Mental health practitioner | Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
| Posting date: | 08 October 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £38,682 - £46,580 per annum, pro rata for part time |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 07 November 2025 |
| Location: | Colchester, CO4 5HG |
| Company: | Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 7524015/364-A-9426 |
Summary
An exciting opportunity has risen within the North East Essex Single Point Access, a front door and triage of referrals into adult mental health services. We are looking an experienced mental health professional to take on the role of a Mental Health SPA Practitioner. We are looking for a part time registered mental health nurse, occupational therapist or social worker. The role requires predominantly office-based working at our SPA office at Severalls House, Colchester, Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm.
The SPA Practitioner is responsible for using excellent communication skills to monitor, assess, screen and triage all referrals received into the dedicated NESPA inbox, ensuring these are directed to the most appropriate support in a timely manner. Where necessary SPA will carry out dedicated initial assessments to fully identify service-user’s needs, to explore all possible avenues of appropriate support, available within the wider community. To integrate the mental health agenda, build community resilience, support early identification of mental health concerns, and improve general mental wellbeing, through the delivery of training, consultation support, and advice. To evaluate and make decisions on suitability of new referrals. In order to do this effectively, the SPA Practitioner will work closely with referrers, people who access our services (as well as family, friends and carers), and other stakeholders.
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
• Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
• Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
• If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
• We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.
Benefits
• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
• Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
• Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
• £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
• Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
• Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
• Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.
Carrying out a range of assessments including telephone, virtual and face to face.
• Travelling to different trust locations and service-user’s homes to complete assessments
• Planning, attending, and contributing to a range of professional and MDT meetings
• Keeping the people who access our services as safe as possible through the use of sound clinical skills, effective risk assessments and information gathering.
• Ensuring the best possible clinical outcomes by using up-to-date skills and adhering to evidence based policies and procedures
• Ensuring the people who contact our services have a good experience by respecting, empowering and working in partnership with people throughout the care planning process
• Gather further information from the referrer, patient, their carers and other organisations as necessary to assist in appropriate screening and assessment of referrals.
• Demonstrate good risk assessment and management skills, ensuring that decisions made regarding referrals are in the interests of the individual patient’s needs and their safety, upgrading referrals where necessary.
• Be fully conversant with statutory and non-statutory services across Essex
• Redirect referrals into specialist mental health services where appropriate, and liaise with these teams as necessary.
• Liaise with Primary Care Network practitioners where appropriate
• Signpost callers on as appropriate into non-statutory, third sector services.
• Respond to referrals within time limits set out
• Ensuring that referrals are prioritised depending on the urgency of the referral.
• Ensure safe and effective delivery of care / advice to patients and their carers, utilising own knowledge and skills
• Provide support, information and education to family members, carers and other professionals who may access the SPA
• Build and maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders, such as PCN practitioners, GP’s, IAPT, and others
• Maintain a good public image of the SPA by dealing with all calls and referrals in a professional manner
• Be aware of appropriate escalation procedures in relation to difficult calls, i.e. a suicidal patient etc.
• Ensure that there is effective liaison / communication pathways with other services
• Participate in both clinical and managerial 1:1 support in relation to the role
• Participate in the ongoing training / teaching / reflective practice sessions as required
• Participate in the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the SPA process, ensuring that all required data is collected
• Monitor standards of clinical practice of the SPA, recommending changes where necessary
• Ensure that all professional and Trust-wide clinical policies and procedures are adhered to
• Be responsible for the maintenance and accurate patient records on relevant patient information system (i.e. Paris, System One, EMIS)
• Attending and participating in a range of professional and MDT meetings including Child protection, MARAC, and other safeguarding meetings
This advert closes on Wednesday 22 Oct 2025