Mental Health Nurse – Mental Health Urgent Care Centre

NHS; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

Mental Health Nurse – Mental Health Urgent Care Centre

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking for dedicated Band 6 nurses to join our new Mental Health Urgent Care Centre!

If you're seeking an opportunity to work with an outstanding Trust and be part of an innovative service, delivering crisis assessment and signposting in an urgent care environment, we would love to hear from you.

The Mental Health Urgent Care Centre will operate with an enhanced specialist multidisciplinary team, dedicated to improving experiences and outcomes for service users, carers, and staff. This service will also play a crucial role in supporting acute hospital colleagues, enabling the hospital to improve ED performance and overall quality of care.

Operating 24/7, the service will be practitioner-led and supported by voluntary sector partners and Lived Experience Workers, ensuring a truly holistic approach to crisis care.

This role is best suited to a nurse with assessment experience who is confident, proactive, and able to work autonomously. While prior experience in crisis settings is ideal, we are looking for someone who can navigate complex and changeable situations with confidence while providing timely, compassionate, and person-centred care. Due to the nature of the role, this position would not be suitable for a newly qualified nurse.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a groundbreaking service that is shaping the future of mental health crisis care. If you're ready for your next challenge, we'd love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will:

• Support the Team Leader in developing and implementing a multi-professional Mental Health Urgent Care Centre.
• Deliver high-quality crisis care that meets the needs of service users and carers.
• Ensure the efficient and effective running of the team.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and supervision within a multi-disciplinary staff group.
• Undertake urgent mental health assessments for individuals in acute crisis within the Mental Health Urgent Care Centre, operating 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Help establish and maintain team systems and processes to support effective team working, outcome measures, and audits, under the direction of the Team Management.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of the biopsychosocial model of assessment and the ability to apply it effectively in clinical practice.

In return, we can offer you:

• Leadership and management training opportunities
• 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable)
• One of the UK's best pension schemes
• Comprehensive health and wellbeing services
• Special leave for family and personal reasons

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission.

Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health, and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence, and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

Job responsibilities

As a Band 6 Nurse in the Mental Health Urgent Care Centre, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality crisis assessments and supporting the effective running of the service. You will work within a multi-disciplinary team, providing expert assessment, risk management, and short-term interventions for individuals experiencing an acute mental health crisis.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Conducting comprehensive mental health assessments for clients who meet the referral criteria, in line with service and local operational policies.
• Supporting the Team Leader in establishing and maintaining effective communication across teams and agencies.
• Providing clear and effective liaison regarding referrals, admissions, and discharges from the Mental Health Urgent Care Centre.
• Carrying out risk assessments and risk management planning to ensure safe and appropriate care.
• Coordinating staff and workload allocation, responding dynamically to urgent and unplanned client needs to ensure rapid response and timely assessment/treatment.
• Assisting the Team Leader with the day-to-day management of the team, including rota planning, monitoring staff hours, and ensuring adequate skill mix at all times.
• Supervising, administering, and monitoring the effects of psychotropic medication, ensuring adherence to Trust and NMC policies while maintaining stock control.
• Staying up to date with developments in psychotropic medication and ensuring best practice in prescribing and medication management.

This role offers a dynamic and fast-paced environment, where you will have the opportunity to develop your leadership, assessment, and crisis intervention skills while making a real difference to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• RMN OR Dip / BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing.
• ENB 998 / Preceptorship and Mentorship.
• ENB 812 / BSc (Hons) Specialist Community Nursing Practice (Mental Health) or similar training.

Experience

• Post-registration experience with at least some experience at band 6.
• Experience in acute and community areas.
• Experience in care planning, change management, and use of Microsoft Office.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Knowledge of physical health contributions to mental health issues, difficulties, and assessment.
• Experience in working with acute mental health problems in any setting.

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.