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ARRS Assistant Practitioner

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Shaftesbury, SP7 8DH £17,035 – £18,694 a year Permanent Posted 4 September 2026 Apply by 20 September 2026

Home Office register entry: Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

NHS roles fall under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

Are you passionate about supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing?

Dorset HealthCare is looking for a compassionate and motivated ARRS Assistant Practitioner to join our Primary Care Mental Health Team within The Vale Primary Care Network. This is a part time position for 22.5 hours a week to spread across 4-5 days flexibly between face to face and remote appointments.

Working alongside Mental Health Practitioners and partner organisations, you will support people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties through assessment, brief interventions, health promotion, and community-based support. You will help individuals build confidence, improve wellbeing, access local services, and achieve meaningful recovery goals. We are looking for someone who has the ability to work autonomously in a range of settings.

This rewarding role offers the opportunity to work within a supportive multidisciplinary team, make a real difference in local communities, and contribute to innovative, patient-centred care. If you have experience supporting people with mental health needs, excellent communication skills, and a genuine commitment to recovery-focused practice please do apply.

Please note that applications from candidates who require Skilled Worker visa sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately not eligible for this position.

Main duties of the job

As an ARRS Assistant Practitioner, you will support individuals experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties to improve their wellbeing, build resilience, and achieve personal recovery goals. Working within a multidisciplinary Primary Care team, you will deliver brief interventions, provide psychoeducation, promote self-management techniques, and support lifestyle changes that enhance mental and physical health. You will help people access community resources, social support networks, voluntary sector services, and wellbeing activities that reduce isolation and encourage independence. The role involves developing positive therapeutic relationships with service users and carers, undertaking brief assessments, maintaining accurate records, and working collaboratively with GPs, Mental Health Practitioners, Social Prescribers, and partner organisations. Playing a key role in promoting recovery, social inclusion, and compassionate community-based care while ensuring services are person-centred, accessible, and responsive to local needs.

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

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 almost800,000 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 create healthier lives, empowered citizens and thriving communities.

Details

Date posted

04 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£17,035 to £18,694 a year p.a.

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

152-M274.26

Job locations

Tha Vale PCN

Abbey View Medical Centre, Salisbury Rd

Shaftesbury

SP7 8DH

United Kingdom


Job description

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 dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net

Person Specification

EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

Essential

  • NVQ Level 3 in Healthcare, equivalent, or willingness to work towards achieving this
  • Working knowledge, focussing on recovery of people mental health difficulties to a diploma level or equivalent demonstrable experience
  • Commitment to undertake Continuing Personal Development

Desirable

  • Basic level of knowledge of Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, ABILITIES & KNOWLEDGE

Essential

  • Recent experience of working in mental health services with this client group
  • Genuine interest and motivation to work with people experiencing mental health issues
  • Ability to form positive therapeutic relationships with service users and carers
  • Ability to acknowledge and promote diversity, ensuring anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities
  • Ability to act calmly in emergency situations and respond in a professional manner to stressful and challenging behaviour
  • Ability to work autonomously and unsupervised in a range of settings

Desirable

  • Experience of dealing with emotional distress
  • Experience of supporting socially isolated people

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY / RESOURCES

Essential

  • Experience of electronic patient / service user record systems, data entry and reporting
  • Written communication skills to enable completion of records

Desirable

  • An understanding of the Mental Health services
  • Awareness of local services and the ability to promote close working relationships with outside agencies

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Essential

  • Demonstrable skills in written and spoken English, adequate to enable the post holder to carry out the role effectively.
  • Subject to the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act, able to travel using own vehicle on Trust business.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tha Vale PCN

Abbey View Medical Centre, Salisbury Rd

Shaftesbury

SP7 8DH

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/work-for-us

Apply now

Last verified against our ingestion on 7 September 2026; sponsor register dataset 2026-08-25.