Job Title
Primary Care Mental Health Worker
Salary
Band 6
Reports to
Practice Manager
To work as part of an integrated multi-disciplinary team involving LSMP and the University of Leeds,
providing support to students in regards to emotional, psychological and general wellbeing issues.
To work as part of an integrated multi disciplinary team, triaging patients who have presented for a ‘same
day’ appointment.
To manage a varied and complex caseload of patients, providing appropriate interventions according to their
individual needs and circumstances.
To provide consultancy and advice to staff at LSMP on student mental health issues and participate in the
development and delivery of mental health training and development courses for staff and students both
within LSMP and the University of Leeds
Responsibilities
1. Using mental health expertise, triage patients who present to LSMP with mental health issues and
request a ‘same day’ appointment. Triage will involve a process of exploration with the patient, to
ascertain what difficulties they are experiencing, to enable the patient to make an informed choice
regarding the way forward.
2. Using mental health expertise, manage a case load of patients providing appropriate interventions
according to the needs of the patient.
3. Assist the patient to help themselves and develop a greater understanding of the role they can play in
their recovery. Advise, encourage and support patients to maximise their self care and independent
living skills. Maintain a solution focused approach to day to day issues and assist patients to develop
positive problem solving skills.
4. Enhance the confidence and coping abilities of patients through encouragement and positive feedback;
to enable patients to develop skills in planning, self organisation and self discipline and to encourage
them to maintain engagement with their responsibilities and commitments.
5. Understand the possible barriers in building good, effective, professional, empathetic relationships with
patients and to be aware of and use any strategies to help improve communication and relationship
building.
6. Provide support and appropriate interventions to patients using media which meets NHS Information
Governance standards.
7. Work with colleagues to encourage patients who are identified as manifesting emotional, psychological
or mental health difficulties to accept appropriate support or intervention.
8. Arrange follow up appointments, create action plans for patients, as required. Monitor and evaluate the
impact of interventions or referrals.
9. Ensure the patient understands and has a clear pathway of care across sector/agency boundaries with
key contact points/named individuals (especially in regards to a crisis management plan).
10. Deliver a range of other wellbeing activities, including one-off individual wellbeing courses, group work
and online interventions, as well as contributing to the creation of online and hard copy resources.
11. Liaise with other services within and external to the educational establishments in Leeds, including
statutory health organisations and community groups, in order to ensure appropriate response, referral
and support for patients.
12. To ensure that accurate records are kept as directed and that confidentiality is preserved in accordance
with organisational policy. To document all work undertaken in support of patients, their general
progress (this may be through self assessment) and any concerns/communication/liaison with
other/external agencies.
13. To provide regular reports on work undertaken to enable overall service monitoring to take place.
14. To deliver mental health awareness staff development courses, as well as develop and disseminate
good practice guidance for staff.
15. To contribute to the development of a series of self help awareness courses based around anxiety,
depression, stress, distress intolerance and personal resilience. Courses will be offered to all students
within the University to build a greater awareness of self management and pro activity.
16. Collaborate with the University of Leeds Student Union, Student Counselling Centre and Mental Health
Team to devise and facilitate mental health promotion and awareness throughout the campus and
LSMP, which will be an annual rolling programme of activities.
17. To work effectively in both an autonomous and multidisciplinary role and to have a good understanding
and appreciation of all other teams within the service, their roles and remit in order to ensure a full and
considered ‘triage’ of the student support needs.
18. To adhere to service pathways and operational processes raising any concerns.
19. To provide a safe, calm space for patients in distress and seek support to help de-escalate the distress
in a timely manner.
20. Participate and contribute to LSMP meetings, as required.
21. To undertake relevant continuous professional development.
The opening hours of the Practice are currently;
Monday, Tuesday and Friday; 0700 – 1800
Wednesdays and Thursdays; 0830 – 1800
The Practice will be opening, 0700 – 1900, 5 days per week, from January 2015.
The NHS is moving towards 7 day working nationally and opening hours may be affected by this.
The postholder will be expected to work within these hours.
You are expected to be flexible in the duties you carry out. LSMP reserves the right to vary your duties from
time to time as it sees fit. You may therefore be required by LSMP during the course of your employment to
undertaken additional or other duties which LSMP believes are within your capabilities in order to meet the
needs of the service. Wherever possible this will be done with your prior agreement.
You must abide by all the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 as it shall relate to the Practice and
its patients
Equal Opportunities
We are committed to providing a non-discriminatory and harassment-free working environment for our
employees. All our employees are expected to have due regard for those policies when carrying out their
duties.
Health and Safety
You will maintain a positive attitude to Health and Safety in carrying out personal responsibilities and cooperate with Health & Safety policy / local rules / Codes of practice relating to Health and Safety.
Post Title
Primary Care Mental Health Worker
Qualifications, Skills, Experience & Knowledge
Essential
Method of
Assessment
(Application/
Interview/Test/Other)

Application/
Interview
1. Educated to degree level or equivalent, with a relevant professional
qualification in mental health e.g. mental health social worker, mental
health nursing, psychology.
2. Experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds and
relevant experience of working with people with complex mental
health conditions.
3. Experience of conducting mental health assessments, assessing
risk and managing cases where there is a risk of harm to themselves
or others.
4. Experience of working in multi-disciplinary settings, using a variety
of models and approaches creatively, according to individual needs.
5. Ability to deliver short term focussed individual work and facilitate
group work.

Application/
Interview/

Application/Interview

Application/Interview

Application/Interview
Performance Attributes
Please note that all the following criteria are essential.
PLANNING & ORGANISATION
6. Evidence of excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to
prioritise a wide range of tasks whilst working to deadlines in sometimes highly
pressurised situations whilst supporting students with mental ill health.
SERVICE DELIVERY
7. Proven record of a proactive and effective approach to supporting students and
service delivery.
TEAMWORK
8. Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team, making an active contribution to
working flexibly with colleagues within and across teams to achieve shared goals.
Method of
Assessment
(Application/
Interview/Test/Other)
Application/Interview
Application/Interview
Application/Interview/
Presentation
Application/Interview
Application/Interview
COMMUNICATION
9. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to respond
sensitively and appropriately to the needs of students and staff.
Application/Interview/
Presentation
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
10. Evidence of a commitment to training and Continuing Professional Development,
ensuring up-to-date professional knowledge and awareness of developments
within our University and the Higher Education sector.
Application/Interview