Mental health assistant Jobs in Ajax, ON

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Advanced First Contact Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 16 February 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full time Advanced First Contact Mental Health Practitioner to work within primary care within the South Hambleton and Ryedale PCN

In this attractive, flexible, role the post holder has opportunity of working within primary care, with non-working weekends and the benefit of bank holidays!

This role is fundamental to the development of inclusive & integrated mental health services.

NMC Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers (England), HCPC Occupational Therapist encouraged to apply.

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting, and innovative post to support the needs of the local population living with mental health difficulties. The role holder will fulfil an 'Advanced first contact' specialist mental health role within GP Practices across the Primary Care Network (PCN), seeing patients who would otherwise have traditionally seen a GP. Within the primary care setting, the role holder will work in a collaborative and multi-agency way. This will contribute to the safe and effective day to day operation of the PCN and the efficient and timely management of clinical enquiries and decision-making.

The post will sit within the GP Practices and will facilitate the interface between Primary Care and Secondary Mental Health Services to provide specialist advice and support, assessment, treatment, education and solution-focused approaches to the local Primary Care Teams, for patients and carers.

The post holder will manage their daily clinics and act as a specialist advisor to GP's, such as specialist opinion or prescribing support (within the parameters of the Non-medical prescribing / NMP framework) and providing supervision and oversight of First Contact Mental Health Practitioners.

You will be a non-medical prescriber or be willing to study towards this accreditation. Experience of cognitive behavioural therapy would be advantageous.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care – our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

Job responsibilities

You will assume an active leadership role in the establishment of partnerships and networks with key stakeholders across the PCN and the wider mental health care system. To offer specialist advice to, or obtain advice for, the Primary Care Team on appropriate interventions and on-going patient care management.

To lead on the creation and development of links and a culture of partnership between Primary Care Teams and Mental Health Services, promoting clear communication and access to specialist knowledge and advice. This ensures that each person, once assessed, receives the best possible care in the right place at the right time and by the right supporting service.

To take a leading role in the facilitation of joint working relationships across PCN, Secondary Care providers, and the Voluntary Care Sector to increase the range of services / interventions available to the communities served.

To facilitate others in the team to develop competence by providing clinical advice and clinical supervision to practice based First Contact Mental Health Practitioners and other practice staff as appropriate, including other less experienced practice based mental health workers and students.

To provide specialist clinical advice, consultation, and support to other care providers within primary, secondary, voluntary and statutory services as required.

To attend PCN meetings and work with PCN members to develop and implement joint governance and clinical multidisciplinary forums.

To assume a leadership role and responsibility within the existing Mental Health multidisciplinary (MDT) meetings across the PCN.

To promote, develop and manage clear links, pathways and information sharing processes between existing services, and when appropriate, advise the GPs on alternative approaches to improve case management.

To provide support, education and guidance of common mental health problems and their management to colleagues across the multi-disciplinary team(s), so they develop their skills and confidence in assessment and treatment of mental health needs.

To collate and organise contemporaneous information about opportunities and resources in the local area which may be of benefit to clients referred to the service (e.g. voluntary and community organisations, educational and recreational opportunities).

To facilitate sign posting to other appropriate services and occasionally undertake very short-term interventions for clients with mild to moderate mental health difficulties (average length of time expected to be 6 weeks). Working alongside the PCN staff, which could include a care coordination team and social prescribing link worker.

To be professionally accountable and responsible for patient care, providing brief, time-limited therapeutic interventions in GP surgeries, patients homes and other primary care settings.

In line with the principles for community transformation, you will ensure systems / pathways are in place to enable smooth transition between primary care and secondary mental health services.

To work closely with Primary Care Network, GPs and Social Prescribers / other practice-based mental health workers within the locality regarding the mental health needs of their adult practice population.

South Hambleton and Ryedale PCN

Heatherwhite2@nhs.net

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Current professional registration with appropriate body in healthcare or socialwork - HCPC registration, NMC registration or Social Work England Registration
• Ability to evidence Continuing Professional Development since registration
• Certificate in mentoring, teaching & assessing in clinical practice as appropriate to own profession
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area.
• Clinical Supervisor
• Recognised sign-off mentor (or equivalent) for students or must be achieved within agreed timescale
• Key skills in literacy, numeracy and ITQ level 2 (or equivalent
• NMP (or willing to work towards within an agreed timescale, if relevant to professional registration).

Experience

Knowledge

Personal Attribuetes

Other Requriments

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.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

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