Job summary
- Main area
- Community Mental Health
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 15 hours per week
- Job ref
- 351-BAY843-MS-A
- Employer
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- South Lakes Community Mental Health Team
- Town
- Kendal
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 per annum, pro rata (subject to confirmation)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 03/11/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Assessment and Duty Practitioner
Band 6
Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism and community based services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated mental health, learning disability and community Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including:
• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
• Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust supports flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, home/remote working, and flexi-time.
For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.
Please note that further communication from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCft to contact them.
Job overview
This post is suitable for registered Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists who has experience working in Community Mental Health Services. The applicant would need to be registered with a professional regulating body.
Lancashire Care & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is a great place to work and has a sound future as a leading provider of excellent services. The Trust invests in its staff and seeks to provide them with opportunities for training and personal development.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Community Mental Health Practitioner within our friendly and supportive team at South Lakes Community Mental Health Team. The initial main focus of the role will be undertaking Assessments and Duty within a busy Community Mental Health Team. You will cover a geographical area within the South Lakes area. The service is based at Kirkstone House in Kendal. The service is operational between the hours of 9.00am and 5pm however some out of hours and weekend working may be necessary to meet service demands.
The team serves the population of South Lakes. It is an established team with a welcoming and supportive culture. There is a visible and supportive leadership team who are committed to clinical supervision and professional development.
This is a demanding role in a busy service. Ideally, you will have current or previous experience of working within a mental health setting.
Main duties of the job
Clinically confident in working with individuals with complex needs and be able to work effectively in a multi professional context. You should have a collaborative and enthusiastic approach as well as passion and commitment in developing and promoting recovery based approaches for adults with severe and enduring mental health needs.
- To provide an assessment of people who have been referred to the CMHT and meet the criteria for secondary mental health.
- To provide evidence-based, time limited, recovery focused therapeutic interventions.
- To provide longer-term management and interventions for people with complex mental health needs.
- To liaise and work in partnership with primary care.
- To provide an integrated response for people who have special needs, (i.e. people who abuse substances, have a learning disability, prisoners)
As part of this team you will undertake comprehensive initial assessments for service users with high complex needs who have been referred to the Community Mental Health Team and you will undertake the role of making appropriate referrals to other professionals either within the team and or other services in the community.
Working for our organisation
You will also be expected to complete discharges following assessments for those service users who do not require meaningful interventions from the Community Mental Health Team which may involve signposting to other services and or third sector agencies within the community.
Part of your role will require you to undertake the role of team duty worker. This role involves managing unplanned patient work within the team, responding to escalation of risk/crisis situations and may also include the triaging of new referrals and discharging service users back to the care of their GP.
We are seeking to appoint a candidate who demonstrates enthusiasm about advancing their clinical skills within mental health and can demonstrate an ability to work alongside service users, carers and the wider multi disciplinary team in providing excellent treatment within a potentially challenging environment. A car owner/driver is essential for this role.
We pride ourselves on providing an excellent support network for our staff. As a band 6, the successful candidate will receive regular Clinical Supervision from the Team and Clinical Leads from alongside line management supervision from the team leader. Learning and development needs will be identified via the trust preceptorship scheme and/or the PDR process.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.
The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.
For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT
Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapy degree.
- Specialist qualification or equivalent level in skills and development
- Professional Qualification
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Understanding of Health and Safety policies and procedures
- Knowledge and practice of the Mental Capacity Act 2005
- Knowledge and practice of Mental Health Act 1983
- Demonstrate understanding of how research has influenced practice
- Can provide evidence of recent professional/personal development
Experience
Essential criteria
- Able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of assessing, planning and implementing and reviewing care needs
- Experienced in acting as a mentor/assessor of student staff
- Minimum of 18 months post registered experience
- Experience of working in a community setting
- Experience of initial assessments and triage
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Cecily Shepherd
- Job title
- Team Leader
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07940471021
- Additional information
For further information please contact: Cecily Shepherd Team lead [email protected] 07940471021 and Hayley Smith Clinical lead [email protected] 01539 715064
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