Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Senior Perinatal Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 12 June 2025

Job summary

We are looking for a experienced and self-motivated senior mental health practitioner to work in our duty team, based in the West Devon Perinatal Team.

Having just secured additional funding, the Community Perinatal Service will be going through an exciting period of expansion in order to meet the commitments of the NHS Long Term Plan. We are commissioned to work with women/birthing people pre-conceptually, in pregnancy and postnatally where there are mental health concerns. With the increase in a number of clinical roles across the service, we will be in a position to extend our offer for women/birthing people from 12-24 months as well as offering fathers/co-parents screening and sign posting for their own mental health needs. We will also be increasing our psychological intervention offer to those using our service.

This service development will not only create valuable interventions for women/birthing people and families, but will also offer valuable opportunities for career progression to staff within a variety of professional groups.

Refer a Friend Scheme (see link for further info)

Main duties of the job

We are seeking an individual who is open to learning & developing their skills in perinatal mental health and we are committed to supporting them by offering a comprehensive induction with ongoing support, supervision and professional development from our established and passionate MDT. This also includes access to our monthly Continuous Professional Development where we offer case discussion and learning as well as often inviting external speakers to develop our skills and knowledge.

The Duty worker will work within a team with leadership from the band 7. You will be responsible to triage referrals daily, ensuring that women/birthing people have timely access to assessment according to clinical need.

You will be offering assessments of those that are experiencing a severe perinatal mental health presentation, developing management plans whilst offer information and support to those that use the service, referrers and families.

Devon Partnership NHS Trust Perinatal Service is a well-established service and we have been awarded for our exceptional work at a national level (Positive Practice in Mental Health - Community Perinatal Team 2016 winner). We have close working partnerships with our local Maternity Departments, University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, Talkworks, Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) and MBU Outreach Team as well as the Trusts well-respected Research Department. We are actively involved in a current research with Circle of security as an intervention.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

Our values

We not only recruit employees based on their qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess and demonstrate the behaviours which underpin the core values of our organisation. These values include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health & learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader Employer.

Date posted

27 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year pro rata (30 hours per week)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

1 years

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0424

Job locations

8 Fore Street

Ivybridge

Devon

PL21 9AB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment
Substantial experience of managing a busy caseload of clients with a range of mental health problems.
Working within a community mental health setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector or equivalent experience.
Participation in user involvement in services.

Desirable

Providing clinical supervision.

Knowledge

Essential

Specialist knowledge in perinatal mental health or willingness to undertake training.
An understanding of the Mental Health Act/ Mental Health Capacity Act requirements.
CPA Process
Awareness of community structures and social care options and processes.
Understanding of recovery principles in Mental Health

Qualifications

Essential

A professional mental health nursing qualification eg RMN, Nursing Degree or Occupational Therapy qualification or Social Work qualification with relevant mental health experience
Training to level 3 in Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for Health Care staff or willingness to undertake training
IT Skills

Desirable

Training to level 3 in Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for Health Care staff or willingness to undertake training
IT Skills

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment
Substantial experience of managing a busy caseload of clients with a range of mental health problems.
Working within a community mental health setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector or equivalent experience.
Participation in user involvement in services.

Desirable

Providing clinical supervision.

Knowledge

Essential

Specialist knowledge in perinatal mental health or willingness to undertake training.
An understanding of the Mental Health Act/ Mental Health Capacity Act requirements.
CPA Process
Awareness of community structures and social care options and processes.
Understanding of recovery principles in Mental Health

Qualifications

Essential

A professional mental health nursing qualification eg RMN, Nursing Degree or Occupational Therapy qualification or Social Work qualification with relevant mental health experience
Training to level 3 in Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for Health Care staff or willingness to undertake training
IT Skills

Desirable

Training to level 3 in Safeguarding children and young people: roles and competencies for Health Care staff or willingness to undertake training
IT Skills

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.