Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 342-BR052-0326
- Employer
- Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- SWAST Clinical Hub
- Town
- Bristol
- Salary
- £39,959 - £48,117 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 13/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Band 6 Specialist Practitioner - Bristol
Band 6
Job overview
The Mental Health Integrated Access Partnership (IAP) is an award-winning and nationally-recognised endeavour, which is transforming urgent and emergency care services for people in mental health crisis.
In an innovative collaboration between BrisDoc Healthcare Services, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Foundation Trust and South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust – as well as Avon and Somerset Police, Avon Fire and Rescue, and voluntary sector organisations – the IAP provides a truly integrated front door service for urgent and emergency mental health care for people in crisis, across both 999 and 111.
We work tirelessly to ensure the patient receives the right care at the right time, providing a seamless, coordinated response that addresses both mental and physical health needs. Working alongside emergency service, urgent care and voluntary sector colleagues, the IAP provides a range of 24/7 services within the South-West, from our sites across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Main duties of the job
You will provide a specialist and timely response for people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis, facilitating improved patient outcomes and experience. You will identify a person’s needs, enabling appropriate signposting and onward referrals to services, with the aim of reducing inappropriate access to Accident and Emergency departments and detention under S136 of the Mental Health Act. This will be via telephone triage and also via face-to-face assessments in the community, with support and supervision of the wider team, including oversight from the Clinical Coordinator on shift.
This role will necessitate working rotational shift patterns and unsociable hours across a number of bases. The service runs 24/7 and so this position includes a range of day, evening and weekend working.
Working for our organisation
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see job description.
This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with trust policy, all newly qualified social workers will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances in which case it may be agreed to extend this for a further 2 years.
On successful completion of the ASYE, for which you will be given full support of an experienced Social Worker as well as Divisional Social Work Lead, and peer support from other ASYE candidates, you will then be eligible to progress to a Band 6 position.
If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role this will be an automatic progression, following confirmation of your successful completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy.
Person specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential criteria
- Diploma level/Degree in relevant health/social care profession, eg RMN, OT, Social Worker
- Demonstrates substantial post-registration experience gained working in a range of frontline mental health services, undertaking assessment and delivering interventions
- Mobile with the facility to move quickly across a geographically dispersed area with limited access to public transport
- Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times
- Current relevant registration with the NMC or HCPC and commitment to CPD
- Demonstrates experience of assessing risk and developing risk management strategies
- Demonstrates experience of supervising others, monitoring their performance, appraisal and ensuring delivery of activity
- Able to articulate a detailed understanding of the relevant legal frameworks/legislation including CPA process, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, and Safeguarding
- Demonstrates a willingness to embrace new technology and processes
- Ability to work effectively with emergency service colleagues with limited knowledge of mental health and available services
- Substantially developed IT skills including competent use of Microsoft Office, and the use of electronic record keeping systems and the Ambulance CAD system (full training will be undertaken)
- Highly developed written communication skills, with experience of compiling and sorting notes and reports, establishing statistical data and analysing information
- Highly developed active listening skills, which allow for reframing and testing of understanding
- Highly developed verbal communication skills, able to engage effectively with people at all levels even when a more assertive approach is needed
Desirable criteria
- Relevant post-registration qualifications, such as Thorn, Non-Medical Prescribing, CBT, AMHP, Brief Interventions etc
- Experience gained in a wide variety of settings
- Is able to deliver from a range of possible key therapeutic interventions such as; CBT, psychosocial interventions, family Interventions, DBT/CBT approaches
- Demonstrates experience of mentoring/assessing students and learners
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Nikki Solman
- Job title
- IAP Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07941826614
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