Community Mental Health Nurse - Assertive Outreach

Job summary
Are you a registered nurse seeking an opportunity in a brand new mental health service?

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to invite applications for a Community Mental Health Nurse role within our newly established Assertive Outreach Team (AOT).

This innovative service will provide high-quality, person-centred care to individuals with complex mental health needs who may struggle to engage with traditional services. Operating across Oxford, the team will deliver proactive, flexible support, responding to need in a timely and coordinated manner.

Assertive Outreach is founded on active engagement rather than office-based care. Staff will work flexibly across the city, supporting individuals in community settings, their homes or Trust premises. Interventions will be tailored, relationship-focused and recovery-oriented, promoting continuity, trust and consistent engagement. Shared caseload responsibility, alongside a key worker model and regular MDT reviews, will enable rapid responses to relapse, risk and disengagement.

We are seeking motivated and compassionate professionals who are committed to supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. You will be confident in managing complexity and dynamic risk, while working within a recovery-focused, trauma-informed framework. This is an opportunity to help shape a new service and make a meaningful difference across Oxford.

Main duties of the job
The Band 6 Nurse for the Oxfordshire Assertive Outreach Team (AOT), working across Oxford City, is responsible for delivering high-quality, recovery-focused and evidence-based nursing interventions to adults with severe and enduring mental health difficulties who experience significant challenges in engaging with services.

The Team will be a fully integrated multidisciplinary service comprising a Consultant Psychiatrist, Clinical Team Manager, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Support Workers and Administrators.

You will:

• Work as an autonomous practitioner an active participant of the multi-disciplinary team undertaking specialist nursing assessments in collaboration with the patients and their families/carers and presenting back to the wider MDT.
• Work in partnership with patients and their families/carers to ensure the development of a treatment plan to facilitate their safety, promote their well-being and support their independence and inclusion in the community. This may include working closely with partner agencies.
• Deliver evidence-based interventions following NICE guidelines to promote recovery and relapse prevention in a variety of settings.
• Regularly review care and outcomes, supporting service users to complete clinical outcome measures and monitoring progress and adapting treatment options as required.

About us
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.

Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible

Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are: "Caring, safe and excellent"

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Job responsibilities
We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the supporting statement element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview, and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their application. We kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of their experience and must take care to ensure the use of AI tools does not generate an application that does not accurately reflect their knowledge, skills and values.

Applicants must have a full valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work. Adjustments can be considered in line with the Equality Act 2010 where required

Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential

• Professional Qualification (Degree or equivalent)
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio
• Professional Registration (RMN)

Desirable

• Post graduate education specifically relating to client group (Post basic qualification in community care/ research awareness/ management)

Occupational Experience
Essential

• To have experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• To have highly extensive experience which should include community and working with mental health
• To have a good knowledge and interest in community care and have specific clinical expertise in mental health
• Understand and have experience of Risk Management
• Experience of supervising other staff
• Understand and have experience of Risk Management

Desirable

• Good knowledge of community services
• Awareness of National and local issues concerning mental health
• Experience of supervising student placements.
• Experience of audit

Skills required - IT / Admin
Essential

• To be IT literate
• To have excellent English written communication skills

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Oxford Health NHS Trust is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.