Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Job summary
We are seeking a dynamic, highly motivated
& enthusiastic Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse for a Senior Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) post with the Forensic Intellectual and Neurodevelopmental
disorder team (FIND) based at Easby House.
The FIND Team is managed within the Secure
Services directorate in Devon Partnership NHS Trust. This role is in the FIND
team which is based in the Community Forensic Services (CFS). The CFS is
comprised of three teams including the Specialist Community Forensic team
(SCFT), FIND and the Forensic Personality Disorder service (FPDs). Since 2021
the CFS have been working to integrate the management of the SCFT, FIND and FPD
teams to ensure a single point of entry to the service, centralising triage and
gatekeeping functions. This is an exciting opportunity to join our FIND team at one of the
country’s most respected providers of secure mental health services.
FIND aims to reduce length of stay for
secure care patients with a primary diagnosis of Learning Disability (LD),
Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and/or Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and reduce
the use of out of area or specialist placements in order to support /
facilitate the use of South West network beds. This involves the development of a structured approach of direct work with patients (e.g. intervention, specialist assessment, case management) as well as indirect work with staff teams (e.g. consultation, training, supervision).
- The scheduledinterview date is 20th July 2026
Main duties of the job
The post
holder will be a core member of a multi-disciplinary FIND service, and will be
responsible for taking an active role in carrying out the functions of that
team; including carrying a case load of varying complexity, with a principle
focus on service users who would benefit most from an specialist forensic LD
and A intervention. The post holder will provide expert assessment and
treatment for people with complex difficulties and their carers. This will
include recovery care co-ordination (design and co-ordination of treatment
packages that are personalised and evaluated).
The
post holder will deliver care management, assessment, care planning, review and
evaluation. The liaison with a wide range of statutory and non-statutory
agencies is central to this role. The post holder will contribute to the
clinical leadership of the team, providing supervision for other members and
participating in team and service development, and evaluation.
You will often work under pressure and without
direct supervision, so we are looking for someone confident and capable. You
will prioritise tasks, and manage your own workload, providing support for your
colleagues where required.
Working as part of Devon Partnership NHS
Trust, you will make a difference to peoples lives from the moment you start.
We expect all our staff to embrace this way of
working, recognising the equal value of everyone involved in service design and
delivery.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- An understanding of the Mental Health Act and Mental Health Capacity Act requirements
- Awareness of community structures and social care management responsibilities
- Understanding of recovery principles
- Good working knowledge of health legislation and current practice including CPA, CeTR and risk assessment and management
- Training and presentation skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Group work skills
- Ability to communicate with a wide range of professionals from various settings
- Ability to assess and develop plans to manage risk.
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance and ethical issues.
- Skilled in assessing, planning and evaluating profession specific interventions.
- Demonstrate an ability and awareness to maintain personal and professional boundaries
- Able to plan creatively to maximise effectiveness of care plans, including complex multi-agency care plans
- Able to work independently and as part of a team.
- Excellent self-management skills and ability to set own priorities
- Ability to take initiative and develop new ideas
- To support patients with their medication. This may include administration on IM medication as per relevant policies
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to be mobile across a geographical area
- To be able to respond promptly to physical and mental health emergencies, to think quickly and to deal with situations in a calm and sensible manner
Experience
Essential
- Established learning disability, autism and acquired brain injury experience
- Experience of managing an extensive and complex caseload of clients with a range of complex forensic needs
- Working within a community mental health setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector.
- Experience of clinical supervision for qualified and/or support staff
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.
- Understanding of current issues within secure services, clinical governance issues, practice education and implications for your chosen profession
- Application of health and safety and risk management policies
- Awareness of the implications of long-term institutional care
- Understanding of team dynamics
Qualifications
Essential
- NMC Professional Registration (Mental Health / Learning Disability)
- Post graduate qualification relevant to forensic mental health
- Student supervisor/assessor or Practice Educator accreditation or equivalent
- Evidence of Post Graduate Courses, on-going training and development in theory and practice in chosen profession.
Closing Date: 31 August 2026
To apply for this job please visit www.jobs.nhs.uk.