Specialist Clinical Practitioner

NHS; Paignton; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job description

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Specialist Clinical Practitioner to join our dynamic Rivera Core Mental Health Team within the Paignton & Brixham Primary Care Network. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced clinician to provide high-quality, patient-centered care in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment.

This post is a fixed term post covering maternity ending on 31st June 2026.

As a Specialist Clinical Practitioner, you will demonstrate courageous and critical thinking, providing compassionate and committed care within your professional boundaries. You will be responsible for the full cycle of care for patients, from initial history taking and clinical assessment to diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of care. This includes making safe, competent clinical decisions, performing expert assessments, and prescribing for patients in line with service protocols.

You will be an integral part of the team, working to deliver exceptional clinical care that keeps patients in their own homes for as long as possible, avoiding unnecessary acute hospital admissions, and proactively preventing premature relapse or deterioration of a patient's condition. Your role will be key in preventing unnecessary admissions to long-term care facilities, enhancing the quality of life for patients, and ensuring care is tailored to meet the needs of the population.

Main duties of the job

• Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis.
• Support with the triaging of referrals within the service.
• Clinically examine and perform complex assessments for patient needs from a physiological and psychological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly.
• Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate interventions/treatments for patients with complex needs.
• Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition (as appropriate).
• Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions, integrating both drug- and non-drug-based treatment methods into a management plan.
• If holding a non-medical prescribing registration to prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols, and within scope of practice.
• Work with patients in order to support shared decision making to optimise concordance and adherence to prescribed treatments.
• Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimens, side-effects and interactions.
• Prioritise mental health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the full Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Clinical based Degree, supplemented by post graduate diploma specialist training, experience, short courses.
• A minimum of 60 credits at masters level in relevant subject (e.g. Advanced psychosocial assessment and formulation, Enhancing the Care and Support of the Person with Dementia and their Carer). Or demonstrable equivalent experience/competence at the specialist practitioner level; If a minimum of 60 credits at masters level in relevant subject is not already obtained, this will need to be completed within 2 years of commencing employment as training availability allows.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development.
• Current registration with the NMC or HCPC.
• Post basic qualification in speciality Application Non-Medical Prescriber (V300) at level 7 (nursing or pharmacy registered only).

Experience

• An excellent understanding of the NSF, 5 year forward review for mental health and Mental Health Act/ Mental Health Capacity Act requirements.
• CPA Process.
• Awareness of community structures and social care options and processes.

Skills & Abilities

• High level communication skills including: Presentation and facilitation skills; Consultation and engagement skills.
• An ability to adjust communication effectively to meet the needs of a diverse group including internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to influence significant changes in service delivery through motivation and encouragement which may be highly complex and sensitive and include some barriers to understanding.
• Ability to contribute to the supervision and development of others.
• Confidence to deliver sometimes contentious and difficult messages to a broad range of stakeholders.
• Reporting analysis to a range of stakeholders in a manner that is clear and easily understood.
• Ability to manage risk.
• Ability to assess and interpret specialist acute and other patient conditions.
• Developing short to medium term project based action plans.
• Ability to travel across Devon and other locations in the course of the business requirement.
• Personal commitment to promoting equality, diversity and human rights in all aspects of service delivery.

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.