We’re recruiting! SMI Outreach Worker

We have a new vacancy for a part-time SMI Outreach Worker.

Hours: 18.5 hours per week

Location: Home-based or Hexham site

Accountable to: CEO

Responsible to: Project Lead

Rate of pay: £23,635.36 per annum pro rata £11,817.68

Contract: Fixed term until September 2026 with potential for extension

Please see below the background to this role, plus the job description and application form for download.

SMI Outreach Worker Job description and person specification

SMI Outreach Worker application form

Adapt (NE) GDPR consent form

To apply, please complete the application form and return along with the signed GDPR consent form, to Jeanp@adapt-tynedale,org.uk.

Applications are welcome until midnight Sunday 9 November 2025. Provisional interview dates: Thursday 13 November (am) and Monday 17 November 2025 (pm).

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Please let us know if you require any adjustments or support with accessibility during the recruitment process.

SMI Outreach Worker

Are you interested in working to support people living with serious mental illness? Our partnership with Everyturn Mental Health is providing essential support to people in our community to access their physical health checks and tackle the health inequalities faced by people who live with enduring mental illness. A rewarding role which is a mix of supporting people and improving systems, we are looking for a skilled individual who brings a mix of people skills, lived or learnt experience and is confident in navigating IT and administrative systems. We are a warm and welcoming team, all committed to making things better for the places and communities we live and work in. We look forward to your application!

Background

Across the country, voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) alliances have formed as part of the Mental Health Transformation Plan. This allows greater opportunities for collaboration between VCSE for the benefit of local communities and in supporting the needs of people living with severe mental illness (SMI). Adapt (NE) as a partner in the Northumberland VCSE Alliance (Mental Health) is working in partnership to deliver the SMI Outreach Service in the West Northumberland Primary Care Network (PCN) area.

There is currently a Senior Outreach Worker working across Valens and Cramlington and Seaton Valley PCNs.

The role of the Outreach Worker is to support the PCN to engage people with SMIto participate with annual physical health checks at the local general practice and where appropriate, to follow up on any actions required as a result of this. This will also involve working with practice staff for data transfer and follow up work.

Context

People with SMI face stark health inequalities and are less likely to have their physical health needs met, both in terms of identification of physical health concerns and delivery of the appropriate, timely screening and treatment. Compared to the general population, individuals with SMI (such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder):

• Face a shorter life expectancy by an average of 15–20 years
• Are three times more likely to smoke
• Are at double the risk of obesity and diabetes, three times the risk of hypertension and metabolic syndrome, and five times the risk of dyslipidaemia (imbalance of lipids in the bloodstream)

The Mental Health Five Year Forward View set a standard to ensure that by 2020/21, 280,000 people living with SMI have their physical health needs met by increasing early detection and expanding access to evidence-based physical care assessment and intervention each year.

SMI Outreach Service

The SMI Outreach Service is designed to increase access and uptake of NHS Health Check appointments through:

• Supporting practices to arrange physical health checks for people living with SMI to improve health outcomes
• Supporting service user/patients, to understand the benefit of the physical health checks and overcome barriers to attending

SMI Outreach Workers work closely with the GP practices in their area, tailoring their input to support and develop the work already undertaken by primary care teams in this area. Outreach Workers also collaborate with Northumberland Recovery College and its partners to create opportunities for improving physical and mental health wellbeing locally.

This vacancy is now closed.