Team Leader Retreat West

Job summary
Are you an experienced registered mental health professional ready to lead and inspire? Our Retreat service in Weymouth is looking for a Team Leader to guide a compassionate, multidisciplinary team delivering person-centred support to people experiencing self-defined crisis.

Delivered in partnership with Dorset Mental Health Forum as part of Access Mental Health Services, the Retreat provides a safe, therapeutic space from 4pm-12am, seven days a week. The service is rooted in recovery-focused practice, supporting people to understand their experiences, build on their strengths and develop meaningful coping strategies.

As Retreat Team Leader, you will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the service, leading a diverse team of lived-experience peer specialists and registered mental health practitioners. You will champion a culture of openness, compassion and reflective practice, where lived experience and clinical expertise are equally valued, and where co-production and collaboration are central to how the service operates.

You will uphold and actively advocate for the values of the partnership, ensuring care is safe, inclusive and dignified, and responsive to the impact of social inequality on mental health. You will also play a key role in service development, helping to shape a sustainable model that supports people to recover, build resilience and move forward.

Main duties of the job
You will provide visible, supportive, and consistent leadership to the Retreat team, including mental health practitioners, support workers and peer specialists.

You will lead with enthusiasm and act as a positive role model to promote a culture of compassion, inclusion, and professional development.

You will ensure effective day-to-day management, including staffing, supervision, performance management, and development.

You will ensure delivery of high-quality, person-centred services aligned with the values of integrated care.

You will build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including local authorities, primary care, VCSE providers, and community services.

You will actively contribute to the co-design, co-production and planning of services in alignment with Trust, Forum, and national objectives.

Employment in this post requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of.

Please note visa sponsorship for this role is unfortunately not available. Ensure you hold valid right to work in the UK and will not require sponsorship if successful.

About us
At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.

We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.

Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

Job responsibilities
For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidates individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.

All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety. Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements. Where we have concerns that AI has been used to generate content that misrepresents your experience and suitability for the role, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact View email address on meeveem.com

Person Specification
Knowledge skills and training

• Registered health practitioner to degree level supplemented by minimum PG Dip (120 credits) plus working towards MA / MSc or demonstrable extensive experience in the relevant specialty
• Evidence of recent evidence based professional development in an up to date portfolio
• Learning and Assessing in Practice Qualification or equivalent practice assessors training
• Broad clinical and multi-agency knowledge Skills in co-production and partnership working
• Knowledge and understanding of the Trust's and Dorset Mental Health Forums Strategic approach
• Knowledge and understanding of legislation relevant to area of clinical practice

JOB SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE

• Experience as a registered practitioner at Band 6 level as above
• Demonstrates specialist expertise and knowledge underpinned by theory acquired through CPD in relation to Recovery approached clinical assessment, treatment and evaluation
• Evidence of effective Risk management and Person focused Crisis Support skills
• Evidence of relevant involvement in meeting clinical governance objectives
• Evidence of proactive involvement in the supervision and development of members of the multi-disciplinary team
• Able to demonstrate knowledge of health policy and its application in practice
• Evidence of education and training in practice
• Experience of interdisciplinary working and working with Peer Specialists
• Practical experience of facilitating and managing change
• Able to demonstrate highly developed physical skills where accuracy is important such as in the manipulation of fine tools and materials for patient interventions.

MANAGERIAL/SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE

• Previous clinical people management experience
• Able to act as a clinical supervisor

Desirable

• Managing and supporting Peer Staff

FINANCE/RESOURCES

• Able to promote the best use of available resources in the pursuit of quality service provision ensuring a safe environment
• Experience of budget management.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/RESOURCES

• Confident in the use of computer systems, spread sheets, databases, data collection and coordination, word processing and report writing.
• Experience of electronic patient / service user record systems, data entry and reporting

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 (opens in a new window).