychological therapies relevant to Pathway

Desirable

  • Non-Medical Prescriber or willingness to work towards
  • Experience of working in both Primary and Secondary Care
  • Supporting staff in the day to day provision of clinical services
  • Experience of issuing fit notes

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

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dudley PCN's

Dudley

DY2 9PS


Employer's website

https://www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dudley PCN's

Dudley

DY2 9PS


Employer's website

https://www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Team manager

Samantha Hemming

samantha.hemming@nhs.net

07935080624

Details

Date posted

30 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

285-5076-MH

Job locations

Dudley PCN's

Dudley

DY2 9PS


Supporting documents

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