Community Mental Health Lead Practitioner(UK Visa Sponsorship)

Job Description

Role Overview

We are looking for a motivated and compassionate mental health professional — Nurse, Occupational Therapist, or Social Worker — to join our Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Mental Health Team as a Lead Practitioner. This is a community-facing leadership role focused on delivering safe, responsive, and recovery-oriented care for adults experiencing complex mental health difficulties.

You will act as a senior clinical presence within a supportive multidisciplinary team, helping to coordinate urgent responses, manage risk, and ensure high standards of care. The role combines clinical decision-making, crisis coordination, safeguarding responsibilities, and partnership working across services.

Because the work is community based, independent travel within the locality is essential.

What You Will Be Doing

Clinical Leadership & Crisis Response

• Carry out urgent and priority mental health assessments, including structured risk assessments.
• Coordinate safe responses during crises, ensuring patient safety and continuity of care.
• Support complex cases when care coordinators are unavailable.
• Contribute to intensive home-based treatment planning where appropriate.
• Practice reflects national safeguarding and mental health frameworks:
•  Mental Capacity Act guidance
•  Safeguarding adults statutory framework (Care Act)

Patient Safety & Safeguarding

• Recognise and act on signs of harm, abuse, or neglect.
• Apply safeguarding principles consistently and sensitively.
• Use Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) knowledge where required.
• Promote patient-centred, recovery-focused planning.
•  Making Safeguarding Personal principles

Team Support & Collaborative Practice

• Provide clinical advice to colleagues across disciplines.
• Work closely with emergency services, acute care, and community partners.
• Support shared interventions and care delivery within the team.
• Maintain high standards of written and verbal reporting.
•  NHS community mental health transformation framework

Governance & Professional Practice

• Uphold professional standards and clinical governance requirements.
• Contribute to consistent quality standards within the service.
• Participate in supervision, reflective practice, and development activity.
•  NHS clinical governance principles

Working Environment

You will join a warm, experienced, and collaborative team committed to high-quality community mental health care. Staff wellbeing is a priority, with regular supervision, mentoring, and reflective practice built into everyday working life.

This service is part of a wider transformation of community mental health care, placing clinicians at the centre of integrated care delivery with primary and third-sector partners.

The team is based in Haywards Heath and serves the Mid Sussex locality.

Essential Requirements

Qualifications

• Professional registration as a Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist, or Social Worker.
• Mentorship/supervision qualification or equivalent.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.

Experience

• Post-qualification experience supporting people with complex mental health needs.
• Risk assessment and crisis decision-making experience.
• Supervisory or mentoring experience.
• Community-based or multi-agency working.
• Knowledge of clinical governance and CPA processes.

Practical Requirements

• Ability to travel independently within the locality.
• Access to a suitable vehicle for work purposes.

Regulatory & Recruitment Information

This post requires enhanced DBS clearance under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.

• Skilled Worker visa sponsorship may be considered.
•  Skilled Worker visa information
•  Overseas criminal records checks guidance
• Applicants must hold current UK professional registration.

About the Organisation

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is committed to delivering innovative, compassionate mental health care within the community. The Trust prioritises staff wellbeing, professional growth, and inclusive working culture — recognising that supported clinicians deliver the best patient care.