First Contact Mental Health Practitioner - PCN

Haringey GP Federation; North East; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a First Contact Mental Health Practitioner for a primary care network role. This position requires a qualified professional with significant experience in mental health and the ability to collaborate within multidisciplinary teams. Responsibilities include providing assessments, managing clinics, and ensuring patients receive specialized care. The role offers an opportunity to make a real impact in community mental health services.

Qualifications

• Must be currently registered with a professional body.
• Experience in community mental health settings.
• Significant experience in primary care teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice and assessment to patients.
• Manage daily clinics and support access to services.
• Ensure smooth transitions between care services.

Skills

Effective communication

Ability to work across complex organisations

Clinical supervision and teaching

Education

Post‑graduate qualification in a relevant area

Current professional registration in healthcare or social work

Evidence of Continuing Professional Development

Job description

First Contact Mental Health Practitioner – PCN

Closing date: 01 January 2026

Job location: Durham West Primary Care Network

An exciting opportunity to work as a First Contact Mental Health Practitioner in primary care. You will join a multidisciplinary team within County Durham Primary Care Networks and contribute to innovative, integrated mental health services.

Main duties

You will develop close working relationships with clinical staff, offer specialist mental health advice and provide expert clinical care for people with a range of mental health needs. Your role will involve triage, assessments, brief interventions, and reviews. You will enable access to appropriate mental health support across the community system and ensure that each person receives the best possible care in the right place at the right time.

About us

The PCNs are forward‑thinking, innovative and driven by a team of professionals focused on delivering high quality care for local people.

Job responsibilities

• Provide specialist advice and support, assessment, treatment and education to patients and carers.
• Offer expertise in networking and navigation to promote access to specialist mental health support services.
• Manage daily clinics and act as a specialist advisor to GPs, fulfilling a pathway management function.
• Support the establishment of partnerships and networks with key stakeholders across the PCN and the wider mental health care system.
• Ensure smooth transition between primary care and secondary mental health services.
• Travel independently and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes.

Person specification

Qualification

• Current professional registration with an appropriate body in healthcare or social work.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
• Post‑graduate qualification in a relevant area.

Skills

• Communicate complex and sensitive information effectively to patients, carers/families and all members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Work effectively across complex organisations, pathways and services.
• Provide effective clinical supervision, teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
• Write reports and use multimedia materials for presentations.

Experience

• Significant experience working with people with mental ill health in a community setting.
• Experience working in primary care, multi‑agency and multidisciplinary teams.
• Leadership or management experience.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the Stepped Care model, relevant legislation and safeguarding.
• Understanding of clinical governance, risk assessment and psychological models of care.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

Subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and the Disclosure and Barring Service check.