Specialist Mental Health Practitioner for Primary Care | Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
| Company: | Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata |
| Hours: | Part-time |
| Location: | Reading, RG7 1QY |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Posting date: | 10 Nov 2026 |
| Closing date: | 10 Dec 2026 |
Summary
ARRS Specialist Mental Health Practitioner for Primary Care – Wokingham South PCN – 22.5 hours (0.6 WTE)
We are looking for a qualified and experienced Mental Health Practitioner (RMN, Social Worker, OT) to join us in a Specialist Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner role 3 days per week, based within the Wokingham South PCN (Swallowfield Medical Practice and Finchampstead Surgery).
The role involves supporting GP practices with timely access to Mental Health specialist assessment and support for patients - offering guidance, reviews and fit notes (where relevant to the successful applicant’s clinical profession).
The successful candidate will support GPs in their medication decision making through their comprehensive assessment and documentation skills. If the successful candidate is a Non Medical Prescriber, they will be required to offer clinical assessment, advice and prescribing input to patients.
If you are proactive and passionate about providing a high-quality, holistic and responsive approach to the care of people who have been identified as in need of mental health support in a primary care setting, we really want to hear from you.
Please make contact with the Recruiting Manager or the PCN directly if you have any questions prior to submitting an application. Please also ensure that you are able to demonstrate you meet all of the essential criteria within your application.
• To provide a lead in supporting the PCN in triaging mental health concerns raised by on the day patient requests, providing specialist advice and support within GP surgeries.
• To review patients presenting with mental health issues, consider a range of support and treatment interventions, providing them with highly specialised advice and signposting when appropriate and liaising with GPs and MH teams
• To offer brief interventions as needed e.g. problem solving, decision making, building resilience, building on personal strengths, risk de-escalation, medication advice and prescribing if a registered NMP
• Working as a member of the primary Care MDT and taking responsibility for the development and implementation of specialist mental health training to the PCN
• To provide a navigation role to help GP’s make appropriate referrals to the relevant community and secondary care services – bridging the gap between primary care services such as IAPT and secondary care, working in partnership across the system.
Working Pattern + Service Operating Hours
Service operates Monday to Friday. Hours worked will match the GP surgeries you are assigned to and will be worked within 8am-8pm. Typical shifts are 9am – 5pm, 8am – 4pm, 10am-6pm (subject to negotiation). You may be asked to do a combination of these shifts each week depending on the G.P. surgery hours. You will be assigned to two surgeries within this PCN.
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites
FOR SECONDMENT ROLES ONLY - If the secondment role becomes permanent, the successful candidate may be offered the permanent position.
The “must haves” for this role:
1. Current professional registration: Registered Mental Health Nurse; Social Worker or Occupational Therapist.
2. A strong desire to work within and a good understanding of primary care health provision.
3. Community or Primary Care experience in mental health services for adults and older age adults with severe / significant mental illness, with a very good understanding of psychiatric medication.
4. Experience of providing a range of evidence-based interventions to people with a variety of mental health problems and serious mental illness
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses given in your supporting statement genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.
In addition to explaining how you meet the person specification, you must complete your employment history for at least the last five years. Any experience, skills or responsibilities referenced in your supporting statement should be evidenced within your employment history. Applications that do not include sufficient employment history to support the experience claimed may not be shortlisted.
We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Stonewall Proud Employer, Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: Samantha Danesh-Pour on 07500 783606 or email: Samantha.Daneshpour@berkshire.nhs.uk who’ll be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
This advert closes on Tuesday 17 Nov 2026
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