Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner (ARRS Scheme)

at  Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Please note the PayScale currently in use in Agenda for Change 2023/2024. We will update the 2024/2025 PayScale once confirmed.
Day-to-Day the successful applicant will be employed by the Trust (BHFT), but based within GP surgeries, seeing primary care patients and working on primary care systems, but with a specific mental health focus.
That being so, patients coming into primary care with mental health difficulties – rather than having a 10-minute appointment with a GP – will have a 15-30 minute appointment with a senior Mental Health Practitioner (Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist).
Most ARRS Mental Health practitioners see 14 patients on a normal day. Equally, there is no caseload , nor CPAs, nor funding applications for packages of care, nor management responsibilities – so the ancillary tasks that come with secondary care roles are certainly less.
The ARRS project has been running for about two years now, and it’s been an enormous success – patients are happy with the service, GP colleagues are happy as mental health needs are dealt with in primary carer more efficiently – and the ARRS Mental Health Practitioners wh o like the role really like it, but equally it’s not for everyone. If you really enjoy patient contact and fast-paced work, this wou ld suit you down to the ground, but obviously with that comes less flexibility around things like home-working, working hours , managing your own diary etc.
As above, day-to-day the successful applicant will be physically based within GP surgeries. Each Primary Care Network (PCN) has abou t 4 GP surgeries, and ARRS workers usually spend a day in all the surgeries on rotation.
Your clinics, like GPs’ clinics, are populated by Surgery receptionists. Appointments are split between initial appointments ( generally 30 mins) and follow-ups (15 mins). Key tasks involve mental state examinations, liaising with secondary services and Talking Therapies , making onward referrals.
If you’re a Non-Medical Prescriber and/or have an ‘Advanced History Taking’ qualification, that would be ideal (but is not necessary) . Respectively these would enable you to initiate first-line pharmacological treatments for Anxiety and Depression (the most common presentations in primary care ; and ascribe formal diagnoses.
Most applicants don’t have these qualifications, which is absolutely fine , but it means a little bit more GP contact/oversight is required when it comes to initiating and monitoring treatments in Primary Care.
You’ll have access to all the same training and CPD materials and opportunities as any other clinician involved in the trust, and your line manager and clinical supervisor will be based within BHFT.
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.
We value diversity and are proud to be a Stonewall Top 100 Employer. We work hard to create an inclusive environment where you’ll be supported by friendly and professional colleagues to flourish.

A core qualification (Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist) with current registration.
At least 2 years’ experience in statutory Mental Health Services in the community ,
A t least 1 years’ experience at Band 6 level (or equivalent).
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification. We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted. For further application tips – see the help with your application document attached once you click apply.
If you’re someone who shares our passion for excellence and care, you belong at Berkshire Healthcare!
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required