Mental Health Practitioner

We are seeking a Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner to work within the North Devon Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment Teams.

The CRHTT provides alternative to inpatient admission and intensive community treatment. Outreach is central, with most assessments occurring outside hospital settings.

Mobile across the geographic area is essential.

• Deliver timely, evidence-based mental health assessments and interventions to individuals in acute distress or crisis.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide rapid response and short‑term support in community settings.
• Formulate risk assessments and safety plans collaboratively with service users and carers.
• Liaise with internal and external services to ensure continuity of care and appropriate onward referrals.
• Provide clinical leadership and supervision to junior staff and support workers where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and contribute to service audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Promote recovery‑focused, trauma‑informed, and person‑centred approaches in all aspects of care.
• Participate in rota‑based working, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays to ensure 24/7 service coverage.
• Uphold Trust values and contribute to a culture of compassion, inclusion, and excellence.

• Develop, deliver, and oversee treatment plans for clients open to the Crisis Resolution Team.
• Assess, manage, and formulate clinical risk with each client.
• Offer crisis resolution as an alternative to hospital admission, available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.
• Serve as the gatekeeper for inpatient hospital beds.
• Conduct initial in‑person follow‑up after hospital discharge.

• Strong clinical assessment and risk management skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team with a complex caseload.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and relevant legislation (e.g., Mental Health Act, MCA).
• Commitment to recovery‑oriented and trauma‑informed practice.
• Ability to work flexibly across a 24/7 rota.
• Organisational skills and managing own time and workload.
• Knowledge of monitoring mental health medications and taking into consideration interactions with physical health needs.
• Experience of delivering evidence based interventions.
• Ability to work in a dynamic nature.
• Ability to provide well written reports.
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health problems.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals from various settings.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Ability to manage change in a positive manner.
• This role involves frequent travel across Devon, including to locations not well served by public transport. Applicants must be able to meet these travel requirements reliably. Access to suitable transport will be necessary and candidates will need to independently use appropriate arrangements (e.g., access to a vehicle).

• Familiarity with local services and pathways within the integrated care system.
• Leadership or supervisory experience.
• Understanding of Crisis and Home treatment Interventions and of recovery principles in Mental Health.
• Knowledge of gatekeeping of inpatient admissions.

• Registered professional qualification (e.g., RMN, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist) with current registration, practising with no restrictions.
• Evidence of relevant continuing professional development.

• Training in psychosocial interventions (e.g., CBT, DBT‑informed approaches).
• Qualified in Phlebotomy.

• Experience working in mental health settings.
• Experience of working within inpatient or community settings.
• Experience of managing risk.
• Experience of working autonomously.

• Experience in community-based teams.
• Experience of delivering crisis interventions.
• Experience of working within home treatment teams or crisis services.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

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