Mental Health First Responder

About Recruitment

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new Greater Manchester wide project
within 111 Mental Health First Response.

Four organisations have come together to deliver a first responder service in
collaboration with the NHS. Together, we are committed to delivering high-quality,
innovative services in 111 Mental Health. Our aim is to combine expertise, capacity,
and local insight to deliver outstanding outcomes for people and communities.
Successful candidates will be part of a multi-agency team alongside NHS Mental
Health Trust colleagues.

We are carrying out this joint recruitment on behalf of four independent voluntary
sector organisations:

•  Tameside, Oldham, Glossop and Stockport Mind (TOGS Mind)
•  Gaddum
•  Rochdale and District Mind (RDM)
•  Mental Health Independent Support Team (MHIST)

There are 12 roles available in total. By applying for this role, you are consenting for
your application to be shortlisted by a panel member from each of the above
organisations.

Job Description

Job Title:
Locality:
Accountable to:
Responsible to:
Pay Grade:

Type of Contract:
Location:

Working Pattern:

Job Summary

Mental Health First Responder
Greater Manchester
111 Mental Health Service Leads
Organisational Line Manager
Please see appendix for each organisation’s pay
grade. All organisations will offer the same
supplementary overnight premium for shifts worked
between the hours of 12am-6am.
Permanent
Central Park, Northampton Rd, Manchester M40
5BP
This service operates 24/7, 365 days a year. You
will be required to work evenings, weekends, and
bank holidays on a rotational basis.

The post involves working with people of all age (Children and Young People, Adults
or Older People) experiencing a mental health crisis via the telephone on a 24-hour
rota basis. Working as part of the wider multi-disciplinary team, Mental Health First

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Responders will provide initial assessment and triage via the phone, as well as
information, support, signposting, and advice.

The post holder will provide compassionate and professional support to callers
(including carers) and will support and assist individuals to cope more effectively with
their mental health issues by assisting then with key aspects of their care plans, (if in
place), supporting them in managing distress and challenges / difficulties which they
might be struggling to deal with.

The post holder will seek advice from NHS clinical leads/shift coordinators with any
call where the caller may require urgent assessment, or any call in which the
appropriate response is unclear.

For people experiencing a mental health crisis, Mental Health First Responders will
provide:

•  Mental state assessments
•  Risk assessments
•  Case formulation
•  A range of recovery focused interventions
•  Validation and de-escalation of crisis

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Working Pattern

•  This is a 24/7 service, 365 days per year. You will be required to work flexibly
including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. Both part-time and full-time
positions are available.

•  Due to being a Greater Manchester wide service, you will be based at Central

Park, Manchester but must have the ability to travel across the Greater
Manchester footprint for training and operational requirements.

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

•  Provide complex and sensitive information to a wide range of internal and

external stakeholders (users of services, carers, multi-disciplinary staff, and
other statutory / non statutory services).

•  Contribute to the safe and effective day to day operations of the service,

managing clinical enquires.

•  Provide a high standard of written and verbal communication that is clear and

in line with local guidance.

•  Role model effective communication: demonstrating empathy, respect,
compassion and hope where there may be barriers to understanding.

•  Communicate information in a way that makes it relevant and understandable

in line with operational guidance.

•  Maintain professional relationships with all VCSE and NHS colleagues to

ensure professional standards are met.

•  Promote a culture that incorporates employing organisational values and is

recovery focused.

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Analytical and Judgemental Skills

•  Undertake risk assessments, based on latest empirical evidence and

compliant with local policies/procedures.

•  Report exceptions, complaints and gaps in service.
•  Assist in data collection for the ongoing evaluation of the service.
•  Assist in promotion of the Service locally and nationally as appropriate.
•  Act as the person’s and their carer’s / family’s advocate.
•  Report any incidents of harm or near miss in line with the NHS and employing
organisations’ incident reporting policies supporting appropriate actions are
taken to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

•  To assist with ensuring day to day practice reflects the highest standards of
governance, clinical effectiveness, safety and service user experience.
•  To be aware of the responsibility of all employees to maintain a safe and

healthy environment.

•  Seek advice and support from senior colleagues/line manager whenever

necessary.

Planning and Organisational Skills

•  Ensure good documentation is provided and entered within the appropriate

systems of record sharing.

Responsibility for Person’s Care, Treatment and Therapy

•  Ensure that individual episodes of care are delivered in a timely, effective and

integrated manner.

•  Promote a recovery model that empowers persons, carers and relatives to be
at the forefront of decision making, owning their packages of care/treatment.

•  Create, implement, and update care plans as required.
•  Utilise a range of hardware, software and applications provided by Trust,
employing organisation and other stakeholders. Record information and
communicate with service users and partners and be proficient in the use of
IT hardware and software and digital telephony.

•  Champion peoples’ rights including dignity, equality, diversity, choice and

respect.

•  Provide advice and guidance regarding mental health problems.
•  Request information on specific individuals from Police Officers as per
information sharing protocol.  Discuss and arrange appropriate police
response as required under guidance from senior staff.

•  Promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable

•

adults.
Implement NICE guidance and other statutory / best practice guidelines under
guidance from senior staff.

•  To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies

and issues in relation to service provision.

•  This job description is not exhaustive but is intended to give an overall picture
of the role. Other duties within the general scope of the post may be required
from time to time. The duties of the post and job description can be reviewed
through the agreed process.

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General Duties of all post holders

•  To undertake any other reasonable duty, which is appropriate to the band,

when requested by Senior Staff.

•  To be familiar with and comply with all organisational and service led policies,

procedures, protocols and guidelines.

To be aware of and work towards the employing organisation and First Responder
Services’ strategic goals.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Mental Health First Responder

The person specification should set out the qualifications, experience, skills,
knowledge, personal attributes, interests, and other requirements which the post
holder requires to perform the job to a satisfactory level.

Values

1. Relationships: Demonstrate ability to listen and ask questions to
understand others and build trust. (E)
2. Aspiration: Demonstrate ability to provide support to others relevant to
this role. (E)
3. Learning: Demonstrate ability to undertake learning, seek insight, and
grow from experience. (E)
4. Potential: Demonstrate ability to take personal responsibility for your own
development and the development of others. (E)

Experience

1. Experience of providing support services to members of the public. (E)
2. Experience of working independently to deliver services safely. (E)
3. Demonstratable ability to provide telephone crisis support, including de-
escalation skills and the delivery of Safety Plans. (E)

Qualifications

1. Qualified to the equivalent of a Level 4 or above in nursing, social work,
occupational therapy, counselling, psychological therapy, other health related
subject, or equivalent level of experience and competence. (E).
2. Willingness to undertake training and qualifications relevant to role. (E)

Knowledge

1. Knowledge of emotional wellbeing, mental health issues or other relevant
health support services. (E)
2. Knowledge of evidence-based approaches to support people to achieve
better mental health. (E)

Abilities Required

•  Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage with users of

services experiencing a wide range of complex mental health presentations,
including mental health crisis.

•  Ability to form positive therapeutic relationships with users of services, carers

and other professional bodies.

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•  Ability to assess situations, make decisions, coordinate and organise

appropriate responses.

•  Assessment, planning and evaluation of mental health difficulties.
•  Able to undertake dynamic risk assessments
•  Ability to work without direct supervision.
•  Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision.
•  Able to prioritise work to reflect changing needs.
•  Ability to manage own time.
•  Ability to work flexibly including evenings, overnight, weekends and bank

holidays.

•  Ability to travel across the Greater Manchester footprint.

Safer Recruitment Checks
Please note that successful candidates will be required to complete a self-
disclosure form and there is a requirement to complete a DBS check
(Disclosure and Barring Service) upon being given a conditional offer. The
type of DBS requested will be dependent on the nature of the role you are
applying for.

How to Apply

To apply, send your CV and a cover letter which sets out how you meet the criteria for the
role to applications@togsmind.org.
Please send your documents in word or pdf format and clearly state your name, the job title
and job reference number in your email.

The deadline for applications is midnight on: 29/03/2026.
Invites for interviews are currently planned to be sent out: 01/04/2026.
Interviews are currently planned to be held: 13/04/2026, 14/04/2026 and 15/04/2026.

If you have any further questions and would like to get in touch, please email Leonie Paton
through phone or email: 07901354595 / leoniepaton@togsmind.org.
Alternatively contact our office reception at office@togsmind.org or by calling 0161 330 9223.

Appendix

1.  Salaries

Overnight premium 12am-6am is an additional £2.62 per hour.
*FTE – Full Time Equivalent

TOGS Mind

Gaddum

FTE £28,566.72
£15.26 per hour
36 hours per week

FTE £29,010
£15.94 per hour
35 hours per week

Rochdale and
District Mind
FTE £28,735.60
£15.79 per hour
35 hours per week

MHIST

FTE £29,851
£15.52 per hour
37 hours per week

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