Mental Health Practitioner (Forensic)

Job Summary

To provide specialist community mental health practitioner input to the Community Forensic Team in Hertfordshire. This will include the provision of specialist knowledge regarding the management of complex cases. To work in close liaison with the Consultant Forensic Psychiatrists and other members of the multi-disciplinary team to co-ordinate the input of the team and to act as a key professional in the full assessment of individual care needs and to plan, implement and review appropriate care and risk management.

The Community Forensic Team (CFT) provides enhanced risk assessment and provides specialist treatment to people with mental disorder in the community who pose or could pose a significant risk of causing serious harm (usually physical) to others. Most (but not all) individuals registered with the CFT have been convicted of serious violent offending. Treatment is geared towards the safe management of risk and recovery of the individual.

Main Duties of the Job

• Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments (MSE, risk, formulation).
• Identify and escalate risks related to self-harm, suicide, violence, vulnerability, absconding, and safeguarding.
• Contribute to risk management plans and ensure they are followed in practice.
• Develop person-centred care plans with clear goals, interventions, and measurable outcomes.
• Deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions (CBT-informed, DBT-informed, psychoeducation, grounding, de-escalation).
• Support medication adherence and monitor side effects (within scope of practice).
• Advocate for patient needs and ensure their voice is reflected in care planning.
• Liaise with psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and external agencies.
• Maintain accurate, timely, defensible clinical records.
• Ensure all interventions, risks, and decisions are documented.
• Adhere to NMC standards, safeguarding policies, and legal frameworks (e.g., MHA, MCA).
• Make clinical decisions regarding safety, including early departure decisions based on risk, acuity, and task completion.
• Coordinate handovers, ensuring clarity, accountability, and risk communication.
• Ensure completion of essential tasks: observations, medications, documentation, property, incident reporting.

About Us

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 4000 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are: Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!

Would you like to be part of the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] family? Would you like to work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Person Specification

Qualifications/Education/Training

• Current professional registration with an approved professional body.
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Previous Experience

• Significant previous experience of working with service users with acute psychiatric disorders and complex mental health needs.
• Experience of managing a caseload.
• Experience of supervising staff and providing mentorship.

Skills/Ability

• Ability to undertake assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment plans.
• Ability to prioritise work demands and be flexible
• Proven skills in undertaking risk assessments and management plans.
• Effective communication skills both verbally and written, including IT literacy
• An understanding and commitment to the principles of Recovery and social inclusion
• An understanding of the role of health promotion and education with the client group.
• Ability to advocate for the service users who you are supporting.
• The ability to supervise and participate in providing teaching and training to other staff.

Knowledge

• Thorough understanding of care planning and the Care Programme Approach (CPA)
• Knowledge of physical healthcare needs.
• Commitment to and understanding of evidence-based practice.
• Knowledge of relevant NICE guidance.
• Understanding of the legislation relating to mental health care including - Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Act, Care Act, Children's Act, Equality Act 2010.
• Awareness of safeguarding issues and responsibilities under relevant legislation.

Additional Information

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

Employer name: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

Address: Kingsley Green, Harper Lane, Radlett, WD7 7HU

Employer's website: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]