Community Mental Health Practitioner

Go back South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Community Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 28 June 2026.

We are looking for a qualified mental health nurse to work as a Band 6 Care Coordinator within Lewisham Community Mental Health Services. This role supports individuals on their journey to recovery, leads care plans, delivers targeted interventions and helps service users overcome barriers.

Main Duties of the Job

• Manage a caseload of service users with complex needs and varying diagnoses.
• Provide support to carers and facilitate evidence‑based psychosocial interventions.
• Focus on DIALOG‑led engagement, recovery and social inclusion, while addressing physical healthcare needs.

Job Responsibilities

• Take a lead in clinical discussion‑making and support the discharge/recovery pathway.
• Work cohesively with the community team, support on‑duty commitments and contribute to team meetings.
• Maintain up‑to‑date documentation and relevant assessments on electronic health records.
• Apply knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Community Care Act 2015, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and community treatment orders.
• Interface with partner agencies to provide seamless care.
• Co‑ordinate care, communicate with other professionals and ensure regular reviews.
• Conduct independent assessment, care planning and coordination with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Lead team meetings via LUCI to discuss reports and evaluate client care.
• Address concerns about physical health needs of service users and raise them with senior team members.
• Promote recovery principles, encouraging service users to take responsibility for their care and engaging friends, relatives and carers.
• Report incidents, serious untoward incidents and maintain accurate records in line with Trust policy.
• Safeguard service users, carry out safeguarding procedures and duty of candour obligations.
• Maintain infection control and medication safety standards in the community setting.
• Administer and monitor medication in accordance with NMC standards.
• Ensure electronic patient records are complete and write reports and letters.
• Engage in clinical supervision, reflective practice and contribute to the delivery of supervision to junior staff.
• Demonstrate leadership within the community clinical context.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Professional Qualification in Mental Health Nursing (RMN).
• Evidence of significant continuing professional development.
• Mentorship qualification, practice placement educator or equivalent.

Experience

• Relevant Community Mental Health clinical experience.
• Experience of risk assessment and management of risk relating to adults with serious mental illness.
• Experience working in an MDT setting.
• Experience working with carers and support networks.
• Experience as a Care Coordinator managing a caseload.
• Experience supporting practice development in a clinical area or mentoring students.

Ability and Skill

• Contingency planning, crisis management and independent service‑user responsiveness.
• Ability to manage a complex caseload and prioritise workload effectively.
• Provision of culturally responsive care.
• Ability to provide psycho‑education to service users and their carers.
• IT skills in Microsoft applications.
• Creative engagement with difficult‑to‑reach service users.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with colleagues.
• Problem‑solving and options review.
• Resilience and interpersonal coping skills.
• Motivational skills.

Knowledge

• Clinical governance and audit.
• Relevant professional, clinical and mental health legislation (Care Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, etc.).
• Care Coordination and the CPA process.
• Evidence‑based interventions and DIALOG for recovery support.
• Dual diagnosis issues.
• Social inclusion for mental health service users.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

£47,951 to £56,863 a year inclusive of HCAS.

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