Advanced Mental Health Practitioners : CAMHS Rapid Response

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Reading, Slough; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health services provider in the United Kingdom is seeking an Advanced Mental Health Practitioner to join their CAMHS Rapid Response Team. This full-time role involves working with children and young people experiencing mental health crises, conducting assessments, and developing care plans in a multi-agency environment. Candidates must have a relevant professional qualification and experience in mental health. The position offers flexible working, a generous leave policy, and opportunities for career development.

Benefits

27 days’ annual leave

Generous NHS pension scheme

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Discounts at popular retailers and restaurants

Opportunities for career development

Qualifications

• Experience supporting children and young people with mental health needs, including complex cases.
• Strong skills in mental health assessment, formulation, and care planning.
• Full UK driving licence and ability to travel between multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Carry out urgent mental health assessments for children and young people in crisis.
• Provide short-term support and intervention to promote safety and recovery.
• Act as shift lead to manage referrals and coordinate team response.

Skills

Crisis response

Risk assessment

Multi-agency working

Mental health assessment

Care planning

Education

Professional qualification in Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, or Occupational Therapy

Job description

Job overview

Are you a Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist ready for your next challenge?

Do you want to use your skills in children and young people’s mental health to make a real difference?

We’re looking for Advanced Mental Health Practitioners to join our CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service) Rapid Response Team in Slough and Reading. We offer a 24 / 7 service to children and young people in mental health crisis.

This is a varied, front‑line role in a compassionate and forward‑thinking team where you’ll :

• Build upon your skills in crisis response, risk assessment and multi‑agency working
• Work with a broad and complex range of clinical presentations
• Work closely with families and professionals across health, education and social care
• Take on shift lead responsibilities, manage referrals and help coordinate care

This full‑time role includes shift work, including working nights. You’ll work across two sites: In Slough, Fir Tree House (Upton Hospital) during the day, and Wexham Park Hospital at night. Or in Reading, at Erleigh Rd during the day and Royal Berkshire Hospital at night

We’re a friendly, progressive service that champions staff wellbeing and development. As part of a wider CAMHS team, we embrace innovation and quality improvement to deliver great care.

Our Trust is rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC, who highlight our positive culture, staff morale and innovation.

Main duties of the job

• Carry out urgent mental health assessments for children and young people in crisis
• Assess risk, mental state, and psychosocial needs to create clear and effective care plans
• Provide short‑term support and intervention, working with families and other services to promote safety and recovery
• Act as shift lead when required – triage calls, manage referrals, prioritise tasks and coordinate the team’s response
• Work as part of a multi‑agency network, including community CAMHS, social care, education, and acute services
• Attend, chair and contribute to safeguarding and child protection meetings to support safe and joined‑up care
• Use Routine Outcome Measures (ROMs) as part of every clinical contact to support care planning and service development
• Take part in and provide regular clinical and managerial supervision to junior staff when appropriate
• Contribute to a learning environment that supports professional development, innovation, and quality improvement

Applications for this role will be reviewed on a first‑come, first‑served basis. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as vacancies may close early.

Working for our organisation

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire.

We value diversity and are proud to be a Stonewall Top 100 Employer. We work hard to create an inclusive environment where you’ll be supported by friendly and professional colleagues to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working together with you to develop innovative solutions

We welcome people who share these values to come and work for us.

Benefits of working for us include

• Flexible working options to support work‑life balance.
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave.
• Free parking across Trust sites
• High Cost Area allowance

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The “must haves” for this role

• A recognised professional qualification and registration in a relevant field (Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy)
• Experience supporting children and young people with mental health needs, including those with complex presentations
• Strong skills in mental health assessment, formulation and care planning
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle or the ability to travel between multiple sites effectively and efficiently

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point‑by‑point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.