Approved Mental Health Professional

Our client in Somerset is seeking an experienced Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) to join their centralised AMHP service, delivering a countywide response to Mental Health Act assessments. This is a key statutory role within a 24-hour hub service, supporting individuals experiencing mental health crises. You will be responsible for coordinating and undertaking Mental Health Act (MHA) assessments, ensuring people receive timely, lawful and person‑centred support, while upholding their rights. Working in partnership with NHS services, the police, housing providers and the voluntary sector, you will promote least restrictive practice, enabling individuals to remain within their communities wherever possible. This role requires a resilient and confident practitioner with strong legal knowledge and the ability to make sound decisions in complex, high‑pressure situations. Responsibilities Coordinating and undertaking Mental Health Act assessments, ensuring statutory timeframes are met Acting as the Single Point of Access for MHA assessment requests on a rota basis Assessing and managing complex and high-risk situations, applying professional judgement and legal reasoning Arranging hospital admissions (voluntary and compulsory), while actively pursuing alternatives to admission Preparing and completing statutory documentation, including: Tribunal reports Guardianship applications Community Treatment Orders (CTOs) Court statements Liaising effectively with individuals, carers, nearest relatives and partner agencies, managing differing views with sensitivity Working closely with community mental health services, Home Treatment Teams, police, housing services and voluntary organisations Participating in a 24-hour rota, including evenings, weekends, nights, bank holidays and lone working Supporting the wider Out of Hours Adult Social Care service, including emergency housing provision Contributing to innovative, multi‑agency approaches aimed at reducing unnecessary hospital admissions Qualifications & Experience Professional Qualification: Degree in Social Work (BA, BSc or MA) or equivalent recognised qualification Registration: Registered with Social Work England Mandatory Requirement: Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification Experience: Significant experience within a mental health setting Recent practice as an AMHP Experience managing complex and high-risk cases Experience of working within a multi‑agency environment Legislation Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of the Mental Health Act, related Codes of Practice and case law Understanding of the: Human Rights Act Mental Capacity Act Care Act Skills: Excellent analytical and decision-making skills, with strong legal literacy Ability to make robust, defensible professional judgements Strong communication and report-writing skills Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team Resilient and able to perform effectively under pressure Additional Requirements: Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes, due to the rural nature of Somerset Liquid Personnel is an equal opportunities employer. Reasonable Adjustments: If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity by contacting our team. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement. We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List. #J-18808-Ljbffr Liquidpersonnel