Community Primary Mental Health Practitioner

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust; Burnley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Primary Mental Health Practitioner (Band 6) to support children and young people with mental health needs. You will work within CYMPH East, providing specialist input, education and consultation to a multi-disciplinary team.

Applicants will be registered professionals with experience in child/adolescent mental health, and a commitment to early intervention and family-centred care.

Qualifications

• Registration as RMN/QSW/DipSW/BSc OT or relevant professional qualification.
• Evidence of experience in Childrens or Adult Mental Health Service provision.
• Experience of working with children and young people and their family.
• Experience of working in a MDT.
• Experience of working with young people or adults that present with risky mental health presentations or behaviour.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist support, advice and training within Primary Care Networks to aid recognition of child and adolescent mental health disorders.
• Work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team providing direct work to children and young people and their carers / families.
• Offer advice, consultation and education to other mental health professionals within CYPMH East.
• Develop and explore new ways of working with children, families and professionals to address early mental health needs.

Education

Registration as RMN/QSW/DipSW/BSc OT or relevant professional qualification.

Job description

Community Primary Mental Health Practitioner

Band 6

Main area Mental Health Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time

37.5 hours per week (Part Time 32.25 Hours per week) Job ref 351-BAY1090-ZK

Site Burnley General Teaching Hospital Town Burnley Salary £39,959 - £48,117 Per Annum Pro Rata Salary period Yearly Closing 01/10/2026 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.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, suitably qualified and experienced person with the ability, commitment and passion to support children and young people with their mental health. Professionals registered as a social worker / Occupational Therapy / equivalent can also apply.

Working within Children & Young Peoples Mental Health East (CYMPH East), the Primary Mental Health Practitioner will be a professionally registered practitioner who has experience in Children’s Mental Health. The Mental Health Practitioner works both as an independent professional and, within a multi-disciplinary framework taking into account the THRIVE approach to intervention.

Main duties of the job

The Primary Mental Health Practitioner will provide specialist support, advice and training within Primary Care Networks, thus aiding recognition of child and adolescent mental health disorders at an early stage and advising on strategies for interventions. The post holder will play a major role in establishing links, education and communication within Primary Care Networks.

The Mental Health Practitioner will work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team providing direct work to children and young people and their carers / families. The post holder will also be responsible for providing advice, consultation and education to other mental health professionals within CYPMH East.

The Primary Mental Health Practitioner will develop and explore under supervision new and innovative ways of working directly with children, families and professionals prior to a referral to the specialist complex teams promoting early help and enabling them to seek help and advice in order to address the early manifestation of mental health difficulties.

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

For more information about this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registration as RMN/QSW/DipSW/BSc OT or relevant professional qualification.
• Evidence of experience in Childrens or Adult Mental Health Service provision.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of child and adolescent development and the role of the family in supporting children and young people’s emotional well-being.
• Knowledge of systems and contexts in which children and young people likely live
• Knowledge of an understanding of mental health difficulties experienced by children and young people.

Experience

• Experience of working with children and young people and their family.
• Experience of working in a MDT.
• Experience of working with young people or adults that present with risky mental health presentations or behaviour.

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.