This primary care role supports the North East and South Primary Care Networks encompassing 9 member GP practices. We are seeking a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner to enhance patient care through the delivery of high-quality mental health support within GP practices. The role involves undertaking comprehensive mental health assessments, triaging patients to appropriate services in line with national guidelines and supporting individuals with mild to moderate conditions. Working both autonomously and collaboratively, the postholder will help reduce inappropriate referrals and hospital admissions while promoting self‑management and continuity of care for patients, including those with stable severe mental illness. This is an opportunity to contribute to an integrated, patient‑centred service while supporting ongoing service development and quality improvement.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will provide holistic mental health assessments for patients presenting in primary care across multiple GP surgeries. They will assess and manage clinical risk, deliver evidence‑based interventions, and support patients with self‑management strategies and access to wider health and community services. The role includes working closely with multidisciplinary teams and external partners to ensure effective care pathways, as well as referring patients appropriately when needs fall outside the scope of primary care mental health services. In addition, the practitioner will contribute to service development, maintain accurate clinical records inline with professional standards, support performance and data reporting requirements, and help strengthen collaborative working across health and social care systems.
About us
One Wight Health is the Isle of Wight GP federation, bringing together all 12 member GP practices in partnership to strengthen primary care for our island community. Through collaboration, shared best practice, and the development of services that support both practices and patients, we aim to sustain and enhance high‑quality care across the Island. Our federation provides training, recruitment support, innovation in care delivery, and centralised services that help practices meet the evolving health needs of our local population.
Job responsibilities
The Mental Health Nurse Practitioner role is focused on enhancing patient care across the Northeast, Central and West, and South Primary Care Networks. This position involves conducting comprehensive mental‑health assessments, triaging referrals to appropriate secondary care or psychological therapies in accordance with national guidelines and best practice.
Practitioners will manage patients experiencing mild to moderate mental health conditions, aiming to reduce inappropriate referrals and hospital admissions while promoting self‑care. Working autonomously within GP surgeries, they will manage varying levels of demand and monitor stable patients with severe mental illness under shared‑care protocols.
Key responsibilities include managing mental health risks, fostering collaboration with partner agencies, and strengthening connections across health and social care. Exceptional organisational, interpersonal, assessment, and risk management skills are crucial for this role, along with the ability to work independently.
Data reporting and outcome metrics will also be key components of the role, ensuring evidence‑based practice and continuous improvement inpatient care.
Primary Responsibilities
- Provision of assessment for people presenting to the GP surgeries who appear to be experiencing mental health problems, acting as both a first and second contact practitioner within a variety of surgeries.
- Ensure that personally generated patient documentation is accurate and maintained in line with relevant NMC/professional bodies standards, guidelines and operational guidance.
- Liaise with key stakeholders/partner organisations regarding care pathways and treatment.
- Communicate and engage effectively with patients, their carers and the public regarding care pathways and treatment.
- Communicate and present complex and sensitive clinical information when required at relevant forums.
- Be able to utilise specialist assessment tools to enhance the assessment process.
- Assess and manage clinical risk within agreed protocols and ensure actions are implemented to meet the health and welfare needs of staff and patients.
- Provide a holistic mental health assessment.
- Work independently and use clinical judgement in decision making.
- Provide interventions and self‑management techniques, advice, guidance and support literature to patients who will benefit.
- Support patients to access the GP practice’s physical health promotion and prevention services; signpost to Health Improvement Practitioners within the surgery/neighbourhood, community assets and other voluntary services for interventions.
- Refer patients on to the GPs and Practice Nurses in the surgery when problems are identified outside the remit of a Mental Health Practitioner in Primary Care, recognising the role of other colleagues within the surgery.
- Signpost referrals to Medical Secretaries when clinically indicated for secondary care input.
- Demonstrate ability to work as a member of a practice team and wider team working.
- Contribute towards the development of operational policy and guidelines for own work area, in collaboration with colleagues from the practice, ICB, PCN.
- In conjunction with the Operational Manager, ensure policies and guidance are cascaded to practices and applied across the work area.
- Support and improve the performance management function of the service in general practice within clinical supervision.
- Identify gaps in service provision; make recommendations for service development to the provider and the ICB; support any redesign and inform any implementation of approved initiatives.
- Support the development, implementation, management and evaluation of the Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner service to meet local need and targets.
- Maintenance of equipment and stock relating to patient care.
Key Skills and Behaviours
- Strong communication skills both via telephone, face‑to‑face and electronically (as well as the ability to adapt communication style to meet the needs of an individual as identified).
- Maintain a high level of data entry accuracy and clarity.
- Excellent listening skills with the ability to keep individuals motivated and focused.
- Manage clear and consistent boundaries.
- Excellent time‑management skills; ability to prioritise, plan and deliver work items inline with set expectations.
- Ability to work cohesively as part of a wider supportive team whilst maintaining the confidence to work independently on agreed workflow items within remit.
- Ability to remain calm and professional at all times.
- Confidence to escal\endexpress? Actually intended: Confidence to scale or refer workflow where needed and identify risk.
- Confidently communicate at all levels to include Medical Professionals, Commissioners and Governing bodies (where appropriate).
- Build working relationships quickly and effectively within our Member Practices and external stakeholders, instilling confidence and maintaining existing relationships.
- Always maintain strict confidentiality and awareness of GDPR / data sharing throughout working practices.
- Provide cover for members of the team during periods of sickness and annual leave.
- Attend training courses and training days as requested.
- Complete mandatory training in line with provider's training policy.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Registered Nurse qualification with active NMC registration
- Mandatory training certifications as per organisational policy
- Evidence of ongoing professional development and training
Experience
- Proven experience in delivering mental health care in primary or secondary care settings
- Experience conducting comprehensive mental health assessments and managing care pathways
- Demonstrated ability to manage mild to moderate mental health conditions
- Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams
- Familiarity with shared care protocols and risk management in clinical settings
- Skilled in clinical assessment and the use of specialist mental health assessment tools.
- Experience of working as an autonomous practitioner in assessment and decision making
Skills, Knowledge, Other Requirements
- Strong communication skills (face‑to‑face, telephone, and electronic).
- Exceptional organisational and time‑management abilities.
- Competence in data reporting and analysis to support evidence‑based practice.
- Ability to work independently and make sound clinical decisions.
- Skilled in building effective relationships with patients, carers, and partner organisations.
- In‑depth understanding of mental health conditions, care pathways and national guidelines.
- Knowledge of health promotion and prevention strategies.
- Familiarity with GDPR, data confidentiality and related legal frameworks.
- Flexibility to adapt to varying workloads and support team coverage during absences.
- Willingness to attend training and contribute to organisational development
- Ability to identify service gaps and propose innovative solutions.
- UK Driving Licence
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.
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