Senior Mental Health Practitioner – Assertive Outreach Team: Sponsorship Available

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

If you’re passionate about helping people with severe and enduring mental health needs live fulfilling, independent lives, this could be the role for you.

As a Band 6 Community Mental Health Professional within the South Somerset Assertive Outreach Team, you’ll make a meaningful difference every day by supporting people with some of the most complex mental health challenges in the community. Working closely with service users, families, carers, and partner organisations, you’ll help individuals achieve their goals, maintain their wellbeing, and access the support they need to thrive. This role is based within the South Somerset Assertive Outreach Team at Holly Court, Yeovil.

You’ll join a compassionate, multidisciplinary team that values collaboration, innovation, and person-centred care. Alongside managing your own caseload, you’ll have opportunities to develop your leadership skills, support colleagues, contribute to service improvement projects, and help shape the future of community mental health services.

Whether you’re an experienced mental health nurse, occupational therapist, or social worker looking to progress your career, this is an opportunity to work in a supportive environment where your expertise and ideas will be valued.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will:

  • Deliver high-quality mental health assessment, care planning, and ongoing support for people with severe and enduring mental health needs.
  • Manage a defined caseload, building therapeutic relationships with individuals who may find it difficult to engage with services.
  • Work collaboratively with families, carers, inpatient services, community teams, GPs, and partner organisations to ensure coordinated and effective care.
  • Support people to develop independence and confidence in areas such as daily living, housing, finances, communication, and community participation.
  • Provide professional guidance, mentorship, and supervision to colleagues and students, helping to develop the skills and confidence of the wider team.
  • Contribute to service development, quality improvement initiatives, audits, and evaluation activities that enhance patient care.
  • Play an active role in team leadership, supporting the Team Manager to maintain high standards of care and service delivery.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • RMN, Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification
  • Current registration with relevant professional body
  • Commitment to Continuing Professional Development

Desirable

  • Evidence of recent relevant training.
  • Mentor qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Post qualification experience in mental health
  • Experience at Band 6 level or 2 years experience in community mental health teams at band 5
  • Experience of care planning

Desirable

  • Working with severe and enduring mental health problems.
  • Working with clients in their own homes.
  • Working with clients who are difficult to engage.
  • Supervision of staff

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Knowledge of current developments in community mental health and assertive outreach

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 26 October 2026

To apply for this job please visit somersetft.tal.net.