Senior Mental Health Practitioner – Supported Transfer of Care (STC)

This position requires a candidate who has a deep understanding of the NHS Long Term Plan and a passion for working within the emerging neighbourhood model in Newham. Key responsibilities include enhancing access to mental health services, bolstering community-based support, and fostering prevention and recovery efforts. Applicants should illustrate how these priorities shape their clinical practice and service delivery.

We are looking for someone with a track record in service development, particularly in designing, improving, or implementing services that boost outcomes and accessibility for service users. This could involve quality improvement initiatives, pathway redesign, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and community partners. Candidates should also possess insight into the broader mental health landscape, including key partners and areas of systemic pressure.

A genuine interest in developing new pathways is crucial, paired with a commitment to person-centred approaches that promote independence and support within the community. The STC Practitioner will be expected to operate autonomously and self-directed, managing their workload effectively, making confident decisions, and working flexibly within an evolving service environment. Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with partners to facilitate change will be essential.

Main duties of the job

We are transforming the way we support individuals stepping down from secondary care mental health services to Primary Care. The STC Practitioner will play a critical role in this transformation by providing visible clinical and professional leadership, leading on the coordination of safe supported discharge and transition into community-based holistic care, and shaping service development alongside partners.

This model supports people for up to 12 months post-discharge, using a named worker approach, with strong emphasis on:

Holistic and preventative support

Physical health and wellbeing

Meaningful social connection

Recovery-focused, person centred care

Strategic community-engagement and relationships

Person specification

Education and training

Essential

• Registered Professional in either Nursing (Mental Health), Social Work or Occupational Therapy, with current registration with NMC, Social Work England or HCPC.
• Evidence of post registration continued professional development, qualifications or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

• Experience practicing as a Mental Health professional in the Community
• Previous experience of functioning as a team member
• Previous experience of Management and Clinical Supervision, including annual appraisal
• Previous experience of service development, quality improvement and of bringing innovation and new ideas to practice
• Previous experience of working within the health or care system

Desirable

• Lived-experience of accessing mental health services
• Experience of using DIALOG+ (as a service user or professional)

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Sound knowledge of the applicable professional body code of practice
• Good knowledge and training of adult safeguarding
• Good knowledge of current and relevant local and national agendas impacting Community Mental Health, including the Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the Mental Health Act and Care Act, relevant national standards and other relevant national policies.
• Excellent knowledge & understanding of recovery principles
• Knowledge of quality improvement metrics and tools including relevant audits to
• Excellent communications skills
• Skills in using electronic clinical systems and associated Microsoft 365 applications

Desirable

• Knowledge of NICE guidance in relation to a wide range of mental disorders and the ability to ensure that evidence based practice with clear clinical outcomes is embedded into practice.

About the employer

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.