Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 354-AE-21083-C
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Eastbourne Wellbeing Centre
- Town
- Eastbourne
- Salary
- £37,338 - £44,962 pa / pro rata for part time
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 09/04/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Mental Health Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 6
Come and join us
We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.
So what can we offer you in return?
We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.
You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.
As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.
If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.
Job overview
We're looking for Staying Well Practitioners to join a new created service in Eastbourne which is co-produced with Southdown, a VCSE partner in Sussex.
We are looking for experienced and registered mental health professionals from all disciplines, including Social Workers, Nurses and OT's. For these roles it is essential you are registered with NMC/HCPC/Social Work England & that you have experience of crisis assessment in any setting that provides a safety care plan
The service operates every day, the shifts are Monday to Friday 4pm until 11pm and weekends 2pm until 11pm. We have a range of hours and shifts available and there are generous enhancements for evening and weekends.
Based on a 'crisis café' model, the service provides an opportunity for anyone over 18 years experiencing a mental health crisis, including a self- defined crisis, to present to Staying Well as an alternative to A&E. They will be find a warm, welcoming environment with a supportive and responsive team of mental health workers on site.
This post offers the Trust's £2,000 Golden Hello or Relocation Incentive for Band 5-6 Nurses & Practitioners, (pro rata and subject to terms and conditions; please see attached Protocol Document for full details).
Main duties of the job
As a registered mental health professional, we ask you to support Recovery Workers in delivering person centred care in a safe, supportive and therapeutic environment, that is conducive to reducing emotional and psychological distress, promoting independence, and assist in the recovery for all adult mental health users of services in the community.
Sussex Partnership mental health professionals on site are Trusted Assessors and are able to ensure a smooth transition into crisis services should this be required without the need for further assessment, meaning signposting to A&E can be avoided.
What we are looking for:
The skills we are looking for from Practitioners in our Staying Well services would be:
-Experience of working in mental health services
-Knowledgeable of psycho-social factors which can precipitate crisis and impact on the safety and wellbeing of service users.
-Be experienced in offering psycho-social interventions to those with mental health difficulties.
-Knowledgeable of factors which can impact on safety for all staff working collaboratively to deliver person centred care in crisis.
-Have experience of crisis assessment in any setting that provides a safety care plan.
Career Progression: . We are committed to providing a working environment where you can progress your career. We will support you to develop your skillset in this challenging and rewarding work setting.
Working for our organisation
Living and working in East Sussex: Which covers Brighton and Eastbourne) has some of the most beautiful and varied countryside in southern England and including many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but with great access to London. Working in East Sussex gives you easy access to airports, ferries and Eurostar providing easy travel options. Sussex benefits from excellent rail links served by South Eastern Trains, South West Trains and Southern Railway.
Key Benefits: Excellent NHS Pension, Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays), Access to NHS discount schemes, support from our organisational wellbeing team, with supervision reflective practice, and opportunities for training and development
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is committed to becoming a diverse employer and inclusive workplace. If you have specific needs or a disability and require support throughout the application or recruitment process, we can help.
Mission and Values: Our mission is to champion the rights of people with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities, working with system partners to improve the care they receive.
For more information on the SPFT Recruitment Process and FAQs please: click here
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Working in Staying Well Services: Staying Well promotes empowerment by giving people using the service opportunities to identify their own needs; support with the immediate crisis, and encouragement to make their own choices. It enables individuals to draw on their own strengths, develop coping strategies that build resilience to manage any future crises through the development of a wellness and recovery plan. Staying Well will adopt 'Upstream and Downstream' principles, providing preventative as well as responsive interventions.
However, we want to acknowledge that people often sell themselves short when looking at job requirements. So even if you don't meet every criteria, we would still love to talk to you as we may be able to offer you support or on the job training.
For more information on main duties of the role please look at the attached Job Description.
Person specification
Essential and Desirable
Essential criteria
- Registered Nurse, Social Work England or HCPC registered professional with current registration appropriate to the job role.
- Degree/diploma level supplemented by specialist qualification, training, experience, courses to masters level equivalent relevant to the care group
- Evidence of post registration training in relevant service area
- Extensive post qualifying experience in relevant service area
- Experience of supervising staff and students
- Comprehensive knowledge of interventions specific to service area
- Awareness of Trust policies and service specification
- Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills with staff, patients, families, carers and professionals
- Able to establish links with other services and professionals
- Able to effectively manage risk
- Participate in service development
- Able to lead clinical discussions in team
- Able to use Trust IT systems to enter patient information, case notes, risk, Care Notes
Desirable criteria
- Lived experience of mental health issues
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Alison Bradbury
- Job title
- Team leader
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07710379841
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