Community Mental Health Practitioner: Sector Teams

NHS Trust; Burnley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) is recruiting a Community Mental Health Practitioner for the Sector Teams in Burnley. The role is Band 6, with 37.5 hours per week split across a 30-hour and a 37.5-hour post, offering a permanent contract.

You will assess and intervene for children and young people, work in a multi-disciplinary team, and provide evidence-based therapies within hospital and community settings. Closing date 11 November 2026.

Qualifications

• Experience in mental health or psychological service provision.
• Experience with childhood emotional and psychological development.
• Able to take on board new ideas, skills and knowledge.
• Able to manage conflicting priorities.
• Experience delivering evidence based psychological therapy or support.
• UK professional registration is required.

Responsibilities

• Undertake assessments and provide therapeutic interventions for children and/or their families.
• Work in a multi-disciplinary team and as a sole practitioner.
• Ensure practice is based on best evidence and guidelines.
• Deliver services in hospital and community settings.
• Attend and contribute to clinical supervision forums.
• Liaise with other professionals from Health, Social Services, Education, Voluntary Services, etc.
• Educate children's mental health needs in families and social settings.

Skills

Mental health experience

Child development

Adaptability

Prioritization

Therapy delivery experience

Education

RMN/CQSW/DipSW/BSc.OT

Training in evidence-based psychological interventions

Further MH/psychology training

Job description

Community Mental Health Practitioner: Sector Teams

Band 6

Main area Mental Health - Children and Young People Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week (1x 30 hours and 1x 37.5 hours) Job ref 351-BAY1129-SH

Site CYPMH Team, Burnley General Hospital Town Burnley Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum (subject to confirmation) Salary period Yearly Closing 11/11/2026 23:59

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.

As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:

• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
• Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Extensive community physical health and well‑being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long‑term condition management.

The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.

The post holder will undertake appropriate mental health assessments and clinical intervention for children and young people referred to service. The post holder will provide a range of appropriate, evidence based clinical interventions informed by the assessed individual need. The post holder will provide support, advice and consultation to families/carers and other professionals involved in the life of the child/young person.

This post holder will work under the direction of the Team Co‑Leaders and Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists within the Sector Teams.

Main duties of the job

Undertake assessments of problems and provide appropriate therapeutic interventions and advice to children and/or their families/carers.

Work as part of a multi‑disciplinary team, in addition to working as a sole practitioner, contributing to assessment and treatment decisions.

Ensure that clinical work is determined by best evidence based practice and available guidelines, displays clear and logical structure in its implementation and is subject to reflection and evaluation.

Deliver services within a hospital setting and community venues.

Attend and contribute to organised clinical supervision forums with the aim of enhancing one's own and others clinical practice.

Liaise and work, with other professionals involved with children and their families/carers, from agencies such as Health, Social Services, Education, Voluntary Services etc.

Work with other professionals in Primary or Secondary Care settings to educate children's mental health needs in families and social settings.

Working for our organisation

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under‑represented groups. If you’d like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi‑time.

The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person specification

Experience

• Evidence of experience in a Mental Health or Psychological Service provision.
• Evidence of working with childhood, emotional and psychological development.
• Able to take on board new ideas, skills and knowledge.
• Able to manage conflicting priorities
• Experience of delivering evidence based psychological therapy or support packages.

Qualifications

• RMN/CQSW/DipSW/BSc.OT or other relevant professional qualification.
• If not already trained, a willingness to train in an evidence based psychological intervention that meets the needs of those referred to CYPMH East or other relevant mental health training. (i.e. CBT, SFP, PCG, EMDR, VIG, Theraplay, DDP etc).
• Further qualifications in Mental Health or evidence based psychological therapy training that meets the needs of those referred to CYPMH East.

Knowledge

• Ability to understand, absorb and comply with detailed procedures
• Confident at dealing with people over the telephone and face to face.

You are advised to consider applying for LSCFT vacancies as soon as possible as in some instances vacancies are closed as soon as a sufficient number of applications have been received. If you are not invited to interview within four weeks of the closing date then please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful, as it is not possible to contact all unsuccessful candidates.

Please note that further communication from LSCFT will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCFT to contact them.

Please ensure you read the person specification as your application will be measured against this document.

If you use AI to assist with your application, you must declare this. Undeclared use may result in withdrawal. Please ensure your application reflects your own skills and experiences. While AI tools can assist, they may produce generic or inaccurate content. We encourage you to provide personal examples that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.

For all posts which require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check please be aware of the Disclosure and Barring Service Code of Practice, a copy of which is available by logging on to the DBS website. If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made to the successful candidate(s).

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. You are therefore advised to consider applying for this vacancy as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.