Healthy Minds PractitionerNHS

Job summary

The emphasis of the Healthy Minds service is on triage to ensure the patient is referred into the most appropriate service, and higher risk patients are followed up to ensure they are engaging with services.

In addition, this service offers the provision of a timely helpful conversation to assist patients experiencing chronic or common mental health presentations towards increased self management of anxiety, depression symptoms and an improved tolerance to distress. This will support patients to improve wellbeing, facilitate increased awareness and agency for individuals to self manage both their mental health and wellbeing.

The overall aim of this role is to ensure patients mental and emotional health needs are better supported. In addition, the Healthy Minds Practitioner will ensure that referrals to appropriate services are made more efficiently, and other primary care clinician workload is reduced appropriately.

Main duties of the job

The duties and responsibilities of the post include:

Referrals, triage and assessment

Accept referrals of patients with chronic and/or mild to moderate common mental health problems (predominantly anxiety, depression and OCD) via agreed protocols within the GP practices.

Use patient management systems (after training) to record referrals, assessments and outcomes.

Identify and manage cases where complexity, including severity are present, including triaging referrals and signposting to appropriate mental health and crisis support.

Use therapeutic skills where appropriate to help patients to contain and manage acute emotional distress which does not pose a risk.

Complete a comprehensive and holistic assessment of need for those referred to the service within an agreed timeframe, in order to determine the most appropriate help and support.

Develop an understanding of the particular issues presented, including any complicating social factors (physical health, employment, housing, substance misuse, etc), the patients sense of what support would be helpful and realistic, and the patients readiness to engage with connecting services.

Offer consultation, advice, and decision support to primary care colleagues.

Caseload management and interventions:

Typically, a full time post holder would offer circa 40 (30 minute triage) and 7 (60 minute follow up) appointments per week.

Manage a full caseload and reach agreed activity levels set within the service and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.

Within follow up appointments, use a range of techniques and interventions to support patients with mental health needs to self manage their symptoms, and encourage behavioural and lifestyle change, while working within boundaries of professional training and competence.

Respond to unpredictable situations of risk and manage these in a safe, professional and holistic manner, utilising appropriate risk management plans.

Facilitate patients to use and develop their own resources and support networks (family and friends), provide extra support for patients to access the wide range of existing psychoeducational, peer support and wellbeing groups within Leeds.

Support navigation into a range of other useful social and support services, including Forward Leeds, Health Trainers and social prescribing.

Build knowledge of relevant local community networks and support individuals to access these, where appropriate (including, but not limited to LMWS, secondary care mental health services, social prescribing service, local voluntary sector mental health provision).

Encourage patients to actively manage their own mental health and wellbeing.

Help patients to develop skills and build confidence in their ability to regulate their emotional state and make appropriate choices which promote mental wellbeing, encourage patients to self initiate positive behaviours and to gain problem solving skills.

Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying clinical formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.

Attend multi disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.

Keep records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols using patient management systems and any paper based systems as appropriate.

Monitor patient experience using a qualitative evaluation questionnaire.

Work closely with the GP practices and other members of the team ensuring appropriate timely communication and be available to support practice staff with queries about referrals and sustainability.

The post holder will predominantly work remotely (home based or at our Leeds office base) and provide telephone triage, assessment and decision making support to ensure that patients with common mental health needs gain access to the most appropriate pathway and intervention.

There will be a requirement to deliver some face to face support in at least one GP practice or the Leeds office base.

Job description

Are you passionate about supporting people to make a real difference to mental wellbeing support across Leeds?

This is a great opportunity to join Northpoint as a Healthy Minds Practitioner.

You will join us on a fixed-term (7 months maternity cover), full-time (35 hours per week) basis on a salary of £32,073 per annum, pro rata – Agenda for Change Band 5.

The role is primarily worked during standard business hours; however, occasional extended access cover will be required, with shifts between 12:00pm and 8:00pm to support service delivery. Advance notice will be provided wherever possible.

We offer:

• 35 hours full-time working week with hybrid options - giving you flexibility to balance work and home life.
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• Auto-enrolment pension scheme
• Enhanced leave policies that support you when it matters most
• Regular supervision and development opportunities
• A supportive, inclusive and values-led working environment

Why choose Northpoint?

Northpoint is a leading regional provider of mental health services for children, young people and adults across West Yorkshire. We work in partnership with local services and we are committed to delivering accessible, high-quality support that meets people's needs at the right time.

Joining us means being part of a collaborative and values-led organisation where your work will have real impact.

What you will be doing as our Healthy Minds Practitioner:

You will be a key part of ensuring patient referrals are triaged to the most appropriate service for support, and engagement. You will be assisting patients to improve their wellbeing.

You will be responsible for:

• Accepting and recording referrals using the patient management system (SystemOne/EMIS), including assessments and outcomes.
• Identifying and managing cases where complex needs are present, including triaging referrals and signposting to appropriate mental health and crisis support.
• Managing a full caseload and reach agreed activity levels set within the service and ensuring treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
• Ensuring patient confidentiality is protected at all times, in line with Northpoint and GP practice/s policies.

What are we looking for in our ideal Healthy Minds Practitioner?

We are looking for someone who is organised, reliable and enjoys working in a varied, people-facing role.

• A professional therapeutic qualification or degree (such as Social Work, Mental Health Nursing, Occupational Therapy, or similar allied health profession).
• A minimum of two years' experience of delivering mental health interventions.
• A good understanding of common mental health problems.
• Confidence in working both independently and as part of a wider team.
• A commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and supporting people to take an active role in their wellbeing.

If you have the skills, knowledge and experience we are looking for to be our Healthy Minds Practitioner, and are passionate about making a difference, please click ‘Apply’. We’d love to hear from you.

We aim to be a talented, resilient and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all and offer a variety of flexible working opportunities.

We recognise the value of using digital tools to optimise our work. You can use AI to support your application, but please make sure it reflects your own individuality, experience, and approach.

Please note, we review applications regularly and may close adverts early if we receive a high level of interest or find a suitable candidate.

Closing date: Sunday 15 November 2026

Interview date: Wednesday 02 December 2026

We may utilise digital interview methods.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and we expect all of our staff to share this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced Adults workforce DBS check.

It's important to us that our recruitment process is inclusive and person-centred. If you require any support or adjustments to access any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our Recruitment Team at [email protected] to discuss how we can support you.

About us

The Healthy Minds Practitioner is required to work in Beeston, Hunslet and Middleton PCN. The post is full time (35 hours per week) but will include some extended access hours working between 12 and 8pm.