Mental Health Practitioner - First Response Service

This is an exciting opportunity to join a newly established Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS) within the First Response service, at a key stage in its development.

The MHCAS at Chester will be a 6‑month pilot initially, and provides a 24/7 voluntary, safe and comfortable setting for up to 4 informal patients to receive an extended assessment and decision‑making service for up to 24 hours.

The MHCAS aims to reduce admissions to acute inpatient wards by conducting robust extended assessments for patients that are identified as requiring the acute care pathway.

Assessments are needs‑based and intervention‑focused with the main purpose of supporting the individual in the most appropriate setting.

MHCAS is underpinned by values of compassion, respect, collaboration, and person‑centred care. As a new service, it offers a unique opportunity for Band 6 practitioners to contribute to shaping its culture, clinical pathways, and ways of working from the outset.

The role requires flexible and fluid working to the First Response model to meet service demand and evolving priorities. The Band 6 practitioner will work with a high level of autonomy while being supported through clinical supervision, MDT working, and clear escalation pathways. The post holder will work as a practitioner within a multi‑disciplinary Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS), providing timely, high‑quality mental health and risk assessments for individuals presenting in crisis.

The role involves autonomous clinical practice within clear governance and escalation frameworks, ensuring individuals receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Working as part of the Urgent Care Mental Health First Response model, the post holder will contribute flexibly across services to meet service demand. This includes close collaboration with Emergency Departments, Crisis Triage and Response Services (Crisis Line/First Response), Liaison Psychiatry, Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams, inpatient services, community teams, Street Triage, and Liaison and Diversion services within the criminal justice pathway.

The role requires fluid working across the First Response model, supporting effective system‑wide flow, reducing unnecessary Emergency Department waits, and promoting safe, timely alternatives to hospital admission wherever appropriate.

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all‑age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.

We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.

Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person‑centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services. All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date.

P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.

Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you will find something to suit you at CWP.