• Job Description

  Req#: C9342-25-0644?language=en&page=99&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  An exciting opportunity has arisen for an empathetic and motivated Associate Practitioner to join the multi award-winning Integrated Access Partnership (IAP).

  As part of our multidisciplinary team, you will assist with providing mental health triage, assessment and support to individuals experiencing mental health crisis. Using your communication and engagement skills, you will help us deliver the right care at the right time, improving outcomes for service users.

  This rotational role involves:

  • Telephone triage, assessment and support.
  • Support with face-to-face crisis assessments.
  • Emotional support and short-term interventions.
  • Supporting service users to access appropriate services.
  • Liaising with professionals across health, emergency services and the third sector.

  We are looking for someone with:

  • Significant experience of working in a mental health setting.
  • Knowledge of mental health frameworks and recovery principles.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication abilities within a mental health setting.
  • A compassionate, person-centred approach.
  • Flexible and adaptable to change.

  Main duties of the job

  This is a rotational post within the IAP, with opportunities to work across all bases, including; the Ambulance Service clinical hub (SWAST, Bradley Stoke, Bristol), NHS 111 Mental Health Clinical Assessment Service (Brisdoc, Whitchurch, Bristol).

  Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, helping to assess and support individuals experiencing mental health crisis is incredibly rewarding. You will be working alongside emergency and urgent care services and will be assessing people of all ages, whatever their mental health difficulty at the first point of contact. The majority of this work is telephone based but there will be the opportunity for face to face engagement in the community.

  Our aim is to provide direct access to mental health services, providing a timely response, which improves the outcome and experience for service users.

  The IAP are an innovative team who strive to provide compassionate and person centred care to those accessing our service.

  If you are eager and have the skills and experience to work with people experiencing mental health crisis and emotional distress, we would love to hear from you.

  We offer strong supervision and support, training and development, induction and appraisal and the chance to be part of a fantastic multi award winning service.

  About us

  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.

  Details

  Date posted

  09 July 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 4

  Salary

  £26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata (pending pay award)

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Full-time, Part-time

  Reference number

  342-BR107-0725

  Job locations

  Bradley Stoke (Bristol) or Whitchurch (Bristol)

  Bristol

  BS32 4QJ

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  To provide focused, person-centred assessment and support to people experiencing an acute mental health crisis. You will identify and assess a persons needs, enabling appropriate support, signposting and onward referral to services where required, under indirect supervision of a registered colleague. This will be remote and face-to-face assessments across the model. You will work alongside registered healthcare professionals to provide recovery and solution-focused care which:

  Prioritises service-users and carers needs and preferences, and their respect, privacy and dignity.

  Prioritises patient safety, and functions in accordance with local and national safeguarding, risk management and suicide prevention processes.

  Promotes and develops personal strengths, enabling and empowering people and their families to manage their mental health issues in as non-restrictive a way as possible.

  Recognises mental health recovery as a holistic process, encompassing individuals physical, psychological, emotional, financial and social wellbeing

  You will:

  Promote and champion the rights, values, responsibilities and diversity of people.

  Promote and maintain effective communication with people in order to build and sustain positive working relationships with individuals, families and carers, team members and other agencies. This may include accessing translation and interpreting services.

  Contribute to the planning, implementation and review of care packages, where applicable, including implementing specific parts of an individual care plan.

  Working autonomously within relevant practice boundaries, under indirect supervision of registered clinicians.

  Conduct comprehensive assessments of mental health needs and clinical risks.

  Maintain accurate, confidential records of patient activity, contributing to a range of written documents as appropriate, including reports, referrals and letters.

  Enable people to understand and manage their mental health needs in line with their care plan and relapse prevention strategies. This may include enabling people to manage their own domestic and personal resources, housing needs, and enabling people to access learning / training, or work opportunities.

  Support individuals in developing and maintaining their identity and personal relationships, including potentially difficult relationships.

  Support people with mental health needs to engage with their own health care, in accordance with their care plan.

  Act to protect individuals from abuse and harm in line with local and National policies and procedures (e.g. Safeguarding, Risk Management, Suicide Prevention).

  Work proactively with carers and families, identifying carers needs and signposting to appropriate services or agencies.

  Proactively develop your knowledge and practice, making use of both clinical and management supervision and available learning opportunities.

  Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the workplace.

  Our comprehensive onboarding package, ongoing training and supervision supports your development in this highly rewarding frontline role.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  To provide focused, person-centred assessment and support to people experiencing an acute mental health crisis. You will identify and assess a persons needs, enabling appropriate support, signposting and onward referral to services where required, under indirect supervision of a registered colleague. This will be remote and face-to-face assessments across the model. You will work alongside registered healthcare professionals to provide recovery and solution-focused care which:

  Prioritises service-users and carers needs and preferences, and their respect, privacy and dignity.

  Prioritises patient safety, and functions in accordance with local and national safeguarding, risk management and suicide prevention processes.

  Promotes and develops personal strengths, enabling and empowering people and their families to manage their mental health issues in as non-restrictive a way as possible.

  Recognises mental health recovery as a holistic process, encompassing individuals physical, psychological, emotional, financial and social wellbeing

  You will:

  Promote and champion the rights, values, responsibilities and diversity of people.

  Promote and maintain effective communication with people in order to build and sustain positive working relationships with individuals, families and carers, team members and other agencies. This may include accessing translation and interpreting services.

  Contribute to the planning, implementation and review of care packages, where applicable, including implementing specific parts of an individual care plan.

  Working autonomously within relevant practice boundaries, under indirect supervision of registered clinicians.

  Conduct comprehensive assessments of mental health needs and clinical risks.

  Maintain accurate, confidential records of patient activity, contributing to a range of written documents as appropriate, including reports, referrals and letters.

  Enable people to understand and manage their mental health needs in line with their care plan and relapse prevention strategies. This may include enabling people to manage their own domestic and personal resources, housing needs, and enabling people to access learning / training, or work opportunities.

  Support individuals in developing and maintaining their identity and personal relationships, including potentially difficult relationships.

  Support people with mental health needs to engage with their own health care, in accordance with their care plan.

  Act to protect individuals from abuse and harm in line with local and National policies and procedures (e.g. Safeguarding, Risk Management, Suicide Prevention).

  Work proactively with carers and families, identifying carers needs and signposting to appropriate services or agencies.

  Proactively develop your knowledge and practice, making use of both clinical and management supervision and available learning opportunities.

  Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the workplace.

  Our comprehensive onboarding package, ongoing training and supervision supports your development in this highly rewarding frontline role.

  Person Specification

  Education and Qualification

  Essential

  • Possession of, or the ability and willingness to work towards, an appropriate Level 5 vocational qualification (Foundation Degree in Mental Health or Health and Social Care)
  • Level 2 Functional Skills (e.g. GCSE Mathematics and English Language Grade C/4 or above or equivalent).

  Desirable

  • Training in psychosocial interventions (e.g. CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing).
  • Training in an allied field such as counselling, mediation or advocacy.

  Experience and Knowledge

  Essential

  • Significant experience (2 years +) of working in a mental health setting in the UK
  • Sound knowledge and understanding of mental health issues, including UK mental health frameworks e.g MHA/MCA

  Desirable

  • Previous community experience working within a mental health setting
  • Experience of working in a health customer care environment, eg an Advice Centre, Telephone Helpline or Advocacy Service.
  • Experience of conducting or assisting with front-line mental health assessments

  Skills and Abilities

  Essential

  • Ability to use initiative appropriately, making decisions within the context of the role and service.
  • Well-developed listening skills and effective verbal communication skills, and ability to communicate both face to face, via email and by telephone.

  Person Specification

  Education and Qualification

  Essential

  • Possession of, or the ability and willingness to work towards, an appropriate Level 5 vocational qualification (Foundation Degree in Mental Health or Health and Social Care)
  • Level 2 Functional Skills (e.g. GCSE Mathematics and English Language Grade C/4 or above or equivalent).

  Desirable

  • Training in psychosocial interventions (e.g. CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing).
  • Training in an allied field such as counselling, mediation or advocacy.

  Experience and Knowledge

  Essential

  • Significant experience (2 years +) of working in a mental health setting in the UK
  • Sound knowledge and understanding of mental health issues, including UK mental health frameworks e.g MHA/MCA

  Desirable

  • Previous community experience working within a mental health setting
  • Experience of working in a health customer care environment, eg an Advice Centre, Telephone Helpline or Advocacy Service.
  • Experience of conducting or assisting with front-line mental health assessments

  Skills and Abilities

  Essential

  • Ability to use initiative appropriately, making decisions within the context of the role and service.
  • Well-developed listening skills and effective verbal communication skills, and ability to communicate both face to face, via email and by telephone.

  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.

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

  Address

  Bradley Stoke (Bristol) or Whitchurch (Bristol)

  Bristol

  BS32 4QJ

  
  

  Employer's website

  http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

  Address

  Bradley Stoke (Bristol) or Whitchurch (Bristol)

  Bristol

  BS32 4QJ

  
  

  Employer's website

  http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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