Senior Practitioner

Job summary

This post is open to experienced RMNs, mental health social workers or OTs who wish to broaden their work experience and further develop their skills and knowledge in the Croydon Assessment and Liaison team.

Candidates to please be aware that Croydon is currently undergoing a transition into Neighbourhood Centres. As part of this transformation the successful candidates may be subject to role to reallocation to different teams as a result.

We provide a service for people aged 18-65, who live in the London Borough of Croydon. We provide advice on the best treatment and care options available to people who have moderate to severe mental illness, such as anxiety, depression or personality disorder.We work with a team of health and social care professionals including nurses, doctors, and social workers. We also work closely with the patients, their carers and GPs.

Main duties of the job

To work as a highly experienced autonomous practitioner carrying out specialist needs assessments, care planning, implementation and evaluation to a significant number of adults referred to the Croydon Assessment and Liaison Team. The Senior Practitioner will assess and formulate a care plan and offer brief interventions (up to 12 weeks) with mental health service users, signpost to other services and discharge to primary care where appropriate/possible and supervise community practitioners. Communications and Working Relationships: Multidisciplinary Team, other borough teams, external agencies and primary care – daily.

The senior practitioner will support the team leader to ensure service delivery (i.e. meeting target measures, managing staff absences, supervision of junior staff) and provide management cover in the team leaders absence.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Registered Mental Health Nurse/ Occupational Therapist or Social Worker

Desirable

• evidence of other advanced education e.g. management qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a CMHT
• Experience of working with and addressing issues of diversity including experience of working within a multicultural framework
• experience of conducting biopsychosocial assessments and risk assessments
• experience of working with service users with depression, anxiety and personality difficulties using evidence based interventions – NICE guidelines

Desirable

• experience of working with primary/secondary care, working with GPs
• Experience of team management

Knowledge

Essential

• An understanding of the relationship between primary and secondary care services
• Knowledge of key legislation and guidelines in relation to statutory mental health responsibilities, including Safeguarding Adults, Young people and children
• An understanding of the stepped care model of delivery of psychological therapies for depression, anxiety and personality disorder
• Knowledge and expertise in the management of complex risk and crisis
• Understanding of KPIs

Desirable

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment
• Knowledge of Datix and how to complete Fact Finder reports

Skills and ability

Essential

• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and sensitive information to clients, families and colleagues
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate and to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive and/or challenging behaviour

Desirable

• Transferable skills and knowledge relevant to work with working age adults with severe and enduring disorders in secondary care
• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and sensitive information to clients, families and colleagues

Closing Date: 19 July 2026