Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary

Are you an experienced mental health professional looking for a new challenge? Would you like to add military mental healthcare to your career portfolio? We are looking for someone with vision, substantial clinical experience and drive who can adapt to a new organisational culture whilst still adhering to the highest standards of professional practice. Your experience of assessing and managing risk will help to keep our serving military personnel safe whilst your clinical skills and knowledge will support timely and efficient service delivery. Experience of working with military populations would be welcome but it is by no means a pre-requisite for
application. Your commitment and enthusiasm are more important!

We are seeking to recruit a full-time (37.5 hours) mental health practitioners to join a military Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) and Defence Mental Health Network (DMHN). DCMHs are multi-disciplinary teams comprising military and civilian staff: psychiatrists, mental health nurses, social workers, mental health practitioners and psychologists. The job is challenging and varied. Whilst there are similarities with NHS roles, to make the most of this opportunity you will need to be willing to embrace a different organisational culture, take on significant responsibility for risk management and apply your clinical skills in new and interesting ways.

Job description

As the successful post holder, you will provide a rapid, timely and high-quality mental health service to all patients referred to the Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) and Defence Mental Health Network (DMHN) for assessment and treatment of mental health problems and implementing changes as and when vital.

You will need to be experienced, enthusiastic and committed to service delivery and improvement.

Being able to cope well under pressure, be flexible and assertive and have the ability to communicate at all levels. Functioning as a member of the MDT, whilst working autonomously.

The post holder will provide flexible and individualised care packages to meet the mental health (MH) needs of military personnel with mental health problems.

Person specification

Duties and responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

• Receiving, appraising, and advising on the direct referrals for mental health problems from relevant General Practitioners/Medical Officers GP/MO.
• Providing initial assessment and formulation of the mental health and treatment needs for referred patients, planning, implementing, and evaluating care with a high level of autonomy.
• Delivering up to date, evidence-based interventions for mental health problems based on guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Treatment Agency (NTA), which can include individual, group and tele-therapy.
• Ability to carry out comprehensive mental health assessments and make decisions about ways to positively manage risk.
• Ability to devise creative and effective care packages of support for adult mental health, communicating effectively with clients/patients and professionals, both orally and in writing.

Please see attached Terms of reference for role requirements in further detail.

Essential Experience:

• Experience of working with people with mental health problems
• Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of mental health practice from previous experience
• Knowledge of Community Mental Health Framework (CMHF) formerly care programme approach.
• Understanding and contribution to the Clinical Governance Agenda
• Previous experience in similar role Risk assessment experience
• Crisis resolution and risk management experience

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in delivering National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended psychological interventions
• Ability to run clinical and psychoeducation groups
• Experience of supervising staff or receiving supervision
• Post graduate qualifications in an evidence based psychological therapy
• Have at least 18 months post qualification experience.

Essential Knowledge and skills:

• Ability to carry out comprehensive mental health assessments and make decisions about ways to positively manage risk
• Skills in effective risk assessment and risk management
• Ability to devise creative and effective care packages for common mental disorders in adult mental health
• Ability to communicate effectively with clients/patients and professionals, both orally and in writing
• Ability to work under pressure, managing own caseload and time
• Effectively prioritising own work load and using team resources effectively
• Responding flexibly and appropriately to unforeseen circumstances and the developing needs of the service
• Computer literate including competent use of email/internet, Microsoft office software and medical record systems

Qualifications

Training in Mental Health Nursing, Mental Health Social Work or
Occupational therapy (Mental Health Experience).
Evidence of CPD and professional portfolio in support of above registration.
OR
Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) qualification plus sufficient post qualification experience working as a qualified PWP to confer eligibility for Senior PWP designation.

Memberships

Registered with one the following regulatory bodies: NMC, HCPC
Registered with Social Work England SSSC, the CCW or NISCC
Or Current registration with British Psychological Society (BPS) or British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).
Please provide your registration numbers.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• NHS Health & Wellbeing – HWB2 – Assessment & Care Planning
• NHS Health & Wellbeing – HWB6 – Assessment & Treatment Planning
• NHS Health & Wellbeing – HWB7 – Interventions & Treatment
• NHS Information & Knowledge – NHS IK1 – Information Processing

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Professional registration fee re-imbursed
• NHS Pension
• Parking

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

At application stage you will be assessed again the following:

The selection at sift stage will be based solely on your CV application.

Please ensure you fully demonstrate your knowledge, skills and experience.

Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the Terms of reference. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.

When choosing your Technical Skills examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

At interview you will be assessed again the following:

NHS Health & Wellbeing – HWB2 – Assessment & Care Planning

NHS Health & Wellbeing – HWB6 – Assessment & Treatment Planning

NHS Health & Wellbeing – HWB7 – Interventions & Treatment

NHS Information & Knowledge – NHS IK1 – Information Processing

You will be assessed against a case study at interview.

Further Information:

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date.

Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

Travel to interview costs will not be reimbursed.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

We will consider requests to work flexibly, taking into account business needs.

Please note the salary will be pro-rata where part time hours are undertaken.

Access to the NHS pension scheme is available to the successful candidate.

If found successful for this position, you will be required to provide evidence of your immunity to Hepatitis B. Please note that evidence of your vaccination is not a proof of your immunity, but your serology levels will be required. Failure to provide sufficient evidence may result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. Making the Civil Service a Great Place to Work for Veterans - GOV.UK

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact dbscivpers-sgdmsresourcing@mod.gov.uk.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : joanne howl
• Email : joanne.howl100@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dbscivpers-sgdmsresourcing@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please see the attached further information document

Attachments

terms of reference Opens in new window (pdf, 253kB)DMS_Candidate_Pack (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 686kB)Further Information - External (1) Opens in new window (docx, 37kB)FAQs updated 07.01.2025 (1) Opens in new window (docx, 50kB)